In Re Spence

Appellant Harold Wayne Spence appeals the decision of the Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants (“the Board”) to deny his application for a certificate of fitness to practice law. While we generally are deferential to the Board in these matters, for the reasons explained below, we conclude that the Board abused its discretion in this particular case. Therefore, we reverse the Board’s deci sion to deny Spence certification as fit to practice law in Georgia.

After being admitted to the State Bar in 1981, Spence was disbarred in 1985 when he failed to respond to a Bar complaint alleging…