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I graduate in December and have not received my clearance for character and fitness yet. I have some major credit issues, BK etc. I am well aware of Florida's strict C & F standards. My question is would it be better for me to withdraw my application without prejudice prior to being notified for any hearing informal or formal etc. I would like to apply in other states known for an easier C & F routine. I am aware I must notify these other states that I applied in Florida, but at this time I have not been denied so I am thinking time may be of the essence.

Hi,

Maybe I can shed some light on this because I was an investigator for the FL Board of Bar Examiners for about five years. It seems to be the instinct of students with character and fitness issues to want to pick up and run to another jurisdiction after applying to another. I'm not sure what purpose this truly serves since the new jurisdiction should request your bar application from the original jurisdiction. Credit issues in and of itself rarely lead to denial of admission, although you will probably need to attend an investigative hearing. Credit issues result in denial of admission when it is discovered that the applicant: had the means to repay the debts and did not, committed fraud on credit applications or during bankruptcy proceedings, accrued debt while living a lavish lifestyle, frivolously spending prior to filing for bankruptcy, etc. We would find things that even the bankruptcy trustee did not catch or did not deem significant..not sure which. At some point, you will have to face these issues head on. Is it scary? Yes. Is it impossible? No. In the end, only you can decide what's right for you.

www.flbarapp.com

I passed FL's C&F with some pretty extreme c&f issues (criminal). I don't think you will face any issues as long as you're candid, $0.02

There is at least one jurisdiction that does not require a credit check for most applicants; however, since you have a bankruptcy, all jurisdictions are likely to review your credit record so it is unlikely to benefit you to withdraw your application to Florida. (Also, in my experience, Florida tends to be quite reasonable with bar C&F clearances. Florida just gets a lot of applications when compared to most state bars.)
Unless working in a federal government position, it seems that your targeted bar would depend upon your job location.