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Hello TLS.

I am currently filling out applications and ive run into a bit of an issue on the disclosures section on basically.... all of my applications. The problem is that I was a bit of a truant while i was an undergrad and now im having trouble determining if i need to disclose or if i dont need to disclose based on the nuances in the wording from application to application. So as honest as possible... here goes on my run ins with the law and i would greatly appreciate any help that people would have to offer on how to answer these questions.


Incident 1: As a sophmore in college i was arrested for public intoxication held in a drunk tank, fingerprinted and released the following morning. I never heard anything more after that day.. I assumed that this problem just went away..

Incident 2: As a sophmore i had a problem with one of my professors where i sent her emails containing curse words because she wouldn't allow me to retake a test.

I was found to have violated 3 policies:
Physical abuse
Obstruction or disruption
Failure to comply with the directions of a university official

Incident 3: I was put on academic probation for 1 quarter sophmore year for bad grades.

Incident 4: I was arrested for public intoxication shortly after graduating (2013). The officer really had no good reason to arrest me. Case was dropped before trial

That is my "criminal" history in full detail as far as i know it. So the way i have been dealing with this so far, is that i have been disclosing the incident with the professor because i think it is clear that that would be necessary. However, incident 1 and 4 are a little more complex for me primarily due to the wording on these questions

Version 1: Have you ever been charged with, pleaded guilty to, or convicted of a crime?

Would i have been considered charged with a crime? I mean i rode in a police car, i was fingerprinted does this mean that i was charged?

Version 2: Have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty to the violation of any law or ordinance, or the commission of any felony or misdemeanor

How about this one? Do i have to disclose? I would say no..??.?...??

Ask the school and see what they say?

Ask a lawyer.
But the prevailing advice on this site seems to be - when in doubt, just disclose.

It's important to remember that anything you don't disclose may potentially come back to haunt you during C&F for the bar. Therefore, like someone else here said - "when in doubt, just disclose."

However, you have some control here cause you can dictate how you disclose. You want to tell them about the offenses while simultaneously letting them know you're no longer that same human that ends up in the drunk tank and that you have grown from the experiences. Similarly, you can disclose the academic offenses while highlighting how you've grown from it and learned some perspective or something to that effect.

You're pretty much guaranteed to have to answer for these things at some point, might as well get ahead of them while you can.

Incident 2: As a sophmore i had a problem with one of my professors where i sent her emails containing curse words because she wouldn't allow me to retake a test.

Jesus Christ....This is what's wrong with 2015 America. People feel they have a right not to feel offended or hurt

Grow a pair!! A student throws curse words at you and hurts your feelings? Welcome to the real world where there are no "safe zones"

(This aggravates me beyond belief because of how our culture has changed.....I do not condone cursing at teachers, but this is really an incident that should have been handled internally between student and teacher...A reprimand is all that is necessary here, I wouldn't have written a report or pursued further disciplinary action.)

Broncos15 wrote:

Incident 2: As a sophmore i had a problem with one of my professors where i sent her emails containing curse words because she wouldn't allow me to retake a test.

Jesus Christ....This is what's wrong with 2015 America. People feel they have a right not to feel offended or hurt

Grow a pair!! A student throws curse words at you and hurts your feelings? Welcome to the real world where there are no "safe zones"

(This aggravates me beyond belief because of how our culture has changed.....I do not condone cursing at teachers, but this is really an incident that should have been handled internally between student and teacher...A reprimand is all that is necessary here, I wouldn't have written a report or pursued further disciplinary action.)

I don't necessarily disagree with you in principle, but we're only hearing OP's description of "curse words to professors." There may have been way more than just "Can you just let me retake the <>ing test?" or OP may be completely tone deaf to how s/he was coming across. And it says here that it was emailS, plural. A pattern of angry emails is very different than a single one that was fired off the cuff.

Don't have much insight to give, but man, OP -- hanging w/ you sounds like a hoot and a half, I wanna be your friend

The university charges based on what you disclosed seem like BS, and likely a violation of due process but whatever. Anyone who refused to take a shower with Jerry Sandusky could be tried by Penn State for failure to comply with the commands of a university official. Did you have a lawyer when you got these charges?