An application will be reviewed after it has been submitted in the Applicant Portal or the hard copy application has been received by the Office of Admissions. You will receive an email confirming receipt of the application.
Once an application is considered complete and filed, the application may be approved or referred for further investigation by the State Bar. Further investigation may include requesting additional information from the applicant or third parties. Each application is reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the standard of good moral character.
In the event the application review identifies information that raises questions about whether the applicant meets the standard for good moral character, an applicant may be invited to attend an informal conference with State Bar staff to discuss the issues. The informal conference is intended to provide the State Bar and the applicant an opportunity to discuss the relevant issues and factors present in the moral character application so that a determination may be rendered. An applicant may obtain legal counsel to attend and observe the informal conference. Participation in an informal conference is not required, and the State Bar will draw no negative inference if the applicant chooses to decline the invitation. However, a determination may be made based on the available information without the benefit of the informal conference. (See Procedures Governing Informal Conferences.)
An applicant notified of an adverse determination of moral character by the State Bar may file a written request for administrative review by the Committee of Bar Examiners within 30 days of the date of the notice of the State Bar’s determination.(See Procedures Regarding Requests For Administrative Review by the Committee of Bar Examiners of Adverse Determinations of Moral Character.)
An applicant notified of an adverse determination of moral character by the committee may file a request for hearing on the determination with the State Bar Court within 60 days of the notice of the committee’s determination pursuant to the applicable Admissions Rules (Admissions Rules, rule 4.47) and the Rules of Procedure of the State Bar (Rules Proc. of the State Bar, rule 5.460 et seq.).