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FLORIDA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Former priest and attorney disbarred in Florida for possession of child pornography

TALLAHASSEE — Bruce Charles Fehr, who was admitted to the Florida Bar more than 20 years ago, was disbarred from practicing law in Florida by the state Supreme Court on Jan. 29 after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

According to an report by TV station WSAV, Fehr was working as an Episcopal priest in the Savannah, Georgia, area when he was arrested for downloading child pornography. Fehr will serve three years in prison for the criminal conviction after making his plea Nov. 18, 2015 in U.S. District Court in Georgia, according to court documents. A plea agreement was accepted Nov. 30, 2015. Fehr was sentenced March 30, 2016, and surrendered himself to a federal prison April 29, 2016, to serve his sentence.

The attorney’s conduct violated the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar Rule 4-8.4(b), which states that “a lawyer shall not commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.”

The WSAV report also said that Fehr received 10 years' probation.

The Supreme Court order of suspension on July 6, 2016, instructed Fehr to furnish a copy of the suspension/disbarment to all of his clients, any opposing counsel, and courts in which the attorney was currently practicing. The courts grant any attorney under suspension or disbarment 30 days from the time of filing to settle client matters and inform all necessary parties unless a written letter is provided by the attorney stating that they were not practicing at the time of discipline.

Fehr was admitted to the Florida State Bar on Feb. 17, 1995, according to court documents. His Florida Bar website profile page has a Coleman, Florida, mailing address listed.

The Florida Supreme Court, in Tallahassee, is presided over by seven justices: Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, Barbara J. Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, Peggy A. Quince, Charles T. Canady, Ricky Polston, and C. Alan Lawson.

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