<p>Before my freshman year of college (and less than a week after I had turned 18), I was arrested for shopliftng. However, I didn’t actually DO the shoplifting; I was with a “friend” who decided to steal a cheap pair of sunglasses. In my state, we have a “hand of one, hand of all” rule, meaning that one can get charged for a crime by mere association, even if he/she didn’t commit and/or know about the crime. I was never convicted, but I did have to go through the PTI (Pre-Trial Intervention) program and the incident has since been expunged. This was an isolated incident - nothing had happened before, and nothing has happened since. Although I was completely distraught over the incident, it made me realize the importance of knowing who is in my life and triggered my interest in law - I didn’t know why I was being arrested, for I had no idea a “hand of one, hand of all” rule even existed, and I now believe it’s quite significant for people to know about such rules that can so irrevocably alter their lives.</p>
<p>Various people (including PTI coordinators) have told me that I do not need to list the incident on law school applications since it was expunged; however, I feel this is dishonest and I don’t want to do anything, however minor it may seem, that can hurt me later on down the road (admission to the bar). What should I do? If anything, I feel as if I could make this incident into a strong testament in regards to explanations on the applications.</p>
<p>About me: Besides this one incident, I see myself as a good student. African American male, second-semester sophomore (junior status with AP credits) at an excellent private university, 3.916 GPA (German and Political Science double major), involved in various engaging extracurricular activities on campus, study abroad experience (advanced in the German language), scheduled to do legal theory/practice research with two Constitutional Law professors at my university the next two summers, various academic accolades in the form of scholarships, awards, and induction into honor societies, will have great recommendations, etc. In short, I feel as if I’m having the ideal college experience and success. Except for this ONE isolated incident. My goal is to attend a T-14 law school (Georgetown Law Center is my dream); is this still possible?</p>
<p>Thanks for any and all input! It’s greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>But I would list the event in your application, just in case. It’s always better to err on the side of disclosure on law school applications. It doesn’t just help establish a record of honesty for law school admissions, but when you eventually apply for the bar, you’ll be seen in a slightly better light for having disclosed such a minor infraction on your applications (sally, or whoever else has passed the bar, please correct me if I’m wrong).</p>
<p>I wouldn’t bother listing it on your application, although you probably will have to on your bar application.</p>
<p>I doubt that knowledge of “the incident” will affect your admissions chances from the “we shouldn’t admit criminals” perspective, but I could see someone asking themself “why would he bother telling us about this?”.</p>
<p>Many law school applications, as well as bar applications later on, will ask for you to disclose all misdemeanors and felonies of which you have been accused, regardless of whether the record has been expunged. The failure to reveal information that has been requested will have potentially severe consequences for you later on – much more so than the expunged criminal action itself. </p>
<p>I would recommend that you make sure that your law school application and bar application match in terms of the information you reveal about this shoplifting incident. When you apply to the bar, a certified copy of your law school application will be included in that application and any inconsistency is often the basis for further inquiry by the bar admissions committee and ethics committee. Please note that the bar applications of many states will ask about any misdemeanors or felonies of which you have been accused, whether or not convicted and whether or not expunged, as well as driving histories (you will be asked to provide certified driving records from each state in which you have ever lived, whether or not you ever actually drove in that state or held a drivers’ license there) and academic histories (contained in both your transcripts and in dean’s certifications, where the deans of each school you have attended will be asked specifically to comment upon any accusations of cheating, plagarism, etc. in your academic past).</p>
<p>You have not been convicted. Follow the instructions on the application honestly and you will be fine.</p>
<p>GT is a sophsticated institution and one of the best law schools in the country. If they wanted to know about accusations (much less accusations that have been further expunged), they would have asked. They didn’t ask precisely because couldn’t care less if an otherwise upstanding, qualified individual was standing around while a friend got knicked for pocketing sunglasses when they were both juveniles.</p>
<p>Frankly, I’m not even sure how or where these other posters would suggest you disclose this information. Say that you have been convicted and then start your supplement by saying “well, not really”? Fill the line out with “no, but see my supplement anyway”?</p>
<p>Have to side with Sally, here. It isn’t just a question of the applications themselves, but also having things match when applying for the Bar. You don’t want to risk things now.</p>
<p>There will be nothing inconsistent between the law school and bar application. They are seperate applications which solicit different information for different purposes. Bar applications ask for tons of information law school applications don’t. Should Blazer just submit a completed bar application along with the general application to make sure? To repeat my previous question, where on the linked application should Blazer make this disclosure?</p>
<p>I understand the bar admission process is a huge hassle, but I’m shocked to find people think it’s this unreasonable. A quick poll of attorneys at my office found everyone thinking that disclosing this incident is entirely unnecessary.</p>
<p>What you should do, Blazer, is contact a couple schools and the bar in a couple of states where you think you might practice and ask.</p>
<p>I don’t see any harm in disclosing. Even if there is a small probability of harm occurring by not disclosing, surely it’s in one’s best interest to disclose if the overall probability of incurring harm is zero?</p>
<p>It’s hard to articulate why, but I think there is a risk in disclosure.</p>
<p>Essentially, it makes him look like a pain in the ass. It would be like some otherwise straight-A student providing a special supplement to explain a B+ in freshman comp. Who wants that guy in class? How often is he going to interrupt the flow with some fussy, special circumstances question? </p>
<p>Particularly in the context of law school, if you give a complex answer to a simple question, the complexity better be relevant. Getting into law school is about having good numbers and a calm, confident profile. The last thing you want is to have reviewers asking themselves why they are reading something you’ve submitted. Half the students admitted will have a story similar to that one. Kids get in trouble sometimes. No reason to act like your’s requires extra attention.</p>
<p>By including a supplemental with irrelevant information, you’re making them scrutinize. It’s like paying by check in a long grocery line. How much further scrutiny does it take to start thinking “why does this a-hole feel the need to slow everything up?”? Answering a question no one asked just proves you can’t follow directions. </p>
<p>Along the same line of reasoning, why not include a certified copy of a driving record? Pictures of your dog? Obviously at some level of absurdity, there is harm in disclosing irrelevant information; you start to look neurotic. I’m just suggesting that the OP is at that line. I would still like to hear any suggestions as to how the OP should disclose the information while following the directions on the application.</p>
<p>But seriously, Blazer, why trust something you see as this important to a bunch of guess artists on the internet? Make a couple phone calls and see what the schools and bar officials say. There’s certianly no harm in that.</p>