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I am applying to begin law school this coming fall. I am currently 25. This past September, I was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct. The simple assault charge was dropped and the disorderly conduct charge is pending. I am fighting the disorderly conduct charge.

I am epileptic and the incident occurred while I was experiencing postictal psychosis (a period of psychosis following a seizure). I have medical documentation and a letter from my doctor that this is what caused the incident. I was very confused and delusional in this state, and wanted to be restrained. I first stopped an SUV on the highway in an attempt to ask the driver to call 911, but was unable to speak. I reached inside her SUV and pointed at her phone and she drove off (that is what originated the simple assault charge). I later flagged down a police cruiser and when i was unable to respond to the officer and unwilling to step off the highway (that is what originated the disorderly conduct charge), I was brought in. After I was released, I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital until my symptoms stopped. This was the only time I have experience postictal psychosis. I have never before or since had any other psychiatric symtoms I have changed my seizure medication, and my epilepsy has since been under control.

I also have two speeding tickets (one from 2006 and one from 2008) and a disorderly conduct minor misdemeanor from college (2008) when I drank too much and fell asleep on a sidewalk. In that incident, I was not belligerent, but I had no form of identification on me so I was brought in.

Does anyone have an idea on how these charges (and my short stay in a psychiatric hospital) might affect my chances for admission to law school? My LSAT is a 167 and I had a GPA of 3.47. I spent one year doing Americorps and have spent the last two years running an NGO I founded.

I don't know if it will "bump" you down in terms of admissions, but you do have to disclose the arrest on your application. I ran into a similar situation were I was arrested during college for disorderly, disclosed on my application, and it was never mentioned again.

From what student affairs told me, the disclosure is necessary and used for you character review for the BAR exam. I would think only a felony or something with drugs would really factor into the decision. Good luck.

No biggie. Just disclose, and demonstrate (more to the bar than to LSs) that your condition is under control, and you'll be fine.

If you're curious, almost every state's C&F appeal process works this way:

initial hearing committee (state C&F) --> appeal committee (state C&F) --> state's supreme court (via cert.)

Steps 1 and 2 are typically secret, and even step 3 typically is secret unless the SC issues as opinion. That's rare, but it's common enough that you can use the available opinions to get an idea of what will get you dinged and what won't. You'll be okay.