IN RE: Sidney J. JONES (2023)

ORDER

In September 2013, this Court disbarred Petitioner as reciprocal discipline following his disbarment in Georgia. See In re Jones, 405 S.C. 617, 749 S.E.2d 305 (2013). Petitioner first sought readmission in November 2018; however, after a hearing before the Committee on Character and Fitness, the Court denied the petition for readmission on January 15, 2020. On March 7, 2022, Respondent filed a second petition for reinstatement, which was referred to the Committee. In re Jones, S.C. Sup. Ct. order dated Apr. 5, 2022. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel did not oppose the petition. Petitioner appeared before the Committee a second time on August 25, 2022, and on February 16, 2023, the Committee issued a report recommending that Petitioner be readmitted to practice law. No exceptions have been filed by either Petitioner or the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

We find Petitioner has met the requirements of rule 33(f), RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR. Therefore, we grant the petition for readmission. Petitioner is hereby readmitted as a regular member of the South Carolina Bar.

s/ Donald W. Beatty, C.J.

s/ John W. Kittredge, J.

s/ George C. James, Jr., J.

s/ D. Garrison Hill, J.

I respectfully dissent. Because I find Petitioner has not demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that he meets the criteria for readmission under Rule 33(f), RLDE, Rule 413, SCACR, I would deny the petition for readmission.

s/ John Cannon Few, J.