<p>So 3 years ago I got stopped at a DUI check point. I was under the influence and was arrested and charged with a DUI. However, fortunately for me, the cop was late in filing the charges, I did not get my court date papers until 6 months after the incident, and my lawyer pointed out that the cop must file within a certian period of time after the incident. The judge threw my case out, so I was never convicted. My record was expunged. I've started filling out apps and I noticed they all have the question of whether you have been arrested or charged for a crime other than a traffic violation. So I'm guessing I need to say yes to that question, even though my record was wiped clean? I was never convicted, but I was charged. Also, does this have any negative effect on my chances of getting into schools? I was a lot younger and less mature and made a dumb mistake.</p>
<p>I would recommend that you answer the questions on your law school application honestly and thoroughly because when you apply for admission to the bar in most states, you will be required to ask your law school to submit a copy of your law school application to the state bar. The state bar will often do background (and credit, for those who are interested) checks on applicants, and to the extent that discrepancies show up, the lie, rather than the arrest or conviction iteself, may be what keeps you from getting admitted to the bar. </p>
<p>Anecdotally, a law school friend's dad, who was and still is on the Character and Fitness Committee in New York, explained to us years ago that we should be completely forthcoming in all of our dealings with our law schools and the bar. He told us that the examining committees do have official and unofficial ways of finding out information, and that, as I said above, lying about issues in our past was much more likely to be a problem than the past issue itself. Accordingly, he encouraged his child, my law school classmate, to disclose the one out-of-state drunk and disorderly charge he had faced (which had been expunged) and the one out-of-state public drunkeness charge he had faced (also expunged). His child, my friend, was admitted to the bars of several states (including NY, NJ and California) after being questioned about the former charges in each state but without further problems. </p>
<p>Therefore, based upon everything that I've heard and that experience, I would recommend that if a law school application asks for information about arrests (whether or not you were convicted), then I would disclose that information.</p>
<p>Thanks. So should I attach a word document to my application explaining everything and how it was resolved? It wasn't just a DUI, i also was charged with posession of a small amount of marijuana. My DUI was actually not for alcohol, but for being under the influence of marijuana. I really hope this doesn't hurt my chances at schools. But I would think that if law schools had a policy of not accepting students who had previous run ins with the law, they would be depriving themselves of a lot of good candidates, because so many make mistakes, do drugs, and drink at times in their life. I really don't think they would see this charge as something that defines my character and ability to excel in law school.</p>
<p>I think that you should do whatever is requested by each law school to which you apply.</p>
<p>I definitely will. Like you said, its better to be honest than to lie and later get caught.</p>
<p>Future -interesting that you added the last four words to your post #5.</p>
<p>What do you mean? I'm not saying I would ever lie. I am an honest person. I'm saying, I am sure there are people out there that may think it is no big deal and decide not to disclose certain information. It may come back to bite them in the ass. I was just making sure my situation was one in which I needed to disclose it on my apps. On all my applications, I am definitely going to let the schools know what happened. Overall, the more I think about it, the more I feel like what happened in my case won't deter me from getting into law schools. I didn't even get convicted, only charged. The case was thrown out for certain reasons, so I have no criminal record. I mean, if law schools denied admission to every person who was charged with a crime more serious than a basic traffic violation, then I really doubt law schools would have as many students as they do.</p>
<p>Future - I'm sure you'll be fine. I should have put a little smiley do-hickey at the end of my post since I was really teasing. But I've never figured out how to do emoticons. </p>
<p>You're absolutely correct about the fact that half the boomer generation - including the President - has been accused of using either drugs or alcohol at some point. (I'm one of the other 50% . . . . ) As long as you're honest about the circumstances, your LSAT and gpa should rule.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Haha, yeah, I mean, didn't George W. Bush get charged with cocaine possession and drunk driving before, and he got into Harvard Business School. Then again, he's always had money his whole life which I am sure he has benefited from greatly.</p>
<p>According to wikipedia, Gee Dub was arrested for DUI in 1976. His MBA was granted in 1975.</p>
<p>Pretty sure wikipedia isn't 100% factual, but I think his alleged cocaine arrest happened in 1972. I don't know how much truth there is to that, but oh well, in the history of Harvard Business School I can't believe that not one student there has never had a DUI.</p>