Summary
In August 2017, the Court prescribed a final timetable for verification of advocates’ degrees and State Bar Council elections. Defective or missing applications could be completed within the advertised period; councils and universities were to verify without charge. Electoral rolls were to include verified advocates and exclude uncured defective applications and degrees found false. A retired Supreme Court Judge was to supervise the process.
Issues
- How pending degree verification should be completed while enabling overdue State Bar Council elections.
Held
- Advertisements were to issue within seven days, allowing fifteen days to cure defects or submit complete applications, followed by one month for council verification. Universities were to verify degrees without charge within one month of presentation. (¶ 7(1)–(3))
- Final electoral rolls were to include advocates whose degrees had been verified and exclude those failing to cure defects within time or whose degrees were found false. BCI was to publish the election schedule on the prescribed sequence after the seventy-five-day period. (¶ 7(4)–(5))
- The directions covered councils whose terms had expired or were expiring and timely verification applicants beyond the election context. Proceedings were to conclude by 31 December 2017, followed by reporting; BCI was to arrange retired Supreme Court Judge supervision. (¶ 8–11)
Result
Verification and election timetable directed; matter listed for the second week of January 2018. Proceedings remained pending.