So uh, what happens if you have been arrested before? Forum

[notaznguy]

So let's say you have been arrested before (like I dont know...for protesting at some Occupy thing or whatever), will it show up on your record that would hinder you from practicing law?

I was looking at the California Attorney Search thing, and 100% of the attorneys I searched had no "Disciplinary and Related Actions" recorded. If you have just 1...JUST ONE...is life over?

[cinephile]

You should probably contact the state bar where you hope to end up.

[TrojanHopeful]

Doesn't the disciplinary action thing only show actions that have occurred after the attorney has been admitted to the bar? Also, the California Bar does not have any automatic bars to admission.

[Gail]

Wait... What do you mean? Are you talking about post-law school or before law school? Because I'm pretty sure there is a sizable amount of applicants who have been arrested.

[Scipionyx]

I don't think protest arrests are going to prevent you from passing the bar. Plenty of activist lawyers have been arrested at protests. People have been arrested for civil disobedience and spent months in jail for political beliefs, and still manage to get into law school and presumably become lawyers. I think the bar is looking for stuff that might indicate propensity towards unethical activity generally in the practice of law (embezzlement, multiple DUIs), and if you were arrested for a cause that you can justify, that wouldn't be an issue. Now if you were arrested for assault on a cop, that would probably ding you, so don't get caught doing that.

You should get in touch with (1) the state bar to run it by them and (2) National Lawyer's Guild (http://www.nlg.com) for more info, it is a radical lawyer's organization. Keep up the good fight.

[Gail]

By get in touch with the state bar what exactly do people mean? Call and explain the situation and ask them one of the following:

Will this be an issue for me to sit for the bar exam?
What can I do to correct this?
Do I have any options?
Am I going to hell?

[ben4847]

What if you have been pepper sprayed in UC Davis?

[bport hopeful]

Ive been arrested a handful of times for some BS. Didnt disclose it to the school i applied to, and told them like 6 weeks into the semester. They told me it was no big deal, made me write like 4 sentences explaining it, and im on my merry way.

[omninode]

Unless you did something truly heinous, prior arrests will not keep you out of law school or the bar. Just be honest and disclose everything when asked.


p.s. Try not to get arrested in law school.

[03121202698008]

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[crit_racer]

You'll be fine. Arrests don't automatically DQ you for law school generally unless it's something morally culpable. Also, I'm pretty sure bar profiles only pertain to things that happen after you're a lawyer, and I thought disciplinary action referred to people who were remanded for malpractice, etc?

Also, in at berk

[GerardC3]

Also, in at berk

Congrats!

[ben4847]

Arrests don't automatically DQ you for law school generally unless it's something morally culpable.

Why are we making things illegal and arresting people for things which aren't morally culpable?

Also, in at berk

congrats

[TrojanHopeful]

Arrests don't automatically DQ you for law school generally unless it's something morally culpable.

Why are we making things illegal and arresting people for things which aren't morally culpable?

I like this question.

[89vision]

Arrests don't automatically DQ you for law school generally unless it's something morally culpable.

Why are we making things illegal and arresting people for things which aren't morally culpable?

Also, in at berk

congrats

Why should laws be based on morals? Especially since morals is a completely subjective standard.

[r6_philly]

Arrests don't automatically DQ you for law school generally unless it's something morally culpable.

Why are we making things illegal and arresting people for things which aren't morally culpable?

I like this question.

Whose morals?

And arrests != convictions.

[ThreeRivers]

To sum this up:

In general- you'll be alright, but we need more info on exactly what was your charge

[r6_philly]

To sum this up:

In general- you'll be alright, but we need more info on exactly what was your charge

You mean what was the disposition. Then the charge.