Court Opinion

ID: 9694661
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 17:50:19.355085+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:04.452138
License: Public Domain

WIGGINS, Justice
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent. As late as October 26, 2006, Nash filed a signed document acknowledging the public could consider his prior actions as sexual abuse. In this document, he stated:
I have come to realize that regardless of my intentions, these forms of discipline were inappropriate; more recently, these forms of discipline have even come to be considered by some to be sexually abusive. Indeed, I have since learned that these and other actions of mine were subjectively experienced as sexually abusive by a few boys with whom I had interacted.
I agree the acts to which Nash admitted to doing can be characterized as sexually abusive.
The majority bases its decision that Nash has the requisite moral character and fitness for admission to the Iowa bar on Nash’s conduct over the last seventeen years of his life. But as the majority notes, the last seventeen years occurred after Nash, entered a comprehensive five-month inpatient treatment program for the complaints Nash acknowledged could be construed as sexually abusive.
In another signed document, dated October 26, 2006, Nash opines the treatment he received allowed him to understand his actions were inappropriate. In discussing his treatment, he states:
You should know that some years ago, I participated in a renewal program where I addressed, among many other topics, my dealings with young people. I came to understand it was inappropriate and wrong of me to treat them as I did. I assure you I have not done such a thing for many, many years, nor will I in the future.
Unfortunately, any records of the treatment, diagnosis, or prognosis from that comprehensive inpatient program were unavailable to the board of law examiners or us for review.
Due to the prior admitted allegations and the unavailability of the prior treatment records, the board asked Nash to submit to a comprehensive evaluation to determine if he presents a risk to perpetrate sexual abuse. Nash refused, but instead saw a local psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Taylor, for an opinion on this subject. Although Dr. Taylor is a board certified psychiatrist, the record does not establish that he has special training or certification in the area of sexual abuse. Additionally, Dr. Taylor reached his conclusions after a brief visit, rather than through a comprehensive inpatient evaluation.
Under these circumstances, I do not feel Nash met his high burden to prove by a convincing preponderance of evidence that he has the requisite moral character and fitness for admission to the Iowa bar. *77However, I would not reject Nash’s application at this time. Before making a final decision, I would require Nash to complete the comprehensive inpatient treatment as requested by the board. Consequently, without such an evaluation I am unwilling to take the same chance as the majority to admit him as a member of the Iowa bar.