Title: In re Application of Bland

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

[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 
2 
 
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. 
__________________