| Does a Bar applicant have a full and fair forum to litigate his claims in the Florida Supreme Court, when the Court authorizes shady back-door secret requests for confidential information? |
September 5, 2005 - Bar admission case files are deemed confidential by Florida state law. In fact, with the exception of former attorneys seeking readmission to the Florida Bar, the Court's on-line docket refuses to even acknowledge that a Bar admission case exists (click here).
On August 10, 2005, Florida Supreme Court Assistant Clerk Barbara Harley Price accidentally sent FloridaBarWatch founder Frank Lawrence a copy of a letter from the Clerk's Office to Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Daniel, disclosing that confidential Bar admission filings had been disclosed (click here).
On August 16, 2005, FloridaBarWatch attorney Dennis Dubuc demanded an explanation from Ms. Price as to why, and under what authority, the confidential documents were released (click here).
On August 29, 2005, Florida Supreme Court Clerk Tom Hall responded, making the incredible assertion that the release of the records "was approved by the Court...I am unable to otherwise respond to your request." (click here)
On September 6, 2005 - FloridaBarWatch attorney Dennis Dubuc confirmed his telephone conversation with Florida Supreme Court Clerk Tom Hall (click here)
The Smoking Gun:
In Mr. Hall's August 29th letter, he revealed the secret communication between Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Daniel and Mr. Hall's office (click here), evidencing that FloridaBarWatch founder Frank Lawrence and/or his attorney, Dennis Dubuc, were not carbon-copied or were otherwise given advance notice of the request. Importantly, Ms. Daniel is not an attorney of record in the Florida Supreme Court case.
The Second Smoking Gun:
Here is Stephanie Daniel's admission that the documents she secretly obtained are "are confidential pursuant to applicable rules" (click here).
The Florida Supreme Court should not approve shady back-door secret requests for confidential records, especially when the Bar applicant is left out of the equation.