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Character and fitness

All law schools are obligated to ensure that their law students have the necessary fitness and character to be lawyers, which is the purpose behind the section of the application entitled, "Character, Fitness, and Bar Exam Clearance."

The questions from this section of the application are shown below so that you may assemble any necessary materials before you actually begin the application. Any applicable supporting documentation related to this section of the application may be sent to the Admissions Office via fax, mail, or e-mail.

If you answer any of these questions affirmatively, you must provide an explanation, which must include the information outlined on the next page. You may attach this statement of explanation to your application electronically or email it separately to lawadmissions@uakron.edu.

Duty to be truthful

You have a duty to be truthful and accurate as well as a duty to reveal all information even if you do not have complete documentation. You need to disclose details of the result of any criminal charges. Even if the charges were dismissed, adjudication was withheld, a conviction was reversed, a conviction was set aside, a conviction was vacated, a conviction was expunged, or the record sealed, you must provide disclosure. Contrary advice by legal counsel DOES NOT exempt you from this requirement. The charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, and reckless driving must be disclosed as criminal charges.

Your answers to these questions are confidential and are limited to a determination of your character and fitness to practice law. You are under a continuing obligation to notify the Admissions Office of any changes in your answers to these questions up until the time of your enrollment. Once enrolled, you are under a continuing obligation to notify the Associate Dean of Admissions of any changes in your answers to these questions.

1. Were you ever involved in a disciplinary matter at a college or university; placed on disciplinary (non-academic) probation at a college or university; regardless of the outcome, have you ever been charged with, penalized for, or adjudicated guilty of a violation of a college or university honor code; or have you ever been suspended or dismissed from a college or university, including any actions or legal proceedings that were dismissed, expunged or sealed?
2. Regardless of the outcome, have you ever been the subject of disciplinary action for plagiarism at any educational institution?
3. Are there any disciplinary (non-academic) charges from any educational institution pending against you?
4. As a member of any profession, have you ever been subject to disciplinary action by a licensing board or professional association, or had any license denied, suspended, or revoked, including any complaints that were dismissed, expunged or sealed?
5. As a member of any profession, have you ever been removed from office, public or private, because of conduct reflecting upon your character or charged with conduct reflecting on your character that could result in removal from office?
6. Are there any criminal charges pending against you?
7. Have you been arrested, charged, formally accused, cited, fined, posted bail, subject to a restraining order, or ordered to do community service for the violation of any law (including any juvenile or expunged matters, but excluding traffic or parking violations)?
8. Have you ever been or are you currently a party to or otherwise involved (except as a witness) in any criminal or quasicriminal action (including, but not limited to, a misdemeanor, minor misdemeanor, traffic offense, or felony) or ANY other legal proceeding (including, but not limited to, bankruptcy, divorce, or any other civil matter), including any actions or legal proceedings that were dismissed, expunged, or sealed?
9. Have you ever been or are you currently a party to or otherwise involved (except as a witness) in any action or legal proceeding in a juvenile court, including any actions or legal proceedings that were dismissed, expunged or sealed?
10. Have you ever been summoned for a violation of any statute, regulation or ordinance?
11. Do you have any outstanding or unpaid fines, court costs, or tickets, including those for traffic or parking violations?
12. Have you ever been granted immunity from prosecution?
13. Have you ever been cited or arrested for contempt of court for any reason, including, but not limited to, failure to appear as a witness or answer a subpoena or a jury summons?
14. Have you ever been the subject of a court martial hearing, dishonorably discharged from military service, or administratively separated from military service with other than an honorable discharge?
15. Have you ever been terminated, suspended, disciplined, laid-off, or permitted to resign in lieu of termination from any job?
16. Have you ever been sued for a non-criminal act that was alleged to have been intentional?
17. Have you been cited or fined for any moving traffic violations within the last ten years (including moving violations that were dismissed, reduced, or removed from your record)?
18. Have you ever been arrested for or charged with operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol?

If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions (except numbers 17 and 18 - see below), please submit a detailed statement that includes the following information (please be as specific as possible):

1. Date of incident and your age at the time of the incident
2. Parties involved
3. Description of incident
4. Result (expunged, dismissed, probation, arrest, incarceration, etc.)
5. Degree of misdemeanor or felony and code section (Ohio Revised Code or other state or city code involved)
6. Photocopy of official court documentation, if applicable
7. Information related to post-sentence events (pardon, etc.)

Vague statements are not acceptable. Failure to fully disclose may result in dismissal from the School of Law.

If you answered "Yes" to questions 17 or 18, please provide the following information in an addendum with your applicaiton:

For example, "I have been driving for XX years and have received approximately X parking tickets and X speeding tickets. None of these were drug or alcohol related, nor did any result in the suspension of my driver's license. All of these incidents resulted in minor fines, all of which were paid promptly."

Character, fitness, and Bar admission

The information described above is considered by the or other state Supreme Court in determining whether a candidate will be permitted to sit for the Ohio (or other state) bar examination. Such matters are not within the jurisdiction of this law school or any other law school. In Ohio, for example, the board of commissioners on character and fitness and/or the Supreme Court in the state(s) in which the candidate wishes to practice law will determine the candidate's eligibility to sit for the bar exam. We recommend that candidates contact the of the state(s) in which they plan to practice to learn whether or not such information as disclosed in accordance with the guidelines above may prevent you from becoming a licensed attorney.

. Especially note Rule I, Sections 10-13.

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