Urban Legend "Analysis: It's true that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has an active law license authorizing them to practice law in the state of Illinois.
The Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (www.iardc.org) lists President Obama's registration status as "Voluntarily retired." It lists Michelle Obama's status as "Voluntarily inactive."
However, it's not true that either of them surrendered their law license to avoid disciplinary action or criminal prosecution. Nor is it true, contrary to what has been claimed on literally thousands of anti-Obama blogs and websites, that the Obamas were "disbarred" or had their law licenses "revoked."
Neither the Illinois State Bar Association nor the ARDC lists any accusations of misconduct or disciplinary actions against the Obamas. According to a statement quoted by FactCheck.org, ARDC deputy administrator and chief counsel James Grogan says the Obamas were "never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings."
Quite to the contrary, a notice on the website of the Illinois State Bar states that the Association is "proud" to have Barack and Michelle Obama as honorary members."
WHY WAS MICHELLE OBAMA'S LAW LICENSE REVOKED?
Allbiz - PWCM - JLA
2009/11/03 01:13:23
Why Was Michelle Obama's law licensce suspened?
First off, the biggest a$$-kissing media refers to Michelle Obama as a 'distinguished attorney" despite the fact that Michelle Obama has been"inactive" since 1993.
ARDC - Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois !
Everyday another Obama skeleton comes careening out of the closet.
This ADRC is for discipline reasons...not for those volunteering to stop practicing. It is COURT ORDERED...not "Michelle Obama ordered." Their website is very clear about their function and why they step in. (see below)
If this was a Republican, the Democrooks would have her up on charges already.
Schmoo, an attorney, points out, "sounds more to me like she was drummed right out of the practice of law. I am just dying to know what she did... she ran to have a court ordered inactive status done...and then no malpractice report needed to be provided.
She wanted this to 'go away" fast and furious and the details not come out in depositions, courtroom documents, rulings for the client/plaintiffs...etc..
I would love to know what she did. I believe barack obummer himself was also disciplined--I know his law license is on "inactive" he lied about ever going by any other names when he applied for bar application. He also failed to state any prior drug use...(which he admitted in his books...and he had outstanding tickets that were never paid)."
Michelle Obama on court ordered inactive status with the Illinois State Attorney hat tip schmoopett
huh?
Michelle Obama is on COURT ORDERED INACTIVE STATUS--order said since she has been placed INACTIVE that "no malpractice record required."
WHAT DID SHE DO THAT in 1993 -- AFTER only 4 YEARS -- HER LICENSE to PRACTICE LAW WAS REVIEWED AND PUT ON INACTIVE by a DISCIPLINARY AGENCY?
What Is the ARDC? (this is NOT the Illinois Bar-where one can voluntarily be inactive) As our name implies, the ARDC is the agency of the Supreme Court of Illinois which registers attorneys and investigates complaints of misconduct filed against attorneys holding a license to practice law in Illinois.
Our principal purpose is to assist the Supreme Court to determine a lawyer's fitness to practice law in Illinois. If a complaint is made that an attorney, licensed to practice law in Illinois, has engaged in illegal, unethical or dishonest conduct, we will investigate and, if warranted, bring formal disciplinary charges. The Supreme Court of Illinois will then ultimately decide if a lawyer should be censured (publicly rebuked), suspended (having the law license to practice either taken away for a certain period of time or placed on a probationary period) or disbarred (having the law license taken away indefinitely).
We cannot impose fines, imprison, obtain monetary damages, enforce remedies between the lawyer and client, or seek civil or criminal relief against a lawyer as part of the disciplinary process. We can affect only the lawyer's ability to practice law in Illinois.
We are not funded by taxpayers' money. We are funded entirely by the annual registration fees paid by attorneys authorized to practice law in Illinois.
What Is a Request for an Investigation of an Attorney?
It is a request to us that we look into the conduct of an attorney who you believe has acted improperly. We will review your request to determine if an investigation is warranted. In most cases, we will initiate an investigation where the information you provide us suggests that the attorney engaged in illegal, dishonest or unethical conduct. Filing a request accusing an attorney of unethical conduct is a serious matter to the lawyer. We recommend that, whenever practical, you try to resolve any differences or disputes that do not concern claims of unethical conduct directly with the lawyer.
How Do I Request an Investigation of an Attorney?
By mailing to our office, either in Chicago or Springfield, a request that you want an attorney to be investigated by our office. Your request should be in writing. No special form is necessary. For your convenience, you may download a Request for Investigation form. Please return the Request by postal mail or hand-delivery. The ARDC does not accept an e-mail transmission of a Request for Investigation.
