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My first-year law applications seem to require different degrees of criminal history disclosure, but for the most part they seem to want to know everything. Should I disclose an institutional vandalism charge dating from 1999, when I was a 12 year old juvenile? The charge has since been expunged and sealed. I've heard that I should disclose this to the BAR board, but what should I do in this situation? Thank you!

rsw5008 wrote:My first-year law applications seem to require different degrees of criminal history disclosure, but for the most part they seem to want to know everything. Should I disclose an institutional vandalism charge dating from 1999, when I was a 12 year old juvenile? The charge has since been expunged and sealed. I've heard that I should disclose this to the BAR board, but what should I do in this situation? Thank you!

It wont hurt you to disclose the charge but it might hurt later on for failing to disclose it. Just go ahead and let the schools know about the charge so that you have nothing to worry about in the future.

ksgator wrote:

rsw5008 wrote:My first-year law applications seem to require different degrees of criminal history disclosure, but for the most part they seem to want to know everything. Should I disclose an institutional vandalism charge dating from 1999, when I was a 12 year old juvenile? The charge has since been expunged and sealed. I've heard that I should disclose this to the BAR board, but what should I do in this situation? Thank you!

It wont hurt you to disclose the charge but it might hurt later on for failing to disclose it. Just go ahead and let the schools know about the charge so that you have nothing to worry about in the future.

Exactly. I don't know if they'd hold anything a 12 year old may or may not have done against the adult version of him/her. I'm sure murder would make them think hard, but vandalism at 12? That's like 1/5 of all kids. Seriously, it's pretty standard.

Murder at 12 just makes for a sweet personal statement. Would that I had something as interesting as murder to write about.

Lonagan wrote:Murder at 12 just makes for a sweet personal statement. Would that I had something as interesting as murder to write about.

Ha ha. You may be right about that.

Disclose, disclose, disclose. Something that happened when you were 12 is totally irrelevant to your current situation, and law schools will not interpret it negatively.

Every app I've seen says to basically disclose everything. Most will say minor traffic offenses are excluded. The guidelines on every app I did would include your situation.