Disciplinary Board for Bishops

Mandate

Canon IV.17.3-5

Sec. 3.

The Disciplinary Board for Bishops is hereby established as a court of the Church to have original jurisdiction over matters of discipline of Bishops, to hear Bishops' appeals from imposition of restriction on ministry or placement on Administrative Leave and to determine venue issues as provided in Canon IV.19.5. The Disciplinary Board for Bishops shall consist of ten (10) Bishops elected by the House of Bishops at a regularly scheduled session of General Convention, and four (4) Priests or Deacons and four (4) lay persons elected by the House of Deputies. All lay persons elected or appointed to serve shall be confirmed adult communicants in good standing. Members of the Board shall serve staggered terms of six (6) years, with terms of one half of the Bishops and one half of the lay persons, Priests and Deacons collectively expiring every three (3) years.

A vacancy among the member Bishops shall be appointed by the Presiding Bishop with the advice and consent of the Bishop members of Executive Council. A vacancy among the lay or Priest or Deacon members shall be filled by the President of the House of Deputies with the advice and consent of the lay, Priest and Deacon members of Executive Council. Unless elected or appointed to fill the remainder of an unexpired term, each member shall serve from the first day of January following the adjournment of the General Convention at which the member was elected, until the last day of December of the sixth calendar year following election and until the member’s successor is elected and qualifies; however, there shall be no change in the composition of any Hearing Panel while a matter is pending unresolved before the Hearing Panel.

Sec. 4. Within sixty days following each General Convention, the Board shall convene to elect a president for the following triennium. The president shall be a Bishop. If there is no president, the Bishop who is senior by consecration shall perform the duties of the president.

Sec. 5. The Conference Panel shall consist of three Bishops, one Priest or Deacon and one lay person. The Hearing Panel shall consist of three Bishops, one Priest or Deacon and one lay person, except that the Hearing Panel for the Offense specified in Canon IV.4.1.h.2 pertaining to Doctrine Offenses shall consist of five Bishops only.