UPDATE: Scmoo the attorney adds:
..as an attorney I am telling you that people can "choose" to not pay their registration fees or take their continuing education of the bar and therefore go on "suspension...or inactive status that goes thru the CAL BAR--the California Bar association
UPDATE: What was little Michelle from the Southside of Chicago doing in 1993?
1993: Public Allies Chicago with 30 Allies is launched by founding Executive Director Michelle Obama. President Clinton names Public Allies a model for national service. First Lady Hilary Clinton hosts Rose Garden reception for Public Allies at the White House. Say what? Michelle and Hillary go back that far?
Shmoo finds more:
In 1992 Michelle Obama left her job at Sidley Austin to launch a career in public service, serving as an assistant to Mayor Daley and then as the assistant commissioner of planning and development for the City of Chicago. (ask yourself how did a 2-3 year attorney...just wound up being Mayor Daleys "assistant" just like that...and what did she do as an "assistant" what does that even mean when you are a harvard trained attorney?)
Too close for comfort. Coincidental?
Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers wife was at Sidley Austin--- a law firm in Chicago from From 1984 to 1988. Dohrn was employed by the law firm Sidley Austin although her criminal record has prevented her from being admitted to either the New York or Illinois bar.
First off, the biggest a$$-kissing media refers to Michelle Obama as a 'distinguished attorney" despite the fact that Michelle Obama has been"inactive" since 1993.
ARDC - Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois !
Everyday another Obama skeleton comes careening out of the closet.
This ADRC is for discipline reasons...not for those volunteering to stop practicing. It is COURT ORDERED...not "Michelle Obama ordered." Their website is very clear about their function and why they step in. (see below)
If this was a Republican, the Democrooks would have her up on charges already.
Schmoo, an attorney, points out, "sounds more to me like she was drummed right out of the practice of law. I am just dying to know what she did... she ran to have a court ordered inactive status done...and then no malpractice report needed to be provided.
She wanted this to 'go away" fast and furious and the details not come out in depositions, courtroom documents, rulings for the client/plaintiffs...etc..
I would love to know what she did. I believe barack obummer himself was also disciplined--I know his law license is on "inactive" he lied about ever going by any other names when he applied for bar application. He also failed to state any prior drug use...(which he admitted in his books...and he had outstanding tickets that were never paid)."
Michelle Obama on court ordered inactive status with the Illinois State Attorney hat tip schmoopett
huh?
Michelle Obama is on COURT ORDERED INACTIVE STATUS--order said since she has been placed INACTIVE that "no malpractice record required."
WHAT DID SHE DO THAT in 1993 -- AFTER only 4 YEARS -- HER LICENSE to PRACTICE LAW WAS REVIEWED AND PUT ON INACTIVE by a DISCIPLINARY AGENCY?
What Is the ARDC? (this is NOT the Illinois Bar-where one can voluntarily be inactive) As our name implies, the ARDC is the agency of the Supreme Court of Illinois which registers attorneys and investigates complaints of misconduct filed against attorneys holding a license to practice law in Illinois.
Our principal purpose is to assist the Supreme Court to determine a lawyer's fitness to practice law in Illinois. If a complaint is made that an attorney, licensed to practice law in Illinois, has engaged in illegal, unethical or dishonest conduct, we will investigate and, if warranted, bring formal disciplinary charges. The Supreme Court of Illinois will then ultimately decide if a lawyer should be censured (publicly rebuked), suspended (having the law license to practice either taken away for a certain period of time or placed on a probationary period) or disbarred (having the law license taken away indefinitely).
We cannot impose fines, imprison, obtain monetary damages, enforce remedies between the lawyer and client, or seek civil or criminal relief against a lawyer as part of the disciplinary process. We can affect only the lawyer's ability to practice law in Illinois.
We are not funded by taxpayers' money. We are funded entirely by the annual registration fees paid by attorneys authorized to practice law in Illinois.
What Is a Request for an Investigation of an Attorney?
It is a request to us that we look into the conduct of an attorney who you believe has acted improperly. We will review your request to determine if an investigation is warranted. In most cases, we will initiate an investigation where the information you provide us suggests that the attorney engaged in illegal, dishonest or unethical conduct. Filing a request accusing an attorney of unethical conduct is a serious matter to the lawyer. We recommend that, whenever practical, you try to resolve any differences or disputes that do not concern claims of unethical conduct directly with the lawyer.
How Do I Request an Investigation of an Attorney?
By mailing to our office, either in Chicago or Springfield, a request that you want an attorney to be investigated by our office. Your request should be in writing. No special form is necessary. For your convenience, you may download a Request for Investigation form. Please return the Request by postal mail or hand-delivery. The ARDC does not accept an e-mail transmission of a Request for Investigation.
