C&F Question Forum

[jurisdoctorate333]

So I have an issue to report. I reported on most of my applications; however the way one of the apps were worded seemed to allow me to say no. So, I did it this way and got accepted.

The application asked if the applicant was either convicted and/or acquitted of a misdemeanor.

I was charged with a misdemeanor but pled out to a lesser (nonmisdemeanor charge), and thus I was not convicted or acquitted of the misdemeanor because I pled out.

What are your thoughts on this? Shoud I update my application with the addendum I submitted to every school?

[DeeCee]

Everyone always says it's better to do full disclosure, and it probably is. However, each school asks different questions, and at certain schools EVERYTHING must be disclosed. Other schools that is not the case. If you feel that you accurately and truthfully answered the question, then that's all you're required to do. However, I do not know your personal situation, and if you feel you should be cautious (which you seem to) then you should disclose.

[HowdyYall]

update with an addendum, wont matter in the school's decision and will save you a hell of a lot of worrying 3 years from now

[thegor1987]

This is interesting because the legal definition of acquittal is what a criminal defendant is given when found not guilty. To plead guilty to a lesser charge, I wonder if you must have necessarily been found not guilty of the misdemeanor. Legally you might have actually been acquitted and thus would have to disclose.

[2Serious4Numbers]

Consensus = disclose. C&F is the last thing you ever want to be questioning. Schools don't care, bar examiners might if there is a discrepancy. They're funny about ethical stuff like that. Who knew.

[justadude55]

in the spirit of the question, if you must disclose if you're guilty or not guilty, you must disclose if you plead down. guilty and not guilty are the 2 extremes of the matter, and pleading seems to be in the middle. linguistically, you don't have to but i don't think they're going to buy you didn't understand the question.

[thegor1987]

Yea the consensus is to disclose but I've heard the other side of the story too. Is anyone really going to find out about your public urination citation from freshman year of college?

[justadude55]

what if the guy from the bar was the person he peed on?

[thegor1987]

what if the guy from the bar was the person he peed on?

Then hopefully the bar examiner he pissed on would be too uncomfortable to bring up the topic of getting pissed on in front of all the other bar examiners and the licensee would end up getting away with it!

[jurisdoctorate333]

What if I withdrew the app? Its not really somewhere I want to go anyway. Would withdrawing the app be detrimental to other apps?

I think I'm going to email them an addendum. Do you think such a submission would hurt my other apps?

[jurisdoctorate333]

Bump; thoughts?