In re Application of Bland - Ohio Supreme Court Opinion - Ohio Supreme Court Decision

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[Cite as In re Application of Bland, 93 Ohio St.3d 414, 2001-Ohio-1319]

IN RE APPLICATION OF BLAND.
[Cite as In re Application of Bland (2001), 93 Ohio St.3d 414.]
Attorneys at law -- Application to take Ohio Bar Examination denied when
applicant fails to provide requested information about his plans to repay
defaulted student loans -- Future application not to be considered unless
complete.
(No. 01-790 -- Submitted June 20, 2001 -- Decided September 26, 2001.)
ON REPORT by the Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness of the
Supreme Court, No. 213.
__________________

Per Curiam. In January 1999, the applicant, Brett Alan Bland of Akron,
Ohio, applied to register for admission to practice law in Ohio. In June 1999, the
two members of the Bar Applicants' Committee of the Akron Bar Association
who interviewed Bland noted that he was in default on his student loans and
requested both further information about the loans and Bland's plans to repay
them. The committee recommended that Bland's application be approved if he
furnished the requested information.

During the months of July and August 1999, each time the Admissions
Office of the Supreme Court attempted to obtain information concerning the loans
from Bland, he promised to provide it but did not do so. In September 1999, not
having yet furnished the requested information to the Admissions Office, Bland
said that he would provide no further information and "I leave it up to you guys to
accept or reject me." The Admissions Office returned the file to the Akron Bar
Association, which scheduled Bland for a re-interview. After Bland failed to
appear for the interview, the Bar Applicants' Committee of the Akron Bar
Association restated its original recommendation.

SUPREME COURT OF OHIO

The matter was then referred to a panel of the Board of Commissioners on
Character and Fitness ("board"). Bland and the Akron Bar Association waived a
hearing. The panel concluded that because he submitted an incomplete
application by not providing information about his defaulted student loans, Bland
had not met the burden of showing by clear and convincing evidence that he
possessed the requisite character, fitness, and moral qualifications to be admitted
to the bar. The panel recommended that Bland's application for admission not be
approved and that, in the event Bland desires to apply again for admission to the
Bar of Ohio, he be required to begin the application process again with the
submission of a complete application.

The board adopted the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the
panel.

We have reviewed the file in this case and adopt the findings, conclusions,
and recommendation of the board. Brett Bland's 1999 application to register for
admission to the Bar of Ohio is not approved. Further, in the event Bland desires
to apply again for admission to the Bar of Ohio, he will be required to begin the
application process again with the submission of a complete application. Costs
are taxed to the applicant.
Judgment accordingly.

MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER, COOK and
LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur.
__________________

Blake R. Gerney, for Akron Bar Association Admissions Committee.

Brett Bland, pro se.
__________________
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