Letters.

Doctors of Law

Recent letters in the News took opposite positions on whether the J.D. degree is in fact a "doctoral" degree and whether it is unethical, or even indictable, to use the title "Doctor."

What I was taught in law school in the early 1970s, and what I taught to others in college and graduate school (but not law school) is that the J.D. degree is a doctorate, but custom in the United States is to not use the title when practicing law. Attorneys are free to use the title when engaged in an activity other than the practice of law. I was taught that the basis of the custom was to "make clients more at ease." European attorneys and other professionals arguably requiring less education, such as chiropractors and podiatrists, use the title of "Doctor."

Rather than be concerned about whether the title should or shouldn't be used, I am much more concerned with the trend to criminalize activity about which opinions held in good faith can easily differ. I believe this happens in many areas of the law, but know that it consistently occurs in at least the following: securities law, where the definition of breach of duty used to identify a criminal insider often expands; in health-care law, where any HCFA coding error can be labeled fraud; and in immigration law, where criminal indictments have been brought against aliens who have been adjudicated innocent of similar charges in civil immigration proceedings.

The line between criminal and lawful behavior should be much clearer than it is, regardless of whether the professionals helping to draw the line are titled "Doctor."

1. Steven Krup

Hallandale Beach

In reading the May 1 News, I note there is a letter from a Tallahassee member concerning the J.D. degree. My certificate confers the degree of Juris Doctor.

He is of the opinion that a J.D. degree does not entitle lawyers to be addressed as doctor. He cites the case of Long v. State, 622 So.2d 536, as authority.

He is mistaken. The J.D. degree is a three-year degree and it is a Juris Doctor degree. The use of the title doctor is, therefore, not unethical when referring to an attorney, and it is my position that such a degree entitles the recipient to use the title doctor before his name or place the initials J.D. after his name.

If someone wants to designate his graduate degree, he can certainly do so. However, any lawyer who holds the J.D. degree is certainly entitled to utilize it in either way that I have stated.

Leonard Robbins

Hollywood

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