IN RE NORMAN DAVID WARFORD PETITION FOR ADMISSION TO THE FLORIDA BAR
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Norman David Warford, a law school graduate with a diploma privilege right to practice, sought admission to the Florida Bar after being denied in 1953 on moral character grounds. The Florida Supreme Court held that the Board of Bar Examiners had jurisdiction to reconsider his application and must evaluate his current moral fitness.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has jurisdiction to receive and consider the petitioner's application for admission. The petitioner should be admitted to practice upon payment of lawfully required fees and upon a favorable determination of moral fitness based on a complete investigation into his character and fitness.
“The Florida Board of Bar Examiners moves to dismiss the petition, contending that it has no jurisdiction to admit the petitioner to the practice of law in view of the action of the former State Board of Law Examiners.”
States the Board's argument that it lacked jurisdiction to reconsider an earlier denial.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceWarford graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law on February 4, 1953, under the diploma privilege system then in effect. In Marc…
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The petitioner, Norman David Warford seeks admission to practice law in Florida. The record reveals that he enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law on September 12, 1950. He graduated cum laude with a degree of Bachelor of Laws on February 4, 1953. In March 1953, the State Board of Law Examiners denied his application for admission to practice in Florida on the grounds of “unsatisfactory evidence of good moral character”. The petitioner alleges that over the years he has served with credit in the armed services of the United States, that he has supported his family as a claims examiner, and as a supervisor for insurance companies, and that he has conducted himself honorably and ethically. He seeks admission to practice under the so-called “diploma privilege” which was in effect in Florida when he enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners moves to dismiss the petition, contending that it has no jurisdiction to admit the petitioner to the practice of law in view of the action of the former State Board of Law Examiners. It further asserts that the pe*257titioner has failed to exhaust his available administrative remedies. The motion is denied.
It is ordered that the Florida Board of Bar Examiners receive the petitioner’s application for admission to practice law, and that petitioner be admitted to the practice of law in Florida upon payment of lawfully required fees and upon a determination of moral fitness by the Board, based upon a complete investigation into the character and fitness of the applicant.
It is so ordered.
THORNAL, C. J., and DREW, O’CON-NELL, CALDWELL and ERVIN, JJ., concur.
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In re Fla. Bd. OF BAR Exam'rs. In re Benjamin Harris Ervin, 290 So. 2d 9 (Fla. 1974)…N, C. J., concurs specially. BOYD, J., dissents with opinion. . See Chapter 10176, Section 3, Laws of Florida 1925. . See Chapter 26665, Section 3, Laws of Florida 1951. . See Chapter 29796, Section 3, Laws o£ Florida 1955. . See In re Warford, 194 So. 2d 256 (Fla.1967) ; Petition of Rocafort, 186 So. 2d 496 (Fla.1966) ; Petition of Lebron, 183 So. 2d 544, modified, 185 So. 2d 464 (Fla.1966) and In re Bennett’s Petition, 168 So. 2d 318 (Fla.1964). . E. G., Petition of Rocafort, 186 So. 2d 496 (Fla.1966)…
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In re Fla. Bd. OF BAR Exam'rs. In re Raymond Earl Rhodes, 307 So. 2d 165 (Fla. 1975)…ing prior to July 25, 1951, he unfortunately fails to qualify under the remaining requirements for exception. Petitioner has cited several cases to support his position: Petition of Rocafort, Fla.1966, 186 So. 2d 496; Petition of Warford, Fla.1967, 194 So. 2d 256; In re Bennett’s Petition, Fla.1964, 168 So. 2d 318; Petition of Lebron, Fla.1966, 183 So. 2d 544, Reh. 185 So. 2d 464; In re Florida Board of Bar Examiners — re: Benjamin Harris Ervin, Fla.1974, 290 So. 2d 9, however, these cases are readily distin…