Updating character and fitness Forum

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Phillylawkid

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Updating character and fitness

Post by Phillylawkid » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:40 pm

Hi everyone:

I recently got accepted to law school but, failed to disclose a few things on my record. I thought since they were citations they didn't matter and a couple were so long ago i only found out about them after doing A LOT of research. I went to the law school to disclose and they said i should wait till orientation when i will have an chance to do so, however, I'm still very worried about the situation. On my record i have:

Open alcohol container from 13 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for being with a group of kids drinking. In report it says I wasn't drinking and that was 12 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a bouncer and a bar. Not fighting but, i was drunk and this was my fault. This was 9 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a police officer. This was the only one that truly was not my fault. I was told to leave by the cop and refused because i was not involved in anything and he was basically being a bully. This was 8 years ago.

So my questions are:

If I disclose all this are they going to kick me out of law school?

Is the Bar Assoc. going to deny me entrance?

I know people with worst records then mine are lawyers. I just want to know where i stand and what to expect.

Thanks in advance for your time.

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bilbobaggins

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by bilbobaggins » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:43 pm

You're from Philly. They'll understand.

thebookcollector

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by thebookcollector » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:44 pm

Phillylawkid wrote:Hi everyone:

I recently got accepted to law school but, failed to disclose a few things on my record. I thought since they were citations they didn't matter and a couple were so long ago i only found out about them after doing A LOT of research. I went to the law school to disclose and they said i should wait till orientation when i will have an chance to do so, however, I'm still very worried about the situation. On my record i have:

Open alcohol container from 13 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for being with a group of kids drinking. In report it says I wasn't drinking and that was 12 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a bouncer and a bar. Not fighting but, i was drunk and this was my fault. This was 9 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a police officer. This was the only one that truly was not my fault. I was told to leave by the cop and refused because i was not involved in anything and he was basically being a bully. This was 8 years ago.

So my questions are:

If I disclose all this are they going to kick me out of law school?

Is the Bar Assoc. going to deny me entrance?

I know people with worst records then mine are lawyers. I just want to know where i stand and what to expect.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Two pieces of advice:

First, my understanding of C&F is that the only way you can fail is if you're a felon or have severe mental issues. However, even this is acceptable if you're honest on the application. Apparently lying on the application is the worst sin you can commit.

Regarding your LS application, as long as you're honest with the law school, I don't think they'll mind, and they'll probably still recommend that you receive your C&F certification.

I know in some states (like MO, where I live) you can apply for an early character and fitness determination. I also know many states have hotlines you can call. Give that a try... then you'll know before investing so much in a legal education.

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Matthies

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by Matthies » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:55 pm

Phillylawkid wrote:Hi everyone:

I recently got accepted to law school but, failed to disclose a few things on my record. I thought since they were citations they didn't matter and a couple were so long ago i only found out about them after doing A LOT of research. I went to the law school to disclose and they said i should wait till orientation when i will have an chance to do so, however, I'm still very worried about the situation. On my record i have:

Open alcohol container from 13 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for being with a group of kids drinking. In report it says I wasn't drinking and that was 12 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a bouncer and a bar. Not fighting but, i was drunk and this was my fault. This was 9 years ago.

Summary disorderly conduct for arguing with a police officer. This was the only one that truly was not my fault. I was told to leave by the cop and refused because i was not involved in anything and he was basically being a bully. This was 8 years ago.

So my questions are:

If I disclose all this are they going to kick me out of law school?

Is the Bar Assoc. going to deny me entrance?

I know people with worst records then mine are lawyers. I just want to know where i stand and what to expect.

Thanks in advance for your time.
Go commit some real crimes then re-post. Seriously if they threw you in a cell with me I'd have to punk you out on principle cause your making people like me look like sissies. Just disclose everything, get copies of any records you can for when you submit your bar app and you should be fine. I did worse for less, and I'm now a lawyer. The bar is not that concerned with what you did so long as you tell them about it and there is not a recent patern of dishonesty/fraud/theft. I had to dislocse a buch of arrests from my youth (9-10 years before I applied), no mention of it, but boy they got pissed that I never changed by drivers lic from my home state to law school state.

Phillylawkid

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by Phillylawkid » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:23 pm

Thanks everyone

I know these are not big deals, but i was worried about getting kicked out for not disclosing them earlier. Thanks again everyone, you eased my unwarranted worries greatly.

Many thanks again.

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Unitas

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by Unitas » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:24 pm

Phillylawkid wrote:Thanks everyone

I know these are not big deals, but i was worried about getting kicked out for not disclosing them earlier. Thanks again everyone, you eased my unwarranted worries greatly.

Many thanks again.
Not to be rude, but send them an e-mail with the disclosure to be put in your file. Telling them without a paper trail means nothing in three years. Just send the admission office an e-mail so they can add it to your file.

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You Gotta Have Faith

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Re: Updating character and fitness

Post by You Gotta Have Faith » Fri Jul 30, 2010 3:30 pm

If they are wanting you to wait until orientation... when they already have activities planned for and involving you... then I don't think there is a huge cause for concern.

I have had friends do waaaaaaay worse than the stuff you are talking about. One of them found himself wandering around a cemetery at 3am and got a DWI (did I mention that the car was wrecked into a tree in the cemetery?) And even that dude managed to get into a respectable school. Although I still think he got lucky, and I would by no means recommend it, I think you should be fine with your stuff. None of it has any monumental red flags that would cause them to revoke your admission.

Just my opinion; I'm not the actual adcomm.

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