In Re Amendments to Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar

Summary

The Supreme Court of Florida adopted numerous amendments to the bar-admission rules, including modified eligibility requirements for disciplined lawyers, expanded restitution and disciplinary-cost requirements, authority for permanent denial after extremely grievous misconduct, and separate penalties for examination misconduct and taking the examination while educationally unqualified. The Court rejected the proposed version of one rule and declined to adopt a proposed convicted-felon rule, while adopting the remaining amendments as proposed or modified. Justice Lewis, joined by Justice Polston, concurred in part and dissented in part, objecting to the exception allowing waiver of restitution and disciplinary-cost requirements based on exceptional circumstances.