Duty to report life-threatening situations, C2S16 CPRA

Section 16, Canon II SECTION 16. Duty to report life-threatening situations. - A lawyer who has reasonable grounds to believe that a life-threatening situation is likely to develop in relation to any proceeding in any court, tribunal, or other government agency shall immediately report the same to the proper authorities. (2023 Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability or CPRA) 1. Duty to report life-threatening situations Lawyers are duty-bound to immediately report to the proper authorities of they have reasonable grounds to believe that a life-threatening situation is likely to develop in relation to any proceeding in any court, tribunal, or other government agency. a. Life-threatening situations Life-threatening – means “capable of causing death,” “potentially fatal.” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary) Life-threatening situations include: 1) Terrorism-related activities – e.g., bombing, hostage-taking; 2) Crimes or offenses – e.g., mass shooting, murder plans, kidnapping and serious illegal detention; 3) Calamities – e.g., typhoons, storm surge, fire, etc.; 4) Medical emergencies; and 5) Analogous therewith. b. Any court, tribunal, or other government agency The duty to report life-threatening situations is not limited to where lawyers may be appearing, but it applies to any or every court, tribunal, or other government agency. References • Canon II, 2023 Code of Professional Responsibility...