Character & Fitness Help!! Forum

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lawsxhxxl

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Character & Fitness Help!!

Post by lawsxhxxl » Wed Mar 15, 2017 4:37 pm

In 10th grade, I was charged with assault and batter after a high school fight ove racial slurs. The charges were dismissed and will be expunged from my record years before the bar. Do I disclose the information on law school apps??

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lula43

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Re: Character & Fitness Help!!

Post by lula43 » Wed Mar 15, 2017 4:43 pm

Absolutely. Transparency is the policy here. State the facts and include what was going on for you at the time. It will not, from my experience, keep you out of any of the schools you would be admitted to otherwise.

Good luck!

areyn22

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Re: Character & Fitness Help!!

Post by areyn22 » Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:45 am

Yeah, a lot of schools will ask you to disclose something as small as a minor traffic citation, so you should disclose this. Definitely include the bit about it being expunged from your record well before the bar; one of the reasons schools ask for this information is because character and fitness violations can affect one's chances of passing the bar.

I don't think this should affect your likelihood of admission into the schools you wish to attend.

Nebby

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Re: Character & Fitness Help!!

Post by Nebby » Thu Mar 16, 2017 10:59 am

Also, in your C&F addendum, do not write it like a narrative. "Johnny called me a ____ so I punched him in the face." Write it like a factual summary: "When I was 16 years old, I was charged with assault following a fight. The fight occurred in response to the use of racially charged language directed at myself. The charges were dismissed by the prosecution due to [explain why]. I have never been charged with any crime since then because it taught me a valuable lesson about life."

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