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Hey everyone, I have a question about the C&F addendum that I'm going to have to apparently include in a couple of the applications. I got a speeding ticket a few years ago, and some of the applications do not have an exception for this in their disclosure rules, but 1) I don't remember exactly when I got it (not even the year to be honest), and 2) I'm not sure what the official "outcome" was.

I took a driving class that was like 5 hours long so that my insurance rates wouldn't be inflated, but I don't know if that's considered an expungement or not.

I know a speeding ticket is not a big deal, but I don't want it to become a big deal during C&F after law school because I mis-reported it. So: HELP!

Thanks.

If you know the jurisdiction it happened in, you can probably request a copy of your record.

My city, irritatingly, will only show you your driving record going back 5 years, but I assume not all jurisdictions are that lame.

If you can't find any record of it and you have to disclose it, just say it was several years ago and you no longer have the records, and you can't remember when it was exactly. I had a few like that, and I just put a line that said I am not trying to conceal anything, I just don't remember. It's not a big deal.

Court records last forever. Even if those records no longer show up on your driver records, the court that dealt with the ticket has a record of what happened, when it happened, and what the final disposition was.

Don't remember the court that handled your ticket? Email courts in the area where it may have happened and ask them to look for your name on their records. When you find the court, then ask for (in writing, snail mail) a "certified disposition." The whole process is free or very cheap, most of time. You'll have to do the same for the Bar application, so you might as well get your facts straight now.

Odds are you are probably not in PA, but in PA you can search court dockets for something like this. I had a similar problem where I searched on the online docket search and I located the date of the incident. Like I said though, not sure if other states have something like this, but for PA it is pretty useful and easy via the web.

kalvano wrote:If you can't find any record of it and you have to disclose it, just say it was several years ago and you no longer have the records, and you can't remember when it was exactly. I had a few like that, and I just put a line that said I am not trying to conceal anything, I just don't remember. It's not a big deal.

+1. Answer to the best of your ability, and don't hide anything. A speeding ticket won't really raise any red flags.

bp shinners wrote:

kalvano wrote:If you can't find any record of it and you have to disclose it, just say it was several years ago and you no longer have the records, and you can't remember when it was exactly. I had a few like that, and I just put a line that said I am not trying to conceal anything, I just don't remember. It's not a big deal.

+1. Answer to the best of your ability, and don't hide anything. A speeding ticket won't really raise any red flags.

Concur with this. Disclosure is the key; give enough details to show you're disclosing it to the best of your ability.

Based on what I've learned about the actual bar, though, you'll need to track down court records then. They will want full details.

the bar cares about speeding tickets? waaah?

dkt4 wrote:the bar cares about speeding tickets? waaah?

No, the bar cares about you hiding speeding tickets.

even that surprises me