Character and Fitness Question

texvd1988

I assume there are thousands of law school students, and lawyers who have been caught doing some silly stuff in college. I got an underage drinking ticket when I was 20, and that is the only stain on my record. From the best of my recollection, it is not on my record. Should I still admit to this in my application? Will it impact my chances if I do?

texvd1988

PS: I am 28, and have nothing else but a speeding ticket on my record since.

Cant Get Right

It depends on the state. Some states have laws disallowing institutions to request information about things that have been removed from your record. For these schools, you will not have to disclose, although you should confirm your recollection that it has actually been removed from/kept off of your record. In most states though, schools can (and do) demand incidents that have been removed from your record. Here, you must report it.

texvd1988

Also, I checked Texas and it doesn't seem to have any indicator that a minor citation will lead to problems

https://ble.texas.gov/character-and-fitness

Still, I wanted to see if you guys knew any better than I did.

texvd1988

@"Cant Get Right" said:
It depends on the state. Some states have laws disallowing institutions to request information about things that have been removed from your record. For these schools, you will not have to disclose, although you confirm your recollection that this is actually the case. In most states though, schools can (and do) demand incidents that have been removed from your record. Here, you must report it.

I see. So I have to, regardless. How badly would a minor drinking citation hurt my application chances? I wasn't drunk (blew a .04), but I was 20 so they gave me a ticket anyway.

David Busis

@vduran1988 read each application's C&F question carefully—they're all a bit different—but error on the side of disclosure.

And relax! It's unlikely a drinking citation will torpedo your application.

texvd1988

Here it is-

Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been arrested, cited, ticketed for or charged with any violation of the law? (You may exclude minor traffic violations. However, you must report any offenses involving alcohol, drugs or a controlled substance and any offenses in which there was an attempt, successful or not, to suspend or revoke your driver's license.) You must disclose each instance even though charges may not have been brought against you and even if charges were dismissed or you were acquitted. You must also disclose each instance even if such charges resulted in deferred adjudication or a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated, as well as fully disclosing even if you were granted any type of pretrial diversion. (An applicant will not need to disclose information about a juvenile record that has been sealed or expunged.) Disclosure is required even if you have been told by any source that you do not have to disclose any such instance.

texvd1988

https://blueprintlsat.com/lsatblog/law-school-admissions/to-disclose-or-not-to-disclose-—-a-pre-law-conundrum/

I followed the website above for an outline of what to write. Let me know what you guys think about this:


When I was 20 years old I had gone to a friend’s house to spend some time watching movies and playing games. In the process, we had a few beers. At around 11 at night, we decided to go to the local park to sit around, get some air, and talk. Since it was late at night, and we were a group of four, the police did stop by to make sure we were not doing anything illegal or suspicious. Upon arrival, they asked us if we had done anything that night and my friend and I answered that we had drinks before his arrival. The police officer gave us a breathalyzer test and I blew a .04 BAC.
After our meeting, the police officer gave us an underage drinking ticket with a fine. The next day, I went to the courthouse and accepted full responsibility for what I had done. I stated that I was guilty of that offense, and the judge told me to pay a fine as necessary.
Though it has been eight years, I am remorseful for this event. It was and always will be my responsibility to conduct myself in a manner that is respectful towards the law. Since then, I have made sure that these events don’t occur to ensure that I don’t sabotage my relationship with family members and my career.