Do law schools ask about middle and high school arrests, suspensions, cheating, etc?

<p>I read somewhere that the bar association will ask you to report any type of cheating, arrests, misconduct in general, etc... throughout your entire life, but are law school applicants required to report everything since elementary school as well?</p>

<p>The conventional wisdon is disclose, disclose, disclose. Not disclosing could be worse than the offense itself.</p>

<p>Here are some threads that can hopefully help you or at least put your situation into context</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/311932-can-person-class-b-misdemeanor-charge-ever-become-lawyer.html#post3748510[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/311932-can-person-class-b-misdemeanor-charge-ever-become-lawyer.html#post3748510&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/255541-no-way-right.html?highlight=sealed+records#post3124134[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/255541-no-way-right.html?highlight=sealed+records#post3124134&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/1136572-past-problems-ruining-your-future.html?highlight=disclose#post12644792[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/1136572-past-problems-ruining-your-future.html?highlight=disclose#post12644792&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/1116373-caught-drinking-hs-will-affect-law-school-application.html?highlight=disclose#post12340295[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/1116373-caught-drinking-hs-will-affect-law-school-application.html?highlight=disclose#post12340295&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/981310-should-i-disclose-arrest-law-school-adcoms-if-arrest-itself-expunged.html?highlight=disclose#post11029847[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/981310-should-i-disclose-arrest-law-school-adcoms-if-arrest-itself-expunged.html?highlight=disclose#post11029847&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/833448-important-question.html?highlight=disclose#post9352215[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/833448-important-question.html?highlight=disclose#post9352215&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/781029-arrest-record-but-expunged-effect-chances-top-law-schools.html#post8863744[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/law-school/781029-arrest-record-but-expunged-effect-chances-top-law-schools.html#post8863744&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I strongly advise you not to go to law school.</p>

<p>There is a vast over-supply of lawyers.</p>

<p>floridadad55: We all appreciate your advice, but I think I can speak for many of us who follow the threads when I say that posting on every one about how you feel about attending law school is a bit excessive. I would suggest starting your own topic about this issue. We are seeking advice on certain situations, and having the thread turned into a debate over whether or not law school is worth it right now is not helping us.</p>

<p>Allotropy: I agree with sybbie719- absolutely disclose your information. It’s worse to have lied on an application. Read the questions carefully and answer honestly.</p>

<p>Right, I totally understand that if they ask I would definitely disclose. However I’m inquiring about whether or not law school applications even ask about disciplinary records before high school?</p>

<p>When you go throught he C & F they verify everything on your law school application. Willful misrepresentation is grounds for having your degree rescinded, leaving you with 200k of debt and a worthless peiece of paper. Even then, if you do not diclose it on your application and then they find out, you will have problems being admitted to the bar. You can always write an addendum to your law school application explaining your situation.</p>

<p>I mean it seems that it is not particularly serious, especially that it happened long ago. Definitely disclose and add a short addendum describing the facts.</p>

<p>If you register at LSAC, you can view actual applications, and see what they ask.</p>

<p>You might also check out the sites of a few state bar associations, and see what questions you have to answer to become a member of the bar.</p>

<p>floridadad55 it seems that there is a vast over supply of everything right now. There is high unemployment in every area. The legal market is in terrible shape, but you will also find many doctors advising students not to go to med school these days. Terrible hours, high debt, high malpractice insurance and ever decreasing reimbursement from the insurance carriers. Oh, and the finance jobs? It seems wall street has taken a big hit lately too, better not head into that field either. It seems that these kids are in a bad time for getting any job and there are no guarantees in any field. Everyone says only study STEM. STEM is the only valuable education. Well guess what? in 5 years when every kid coming out of school has a STEM degree there will be way too many of them and not enough jobs to go around.</p>

<p>I think these kids have to decide what they will be good at and what they want to do and be careful not to go into crazy debt trying to do it. If everybody just follows the latest craze of where the “good jobs” will be, there will be too many people vying for those jobs and the same problem will exist there.</p>

<p>I agree with you that law school is not something to do because you don’t know what else you should do with your current degree, and especially going 200k into debt to get there. But I think if it something they really want to do and go in knowing there is not guarantee of a high paying job at the end they have the finances worked out, then they have a shot at being successful.</p>

<p>You should look into the requirements for being accepted by the bars in various states – where you live, and where you think you might eventually want to practice, like New York, DC, etc. If there are restrictions in those jurisdictions about prior bad acts, arrests and convictions, you can get a 4.0 in law school and pass the bar exam, but you will never be admitted to the bar. That will mean that you spent $$$ and 3+ years of your life for nought. After you lear the real facts from websites of the states, it might be advisable to actually talk to some there.</p>

<p>It’s not a question about whether you will be admitted to the bar based on your disciplinary sanctions alone, but whether or not you disclose these past infractions-- that falls into character & fitness. Regardless of how much time has passed, you should always disclose.</p>