The State Bar of California today informed the California Supreme Court that it is changing its interpretation of a statute to allow for greater transparency with respect to closed disciplinary complaints.
The State Bar announced that it has changed its position with respect to the Business and Professions Code section 6086(1)(b)(2). This statute allows the Chair or Chief Trial Counsel to waive the confidentiality of otherwise confidential disciplinary records of attorneys, when warranted by the need to inform and protect the public. The State Bar had previously interpreted the statute as only permitting disclosure of pending and active cases. It is now interpreting the statute as permitting the disclosure of information regarding closed complaints, as well.