UPDATE: Scmoo the attorney adds:
..as an attorney I am telling you that people can "choose" to not pay their registration fees or take their continuing education of the bar and therefore go on "suspension...or inactive status that goes thru the CAL BAR--the California Bar association
UPDATE: What was little Michelle from the Southside of Chicago doing in 1993?
1993: Public Allies Chicago with 30 Allies is launched by founding Executive Director Michelle Obama. President Clinton names Public Allies a model for national service. First Lady Hilary Clinton hosts Rose Garden reception for Public Allies at the White House. Say what? Michelle and Hillary go back that far?
Shmoo finds more:
In 1992 Michelle Obama left her job at Sidley Austin to launch a career in public service, serving as an assistant to Mayor Daley and then as the assistant commissioner of planning and development for the City of Chicago. (ask yourself how did a 2-3 year attorney...just wound up being Mayor Daleys "assistant" just like that...and what did she do as an "assistant" what does that even mean when you are a harvard trained attorney?)
Too close for comfort. Coincidental?
Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers wife was at Sidley Austin--- a law firm in Chicago from From 1984 to 1988. Dohrn was employed by the law firm Sidley Austin although her criminal record has prevented her from being admitted to either the New York or Illinois bar.
Top Opinion
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LCJMI 2012/06/27 22:03:19
Okay, dear moron, let me enlighten you a bit on how this works in Illinois. There is this thing called the Illinois State Bar Association ("ISBA") in Illinois. I am guessing this is what you are referring to when you refer to the "Illinois Bar." Illinois attorneys do NOT have to be members of the ISBA. One can be a member of this bar or not be a member of it, but one would not be "voluntarily inactive" from it. Ones joins the ISBA for membership benefits - it has NOTHING to do with whether one can practice law or not. Attorneys in Illinois, however, do have to register with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ("IARDC") every year, and yes, guess what? Yeah, there is an option for going on "inactive status" and there is an option for going on "retired status." Why would one opt to go on "inactive status" or "retired status"? Gee...
Okay, dear moron, let me enlighten you a bit on how this works in Illinois. There is this thing called the Illinois State Bar Association ("ISBA") in Illinois. I am guessing this is what you are referring to when you refer to the "Illinois Bar." Illinois attorneys do NOT have to be members of the ISBA. One can be a member of this bar or not be a member of it, but one would not be "voluntarily inactive" from it. Ones joins the ISBA for membership benefits - it has NOTHING to do with whether one can practice law or not. Attorneys in Illinois, however, do have to register with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ("IARDC") every year, and yes, guess what? Yeah, there is an option for going on "inactive status" and there is an option for going on "retired status." Why would one opt to go on "inactive status" or "retired status"? Geez, I wonder why. Well, actually, I don't wonder why as it is not rocket science and anyone with half a brain (so, not applicable to the author of this moronic article) would be able to figure out - money! Let's see, I am supposed to pay about $300 this year (and that amount gets higher the longer one has practiced), but if I were to go on inactive status I would only have to pay $105 and if I were go to on retired status I would not have to pay anything. Then, there is the whole cost of continuing legal education that I would not have to worry about if I was on inactive or retired status.
I mean, if you don't like the Obamas, that's fine, but don't post such absolute and utter nonsense. Anyhow, hopefully you'll get sued for defamation.
The Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (www.iardc.org) lists President Obama's registration status as "Voluntarily retired." It lists Michelle Obama's status as "Voluntarily inactive."
However, it's not true that either of them surrendered their law license to avoid disciplinary action or criminal prosecution. Nor is it true, contrary to what has been claimed on literally thousands of anti-Obama blogs and websites, that the Obamas were "disbarred" or had their law licenses "revoked."
Neither the Illinois State Bar Association nor the ARDC lists any accusations of misconduct or disciplinary actions against the Obamas. According to a statement quoted by FactCheck.org, ARDC deputy administrator and chief counsel James Grogan says the Obamas were "never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings."
Quite to the contrary, a notice on the website of the Illinois State Bar states that the Association is "proud" to have Barack and Michelle Obama as honorary members."
Michelle was according to the sites on google that Michelle when working for the Mayors office committed an impropriety and was given a choice to no longer practice law in order to keep it quiet.
We all are gettting our news by journalists who either print the truth or their version of it; my remarks are from those means. You or another view can be argued to be true my be of a kind or not, unless we were there we really don't know or have an original view. The comment they were not publicly disciplined says it all. They were given a ultimatum..
Any argument is only enlightening if it falls on those seeking what they say, if looking for such information, only time will tell; the truths and or lies will be known to us all as they are not thru with Obama and his past. Good bye now.
The ARDC specifically states that it only handles discplinary actions and not the normal inactive requests that would be done through the court.
