CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Brown Revises Plan to Police Lawyers

Besieged by complaints from consumer interests and questions from state senators, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown agreed to water down a series of proposals that critics said would have weakened the state’s lawyer disciplinary system. Brown, a San Francisco Democrat who was once subjected to an investigation by the California State Bar but absolved of any wrongdoing, had proposed changes that consumer interests believed would have eroded reforms put in place two years ago. Particularly controversial was Brown’s proposal that complaints against lawyers be filed under penalty of perjury. Several senators argued that would discourage those with legitimate concerns from seeking disciplinary action. Brown agreed to instead give the Bar authority to notify district attorneys when people knowingly file false complaints. He also changed a proposal that would have required the Bar to keep all investigations confidential to one that would allow officials to disclose an investigation when it was necessary to protect consumers.