Registrar

Sitting for the Bar

This page is intended to serve as a guide for students interested in sitting for a state’s bar exam. All jurisdictions require a license to practice law, normally by taking a bar examination or otherwise qualifying for bar admission. Since bar admission varies by state, it is the student’s responsibility to review and understand the requirements for the specific state in which they intend to practice. Exceptions to specific forms, delivery methods and deadlines as dictated by the appropriate state’s Bar Admission Board are not permissible.

5 Steps to Getting Licensed

American Bar Association Character and Fitness Statement

Did you know...

Before you are admitted to any state’s bar and get your license to practice law, you must be approved by the bar’s committee on character and fitness. In many states, like Georgia, you must be approved before you can take the bar exam.

You will be required to answer questions relating to your honesty, fiscal responsibility, compliance with court orders, record of criminal activity, mental and emotional stability, and any misuse of alcohol and controlled substances, including prescription medications.

Examples of conduct the bar may view as grounds to deny certification:

non-compliance with court orders, including orders of child support and summonses to appear in court or serve on a jury
commission of a felony, including the misuse or wrongful distribution of prescription medications as well as street drugs
failure to repay student loans or other debts
a pattern of traffic tickets or DUI arrests
any theft or fraud, e.g. shoplifting or credit card misuse
academic plagiarism or misconduct
series of misdemeanor arrests
statements disparaging or threatening the rights or safety of others or showing disrespect for the law or courts
failure to acknowledge and get treatment for addiction or substance abuse
discrepancies between the disclosures made to the bar and other documents or records (i.e., lack of candor)

The burden of proof is on the applicant, who must establish and document his or her current good character and fitness to practice law.

The most common reason for denial of a bar applicant in Georgia is “A pattern of dishonesty in dealings with employers, schools, and authorities, including the Office of Bar Admissions.”

The bar committee will scrutinize documents that usually include your law school application; your work history; your credit reports; your driving record; the disposition of any kind of civil lawsuit involving you; any criminal record, including juvenile and expunged records.

In Georgia, any applicant who has been convicted of a DUI charge or its equivalent is ineligible to be certified by the character and fitness committee for at least twelve (12) months after the date of conviction.

Bar Forms