Should a person be denied a license to practice law because of his political beliefs or because he criticized Michigan licensing officials?  Click here to read the June 3, 2008 decision of the United States Court of Appeals concerning StateBarWatch founder Frank Lawrence's situation.

Because the Sixth Circuit's opinion did not get to the merits of the First Amendment issue, the licensing officials decided to continue their "experiment" to use protected First Amendment activities against applicants, and they rejected the favorable character recommendation that Frank Lawrence had received in April of 2008.  Click here to see the rejection.  Later, the licensing officials put in writing that they disliked Lawrence's "criticism" of them. Click here to see the evidence.

In 2009, a new federal lawsuit was filed.  Click here to read the Complaint.  This new federal suit is administratively stayed pending the conclusion of all state proceedings. Click here to see the Order of the U.S. District Court.  The licensing officials have made it clear that they will spend the State Bar into oblivion before they give Frank Lawrence a law license. 

How much is all of this costing the Bar?  The truth is that it has cost the Bar so much money that the licensing officials had to sue their own insurance company to try to recoup a quarter of a million dollars for legal fees spent just between 2003 and 2006 (not the most recent expenses).  Click here to see how much money the licensing officials have been willing to spend on their "experimental test case" to see how far they can abuse the First Amendment before the judiciary will step in.   

Are the dues-paying members of the Bar aware of how their dues are being spent during these hard economic times?  Should licensing officials be allowed to "experiment" with hundreds of thousands of dollars in Bar dues just to see how far they can trample First Amendment rights before they are stopped by the courts?

Below are the appeal briefs in the prior lawsuit (the one filed in 2007):

Click here to see Lawrence's Final Brief on Appeal

Click here to see Lawrence's Final Reply Brief

Click here to see the BLE's Final Brief on Appeal

Click here to see Lawrence's complaint

Below is a Michigan Bar Journal Article On First Amendment Abuses of the Character and Fitness Process:

Click here to see the article

Below is The Lower Court's Opinion

Click here to see a copy of Judge Richard Enslen's 12/24/06 opinion dismissing Lawrence's case