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bdogbb wrote:So the entire reason I'm interested in Law now is that I was charged with some trumped up bullshit that I was totally innocent of (I don't want to get into any details but it involved other people's drugs), but we took it to trial and won. The American justice system actually worked for me, and I want to be able to pay that forward as an attorney in criminal law. Is this sort of thing a good idea to talk about in a personal statement, or a horrible idea?

Mal Reynolds wrote:No that is a terrible idea. "Trumped up bullshit" is not how you should describe anything in your application, especially crimes you've been charged with.

Mal Reynolds wrote:No that is a terrible idea. "Trumped up bullshit" is not how you should describe anything in your application, especially crimes you've been charged with.

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:So the entire reason I'm interested in Law now is that I was charged with some trumped up bullshit that I was totally innocent of (I don't want to get into any details but it involved other people's drugs), but we took it to trial and won. The American justice system actually worked for me, and I want to be able to pay that forward as an attorney in criminal law. Is this sort of thing a good idea to talk about in a personal statement, or a horrible idea?

Well it will save you an addendum because you will definitely need to disclose it to most schools.

bdogbb wrote:

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:So the entire reason I'm interested in Law now is that I was charged with some trumped up bullshit that I was totally innocent of (I don't want to get into any details but it involved other people's drugs), but we took it to trial and won. The American justice system actually worked for me, and I want to be able to pay that forward as an attorney in criminal law. Is this sort of thing a good idea to talk about in a personal statement, or a horrible idea?

Well it will save you an addendum because you will definitely need to disclose it to most schools.

I was under the impression I don't have to disclose it if I don't want to, because I was found not guilty.

Mal Reynolds wrote:

bdogbb wrote:

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:So the entire reason I'm interested in Law now is that I was charged with some trumped up bullshit that I was totally innocent of (I don't want to get into any details but it involved other people's drugs), but we took it to trial and won. The American justice system actually worked for me, and I want to be able to pay that forward as an attorney in criminal law. Is this sort of thing a good idea to talk about in a personal statement, or a horrible idea?

Well it will save you an addendum because you will definitely need to disclose it to most schools.

I was under the impression I don't have to disclose it if I don't want to, because I was found not guilty.

Wrong.

bdogbb wrote:The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

You were definitely "arrested" if you were ever booked. Even if you just went in voluntarily and were released immediately. Technically that is being "arrested." That is SOP for any criminal charges.

IgosduIkana wrote:I hope you're a good dude who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and now seeking to pursue law. And not a criminal who got away with some shit and now seeking to pursue law.

bdogbb wrote:
I was under the impression I don't have to disclose it if I don't want to, because I was found not guilty.


The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

Mal Reynolds wrote:You were charged with a crime but you weren't arrested? Still disclose.

inlovewithpiper wrote:

bdogbb wrote:
I was under the impression I don't have to disclose it if I don't want to, because I was found not guilty.


The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

Forgive me if this is just my mis-informed, 0L thinking here, but isn't being found not-guilty tantamount to having charges dismissed?

bdogbb wrote:

Mal Reynolds wrote:You were charged with a crime but you weren't arrested? Still disclose.

Actually I take that back, I was booked when I went into the station with my lawyer.

So do you think it would be a better idea to tie this into the "Why I want to be a Lawyer" section of application, or just leave it in the addendum?

Mal Reynolds wrote:

bdogbb wrote:

Mal Reynolds wrote:You were charged with a crime but you weren't arrested? Still disclose.

Actually I take that back, I was booked when I went into the station with my lawyer.

So do you think it would be a better idea to tie this into the "Why I want to be a Lawyer" section of application, or just leave it in the addendum?

I would probably write about something you've done or accomplished that you're proud of. There will be plenty of room in the addendums for the rest of this stuff.

bdogbb wrote:

Mal Reynolds wrote:

bdogbb wrote:

Mal Reynolds wrote:You were charged with a crime but you weren't arrested? Still disclose.

Actually I take that back, I was booked when I went into the station with my lawyer.

So do you think it would be a better idea to tie this into the "Why I want to be a Lawyer" section of application, or just leave it in the addendum?

I would probably write about something you've done or accomplished that you're proud of. There will be plenty of room in the addendums for the rest of this stuff.

I'm pretty proud of winning that case.

Mal Reynolds wrote: You were dumb enough to get caught.

riverwater wrote:

Mal Reynolds wrote: You were dumb enough to get caught.

Chill out, bro.

bdogbb wrote:

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

You were definitely "arrested" if you were ever booked. Even if you just went in voluntarily and were released immediately. Technically that is being "arrested." That is SOP for any criminal charges.

Yeah I did go into the station with my lawyer, and I did sign a few documents, so you're right. Do you think it would be better to tie this into the "why I want to be a lawyer" part of the personal statement, or just keep it in the addendum section?

runthetrap wrote:

bdogbb wrote:

daryldixon wrote:

bdogbb wrote:The application I'm looking at asks only if I was ever arrested, convicted of anything, or if a charge was dismissed or expunged. None of those apply to me.

You were definitely "arrested" if you were ever booked. Even if you just went in voluntarily and were released immediately. Technically that is being "arrested." That is SOP for any criminal charges.

Yeah I did go into the station with my lawyer, and I did sign a few documents, so you're right. Do you think it would be better to tie this into the "why I want to be a lawyer" part of the personal statement, or just keep it in the addendum section?

i don't think this would be the best use of your personal statement, unless you can spin the incident into a really outstanding essay that represents your best qualities (which i'm having difficulty imagining). write a concise, mature addendum and save something worth devoting two pages to for your ps.