BTW, a lawyer in IL is automatically put on inactive status just by not paying the annual license fee. No request is really needed. There are also excetpions provided to retired lawyers who wish to continue to practice but are not rquired to retain a license once they reach age 65.
Before 2000 it was necessary to get a court order to become inactive.
Michelle Obama was licensed to practice law in 1989 by the State of Illinois Supreme Court. In 1993, she became voluntarily inactive.
Illinois Registration Status: Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law – Last Registered Year: 1993
There were no disciplinary proceedings against her license of any kind:
Public Record of Discipline and Pending Proceedings: None
In 1999, there was a procedural change not relevant to someone having already been voluntarily inactive since 1993:
CHANGING FROM RULE 770 INACTIVE STATUS
Prior to November 1, 1999, former Supreme Court Rule 770 provided for a proceeding in the Court for any voluntary transfer to inactive status, whether because of some incapacitating condition or solely as a matter of the lawyer’s preference because the lawyer would not be practicing law.
http://obamatrueandfalse.com/...
Who cares? She was not elected and holds no official government position
The ARDC specifically states that it only handles discplinary actions and not the normal inactive requests that would be done through the court.
BTW, a lawyer in IL is automatically put on inactive status just by not paying the annual license fee. No request is really needed. There are also excetpions provided to retired lawyers who wish to continue to practice but are not rquired to retain a license once they reach age 65
http://www.iardc.org/ldetail....
Public Record of Discipline
and Pending Proceedings: None
I have more important things to do today than worry about MO's law license that she'll never have to use again in this life.
Come back on a day I'm not busy.
This is from a very conservative website, World Net Daily:
In 1993, the same year she began working for Public Allies, she applied to change her Illinois registration status for practicing law – only four years after she received her license. It is now listed as "inactive."
James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, or ARDC, has been with the commission for 30 years. He told WND that on July 1, 1994, the Illinois Supreme Court entered an order allowing Michelle to be transferred to inactive status pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court rule 770.
The ARDC website explains, "Prior to November 1, 1999, former Supreme Court Rule 770 provided for a proceeding in the Court for any voluntary transfer to inactive status, whether because of some incapacitating condition or solely as a matter of the lawyer's preference because the lawyer would not be practicing law."
Grogan explained, "At the time, the only way to go on inactive status was to do what she did – which was to file a petition in the Illinois Supreme Court."
He said attorneys often filed a petition for 770 when they wanted to pursue other careers, retire or begin r...
This is from a very conservative website, World Net Daily:
In 1993, the same year she began working for Public Allies, she applied to change her Illinois registration status for practicing law – only four years after she received her license. It is now listed as "inactive."
James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, or ARDC, has been with the commission for 30 years. He told WND that on July 1, 1994, the Illinois Supreme Court entered an order allowing Michelle to be transferred to inactive status pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court rule 770.
The ARDC website explains, "Prior to November 1, 1999, former Supreme Court Rule 770 provided for a proceeding in the Court for any voluntary transfer to inactive status, whether because of some incapacitating condition or solely as a matter of the lawyer's preference because the lawyer would not be practicing law."
Grogan explained, "At the time, the only way to go on inactive status was to do what she did – which was to file a petition in the Illinois Supreme Court."
He said attorneys often filed a petition for 770 when they wanted to pursue other careers, retire or begin raising a family.
"At the time, this happened all the time," he said. "Our office would have to file what's known as a consent."
Grogan said his office would have immediately alerted the court in a public filing if there had been reason to believe she should face disciplinary action.
"We filed a consent in Michelle Obama's case in which we had no objection to her transferring to inactive status," he said. "In the event that she did go on inactive status and she engaged in any disbarrable offenses, there would be a disciplinary case of public record."
He continued, "Just because someone goes on inactive it doesn't deprive us of the jurisdiction to prosecute."
Inundated by numerous 770 filings that each required a separate court ruling, the Illinois Supreme Court later simplified the inactivation process. In 2005, after Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate, he changed his status to inactive as well.
"By 2005, which is several years later than his wife, the rule had changed such that you no longer had to file a petition that was such a pain for the court," Grogan explained. "Instead, the court had changed it to two types of status: inactive or retired. Either situation involves merely sending a letter to us basically saying, 'I want to transfer to inactive status.'"
Active lawyers are required to pay $289 each year and take 30 hours of Continuing Legal Education, or CLE, every two years. Under inactive status, attorneys are not required to take the courses, but they must pay $105 each year. "Inactive" registrants are not authorized to practice law. Lawyers who retire do not have to pay fees or take courses.
"A lot of people who aren't practicing say, 'Why bother?'" Grogan said.
Barack Obama remained listed as inactive until he retired this year.
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=10...