New Jersey Lightening Up on Lawyers
According to the New Jersey Law Journal, via Law.com, the NJ Supreme Court has shifted away from a 20-year-old policy of suspending lawyers convicted of cocaine possession, instead merely censuring a Wayne-based workers compensation and personal injury attorney for it:
The court, in an order made public on Tuesday, took one step further a recommendation for lenience made by the Disciplinary Review Board, which suggested a "suspended" three-month suspension for the lawyer, Wayne, N.J., solo Anthony Filomeno, in view of his demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation and early release from a year-long pretrial intervention program.
Now maybe they'll go a little softer on the rest of the drug-using public...
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Comment posted by David Borden on Fri, 05/18/2007 - 3:18pmLet us all hope for this...
David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
Washington, DC
http://stopthedrugwar.org
NJ Attorney
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 05/30/2007 - 5:29amGood decision. I'm an attorney and was set up by a "soplana" but under Az law (Prop 200), a citizen initiative, fiercely resisted by our reactionary legislature, mandates no prison for 1st & 2nd possesory and other relared drug offenses. I did the UA route and was fined $185, w/ no probation, no community service & of course, no jail.
The vindictive County Attorney insisted that I get a "hard six" on the Pipe charge, so I'm a felon, dealing weith licensure issues.
Recently, per AZ law, as a 1st [arrested!] felon, obtained the restoration of my civil rights.
Of course, as we know, the prevailing political & legal system cannot bear to lose coercive power (& all that budget fund) over the people.. Thus, regrettably, the powers, after an absurdly unreal anti-Meth campaign), convinced the "Blue hairs" out here to pass Prop 301, which "pulls" Meth out of the relative safety of Prop 200.
This puts the burgeoning law enforcement industry back in business to a degree, although I'm sure most pipe-heads are clueless that they're headed for prison for simple Meth possesion. I just tell people if you want to do drugs, keep it to Heroin, Cocaine, etc... Pathetic.
Another way to "lighten up" on lawyers...
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 05/17/2007 - 11:28pmanother way to "lighten up" on lawyers is to remove the laws surrounding drugs, then perhaps the justice system wouldn't be such a lucrative business...