Be sure to request for at least 2 years tax returns, if they reject this then they should be able to provide at least 6mths -1yrs worth of bank statements.

Obviously you'd like to stay away from property management companies.Second, try public housing authorities - though I don't know how difficult those are to get into.But recently HUD has been discussing the fact that categorically rejecting people who have been convicted and served their time may actually be a form of discrimination (perhaps under the "disparate impact" concept).For example see Public Housing Advocates Take Issue with HUD's Memo Regarding the Use of Criminal Backgrounds In The Tenant Screening Process and Fair Housing Act: Criminal History-Based Practices and Policies.I think the success of trying public housing will depend on the type of crime and how recent it was though.Hopefully one of those two will work for him - please let us know the outcome if it does, of course.

When you believe a applicant is a higher risk than another you should be rejecting their application for that reason and ignore the false perception that it may be discriminatory.

or, they try to record the deed, and it gets rejected for legal problems, boundaries, improper or incorrect descriptions, no plot maps, etc.now the kicker- while in this limbo, they are released to the realtors who are "set up" to sell Fannie Mae homepath homes. 

Perhaps you could list it at a number that would allow you to comfortably exit, and reject anything below that and keep it as a rental?

You can almost guarantee anyone with a criminal record will have other negative aspects that can be used to justify rejecting any applicant.Don't worry Account Closed will take them.

Something like: "We do not rent to lawyers, law students, drug dealers, <other undesirable but unprotected groups>" How do you phrase your rejection letter to a lawyer and what if that lawyer is also a member of a protected class?

See this thread for some ideas:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/81/topics/95591-rejecting-applicants

I never reject without a filled in application.

In order to not discriminate you simply never tell applicants why they were rejected.