For Immediate Release

Supreme Court to Hold Public Hearing on BAPR

Madison, Wis. (Aug. 10) - As part of its planned comprehensive review of the state's lawyer discipline system, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hold a public hearing on the structure of the Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility (BAPR). The hearing is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1999, at 9 a.m. It will be held in the Supreme Court Hearing Room at 119 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.

The Court is inviting presentations from any interested person or organization (to sign up to speak, call the Clerk of Supreme Court at (608) 266-1880). Specifically invited were the deans of the University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette Law School and a representative of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Center for Professional Responsibility. Presentations are expected to focus on the current structure of the lawyer discipline system and how it might be improved to better serve lawyers, the legal system and the public. The hearing will not address individual grievances against attorneys.

The Supreme Court on April 20, 1999, voted to initiate a full review of Wisconsin's lawyer discipline system. The review will address matters such as the relationship of members of BAPR to BAPR staff, the bar, the Supreme Court and the public. As part of the review, experts from the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility and an experienced disciplinary attorney from another jurisdiction visited Wisconsin in mid July and interviewed BAPR staff, board members, judges and people who have been on both sides of complaints against lawyers. The ABA team, which assists courts around the nation in developing, coordinating and strengthening lawyer discipline programs, is scheduled to submit a draft report to the Court in early September, in advance of the public hearing.

Those unable to attend the public hearing are invited to submit their thoughts in writing to: Wisconsin Supreme Court, Office of the Clerk, P.O. Box 1688, Madison, WI, 53701-1688.

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