It has been seven years since a Ball Ground attorney voluntarily renounced his license to practice after being convicted of conspiracy, postal fraud, and the sale of unregistered securities.
Now Gregory Bartko wants another chance at a legal career, but the state Supreme Court reached agreement with the Georgia Board to determine the eligibility of attorney applicants that the former attorney is unfit for practice.
“The purpose of the panel is to protect the public from unsuitable lawyers,” said a Supreme Court opinion published on Tuesday. “Even though he’s out of jail, Bartko is still serving his sentence at home.”
Bartko had been awarded house arrest under the state’s Coronavirus Relief, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Home lock
After Bartko voluntarily surrendered his lawyer license in 2014 following his federal conviction, he filed an application for attorney aptitude in December 2020 while still serving his 272-month prison sentence.
In his application for recertification as a lawyer, Bartko petitioned the Fitness Committee to waive its policy of only considering applications from incarcerated persons after their sentences have been served, but the committee denied his application.
Nathan Deal Justice Center, Atlanta. (Photo: John Disney / ALM)
On appeal, the Georgia Supreme Court sided with the fitness committee.
“The board denied the motion, stating that Bartko had not shown sufficient reason to justify waiving the guidelines,” the Supreme Court statement said. “Allowing someone to practice law while in prison would undermine public confidence in the legal profession.”
After Bartko had about a decade remaining on his original sentence and “virtually none” of his $ 885,000 or more had been ordered by the court to repay his reparation, the judges confirmed that the Georgia Board determined the eligibility of the attorney candidates who submitted Bartko’s petition Refused waiver of the application.
“Bartko is still serving a long sentence for serious offenses, including fraud, and he has made little progress in fulfilling his duty of reparation,” the Supreme Court ruling said. “We therefore confirm the decision of the board of directors to reject the waiver.”
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