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Character and Fitness

LSATChaosLSATChaos Alum Member
edited February 2018 in Law School Admissions 65 karma

Does anyone know how law schools/California bar association, look upon a case of you suing someone for a hit and run? Don't recall details, is it important to report? And does anyone know if this will effect future bar exam?

Comments

  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27901 karma

    You sued someone else? If so, I don’t recall and can’t imagine a C&F prompt in which that would be relevant. C&F applies to crimes you’ve committed, not crimes that were committed against you.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    I could imagine it being brought up in the bar acceptance process, but not in a negative way. I'm not sure of all the prompts and such, but I could see them reviewing any legal situation you were involved in. But since you were the one suing, then I don't think it should have any effect on you. I also haven't seen any C&F prompts on applications that would be relevant for that - they only ask for instances in which you were charged with a crime or violation of law.

  • LSATChaosLSATChaos Alum Member
    65 karma

    @cantgetright yes I was the one that was suing. The question says "Are you or have you been party to a lawsuit?"
    Problem is it happened a few years ago and I don't remember much from it, I did win the case though.

  • LCMama2017LCMama2017 Alum Member
    2134 karma

    If that is the actual question then the answer would be yes in your case. Perhaps there is a prompt after to write details.

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    edited February 2018 3652 karma

    @LSATChaos said:
    @cantgetright yes I was the one that was suing. The question says "Are you or have you been party to a lawsuit?"
    Problem is it happened a few years ago and I don't remember much from it, I did win the case though.

    Are you able to contact your attorney in order to get some of your paperwork from the case? They should be able to send it over to you for free. I had a C&F situation I had to describe in my apps and I just wrote a short addendum -- on x/y/z date, xyz occurred, and xyz was the repercussions of this. I included a case number and the name of the courthouse as some schools ask for the courthouse. It took me a while to find all my papers just to find the exact date that this occurred. I think you could do something similar, just write something very brief (a page double spaced max) that someone hit you and ran on this date, you sued, and on this date you won the case. I would include the case# and courthouse as well. I know many attorneys who had criminal incidents before they went to law school and they all told me "just keep track of your paperwork because you will need it for the bar character examination." Not saying that your lawsuit is criminal, I would just imagine that the process is similar in describing your incident.

  • sbc.mom_3xsbc.mom_3x Alum Member
    edited February 2018 1501 karma

    CF does not only apply to criminal acts one has committed. They can cover a wide variety of instances. You should be able to contact a local bar association and ask if they know what the application for their state bar exam application may ask. For instance, the Ohio bar does ask "have you ever been a plaintiff, defendant or any party to any legal action?" That is very broad. Each state will vary in their questioning, I imagine.

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