DP5

DecisionPoint
http://proethica.org/ontology/cases#DecisionPoint

DP5

Does Engineer A's obligation to avoid the appearance of impropriety and protect the institutional integrity of the boiler code standards committee require him to formally recuse himself from committee decisions, evaluations, and actions affecting Engineer B's subcommittee for the duration of the litigation — beyond merely refraining from direct litigation-related communications with Engineer B?

Engineer A's structural role-separation obligation: having accepted the forensic engagement and disclosed the committee relationship, Engineer A must determine whether communication restraint alone adequately manages the appearance of impropriety created by his simultaneous institutional supervisory authority over Engineer B's subcommittee, or whether formal recusal from committee oversight of Engineer B's subcommittee is required for the duration of the litigation.

Formally recuse from all committee decisions, subcommittee appointments, agenda actions, and evaluations directly affecting Engineer B's subcommittee for the duration of the litigation, document the recusal with the engineering society, and refrain from all litigation-related communications with Engineer B except as directed by Attorney X

Refrain from all written or verbal exchanges with Engineer B about the pending litigation without direction from Attorney X, while continuing to exercise normal committee chairmanship functions — including oversight of Engineer B's subcommittee — on the grounds that the Board found no clear conflict and that unilateral recusal would signal a conflict the Board did not find

Delegate day-to-day oversight of Engineer B's subcommittee to a designated vice-chair or deputy for the duration of the litigation without formally recusing from the chairmanship role, thereby reducing the practical power imbalance while preserving Engineer A's nominal committee standing and avoiding the signal that a formal recusal would send

Standards Committee Chair Expert Witness