Legal Ethics
Fla. Supreme Court Tackles Incivility with Revised Lawyer Oath
The Florida Supreme Court is addressing concerns about incivility in the legal profession with a revision to the oath for new lawyers in the state.
The Florida Supreme Court issued an order (PDF) on Monday adopting a civility pledge as part of the oath, the Legal Profession Blog reports. The new language reads: “To opposing parties and their counsel, I pledge fairness, integrity, and civility, not only in court, but also in all written and oral communications.”
South Carolina adopted a similar pledge in 2003, the supreme court said in its order. The court also noted efforts by the American Board of Trial Advocates to increase civility in law practice. An ABOTA press release has more information.
