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I am a junior in college in California and have plans to apply to law school. However, when I was 18 I was convicted of possession of Marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the state of Utah all because of some stupid road-trip to Colorado. Because it's Utah, my record won't be expunged by the time I graduate from undergrad, so I'll these charges will still appear as misdemeanors. I obviously regret the actions in the past, but how will the law schools I apply to view these drug charges? Should I delay applying until i get this stuff expunged? I'm at a loss, help would be much appreciated..

Even if they get expunged, you'll most likely still have to disclose them to the bar.

I would advise that you write about it, write about how you were young and made a stupid mistake, and how it helped change your direction, try to show some evidence that you've changed. And hope for the best.

Disclose Disclose Disclose. There is no other option. They aren't going to reject you because of drug offenses. If you disclose and explain how you were immature and stupid, it won't matter. What will matter is if you fail to disclose. Expunging is bullshit, you have to disclose anyway. Disclose!

Retake.

ajmanyjah wrote:Retake.

TTCR

legalease9 wrote:Expunging is bullshit, you have to disclose anyway. Disclose!

Wrong. This isn't true at every school or in every state. If an application explicitly states that expunged offenses don't need to be disclosed, then you don't have to. If it requires disclosure, you do. Just follow the rules, whatever they may be.

Schools will ask you to disclose this kind of stuff on your application. Do it. However, DO NOT write about this in your personal statement or in an addendum. This is the kind of thing you want to minimize. Your personal statement and essays should be positives. So no matter how much you "learned" from your possessing chronic conviction, its something you want to minimize and draw attention away from.

Good luck!

Marionberry wrote:

legalease9 wrote:Expunging is bullshit, you have to disclose anyway. Disclose!

Wrong. This isn't true at every school or in every state. If an application explicitly states that expunged offenses don't need to be disclosed, then you don't have to. If it requires disclosure, you do. Just follow the rules, whatever they may be.

Schools vary. Bars pretty much invariably ask about all contact with the criminal justice system ever, no matter what you pulled off.

Not the Texas Bar. They specify that expunged offenses need not be disclosed, though it is the applicant/declarants responsibility to ensure that the offense in question has in fact been expunged.

You'll be fine dude. Just don't lie about anything on your application, and, if you're asked to, write a brief addendum explaining that you were stupid enough to drive through Utah with your bong in the front seat and that you won't do it again. Minor marijuana convictions are about as unhorrifying as criminal convictions get; this is unlikely to move the needle at all w/r/t your admissions cycle (unless you're applying to Regent or Liberty, in which case, just don't).

SBL wrote:You'll be fine dude. Just don't lie about anything on your application, and, if you're asked to, write a brief addendum explaining that you were stupid enough to drive through Utah with your bong in the front seat and that you won't do it again. Minor marijuana convictions are about as unhorrifying as criminal convictions get; this is unlikely to move the needle at all w/r/t your admissions cycle (unless you're applying to Regent or Liberty, in which case, just don't).

SBL, Sorry but I have to say it. This is the second post I've seen today where you didn't really read the current post... The first time you told a Fordham guy to stay instead instead of transfer when two post above you he had already announced his decision to transfer, and here the case is that he's already applied and everything and he just sat in on his first day of class where they again stressed truthfulness in his app. This guy already didn't disclose on his original application.

Total Litigator wrote:

SBL wrote:You'll be fine dude. Just don't lie about anything on your application, and, if you're asked to, write a brief addendum explaining that you were stupid enough to drive through Utah with your bong in the front seat and that you won't do it again. Minor marijuana convictions are about as unhorrifying as criminal convictions get; this is unlikely to move the needle at all w/r/t your admissions cycle (unless you're applying to Regent or Liberty, in which case, just don't).

SBL, Sorry but I have to say it. This is the second post I've seen today where you didn't really read the current post... The first time you told a Fordham guy to stay instead instead of transfer when two post above you he had already announced his decision to transfer, and here the case is that he's already applied and everything and he just sat in on his first day of class where they again stressed truthfulness in his app. This guy already didn't disclose on his original application.

Did I miss something in the original post? I thought OP said he was a Junior in college and looking at applying.

Total Litigator wrote:SBL, Sorry but I have to say it. This is the second post I've seen today where you didn't really read the current post... The first time you told a Fordham guy to stay instead instead of transfer when two post above you he had already announced his decision to transfer, and here the case is that he's already applied and everything and he just sat in on his first day of class where they again stressed truthfulness in his app. This guy already didn't disclose on his original application.

Total Litigator, sorry but I have to say it. Or rather, I have to quote what the OP already said:

b1gm0ose wrote:I am a junior in college

Total Litigator wrote:

SBL wrote:You'll be fine dude. Just don't lie about anything on your application, and, if you're asked to, write a brief addendum explaining that you were stupid enough to drive through Utah with your bong in the front seat and that you won't do it again. Minor marijuana convictions are about as unhorrifying as criminal convictions get; this is unlikely to move the needle at all w/r/t your admissions cycle (unless you're applying to Regent or Liberty, in which case, just don't).

SBL, Sorry but I have to say it. This is the second post I've seen today where you didn't really read the current post... The first time you told a Fordham guy to stay instead instead of transfer when two post above you he had already announced his decision to transfer, and here the case is that he's already applied and everything and he just sat in on his first day of class where they again stressed truthfulness in his app. This guy already didn't disclose on his original application.

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bump, btw i'm a junior in undergraduate and have NOT yet applied to law school

i know i should follow the rules of each school's application, but won't the bar point out the fact that i failed to inform my law school?

You're under no obligation to inform your Law School unless they ask about it. The Bar is only going to take issue with it if they see that you lied on your application. If you answer each application question honestly and thoroughly, there's not much they can say about it. I think.

Don't take anything you read on these forums as gospel. If it's important, it might be worthwhile to have your attorney or some other competent person look at it.

Marionberry wrote:You're under no obligation to inform your Law School unless they ask about it. The Bar is only going to take issue with it if they see that you lied on your application. If you answer each application question honestly and thoroughly, there's not much they can say about it. I think.

Don't take anything you read on these forums as gospel. If it's important, it might be worthwhile to have your attorney or some other competent person look at it.

Even if this was true, they already asked about it: The question was on his application in the first place, and, technically, he lied when he applied.

Total Litigator wrote:

Marionberry wrote:You're under no obligation to inform your Law School unless they ask about it. The Bar is only going to take issue with it if they see that you lied on your application. If you answer each application question honestly and thoroughly, there's not much they can say about it. I think.

Don't take anything you read on these forums as gospel. If it's important, it might be worthwhile to have your attorney or some other competent person look at it.

Even if this was true, they already asked about it: The question was on his application in the first place, and, technically, he lied when he applied.

What are you talking about? Once again, he hasn't applied yet.

Does this effect your financial aid eligibility? It may. As far as non fraud misdemeanors in the application process go- it usually isn't that big a deal. Unless there is a character issue like theft, fraud or misrepresentation. At least as far as I understand the process.
In most states you will have to disclose regardless of an expungement so waiting for that wont matter. Good luck. Hope it works out for ya.