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Read the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness Guidelines

Refer to the Admission on Motion Certification Application Checklist and gather all information prior to completing your online application. The application must be complete at the time of submission. A status update will be provided once the initial processing is complete.

Read all the following instructions carefully before proceeding.

Disclosure:

The Committee expects you to spend the time necessary to provide accurate and complete answers. You are required to swear/affirm before a notary public that this document is true and complete in all respects, and you will be held in strict compliance with the declaration.

The Committee is required by Supreme Court Rule to assess your diligence. You must complete the research necessary to answer each question. Failure to strictly comply with the requirements of the Application will reflect negatively upon you, and will result in substantial delay to, or potential denial of, your admission to the practice of law.

In accordance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, an applicant for admission shall not (a) knowingly make a false statement of material fact; or (b) fail to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known by the person to have arisen in the matter, or knowingly fail to respond to a lawful demand for information from an admissions or disciplinary authority.

Pursuant to Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. 37(d)(2), applicants for admission based on transfer of uniform bar examination score shall not receive a refund of the application fee for any reason, including denial of admission, withdrawal of the application, or failure to pursue admission after application, regardless of the date the applicant notifies the Committee. Credit for the fees paid by an applicant who withdraws or fails to pursue admission after application will be applied to any application made by the applicant for two (2) years from the date of the original application.

Pursuant to Ariz. R. Sup. C1. 34(g)(3), an applicant may request that the Committee perform an initial review of their application to determine whether the applicant meets the active practice requirement. The request must be received prior to the Committee commencing its investigation. Upon applicant's written request, the Committee shall determine whether applicant meets the active practice requirement, and provide the applicant with a written determination. If the applicant fails to meet the active practice requirement, the Committee shall refund that portion of the application fee as determined by the Court. An applicant who is compliant with Ariz. R Sup. Ct. 34(g)(3) but fails to meet the active practice requirement will be refunded $1,300.

Course on Arizona Law and Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination: An investigation is considered to be open and ongoing until at least such time that applicant completes the required Course on Arizona Law and submits proof of a passing score on the MPRE as established in this jurisdiction. Both are required before the Committee on Character and Fitness is able to make a final determination regarding admission.

The Committee participates in the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ national databank which cross-checks applicants to determine if they have filed applications in other jurisdictions.

The Committee independently obtains and reviews credit reports concerning all applicants.

The provision of your social security number is voluntary, pursuant to the Federal Privacy Act of 1974. However, provision of your social security number assists in expediting the character review process. Your social security number will be used for purposes of investigation and verification, to avoid errors of identity which might cause issues and delays in the certification and licensure process. You must notify us in writing, received within five business days of your electronic submission, if you wish to restrict the use of your social security number.

Requirements:

All applicants must compete and provide evidence as required. The Supreme Court has deemed each one of the criteria as required. Submission of application without these requirements will result in forfeiture of application fee and denial of certification.

• Applicant is admitted by bar examination to practice law in a jurisdiction allowing for admission of licensed Arizona lawyers on a basis equivalent to Arizona Supreme Court Rule 34(f) and primarily engaged in the active practice of law in one or more states(s) territories or the District of Columbia for three of the five years immediately preceding the date upon which the application was filed OR applicant is admitted by bar examination to practice law in another jurisdiction that does not allow for admission of Arizona lawyers on a basis of equivalent to Arizona Supreme Court Rule 34(f) and thereafter were admitted to and primarily engaged in the active practice of law in another jurisdiction allowing admission of Arizona lawyers on a basis equivalent for three of the five years immediately preceding the date upon which the application is filed.
• Applicant holds a Juris Doctorate degree from a law school approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association at the time of graduation.
• Applicant is currently a member in good standing or resigned in good standing all jurisdictions where admitted.
• Applicant is not currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject of a pending disciplinary matter in any jurisdiction.
• Applicant has not previously been admitted to the practice of law in Arizona.
• Applicant possesses the character and fitness to practice law in this jurisdiction.
• Applicant will submit proof of a passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination as established in this jurisdiction.
• Applicant will submit evidence of successful completion of the course on Arizona law described in Rule 34(j).

Documentation Requirements:

The following information must be provided to Attorney Admissions in order to complete timely processing of your application. Within the online application you will be instructed to upload documents. Do so using the Upload Documents section on your user account.

• Notarized and signed Declaration
• Notarized and signed Authorization and Release
• Evidence of admission by bar examination to a jurisdiction which admits Arizona lawyers on the basis equivalent to Arizona Supreme Court Rule 34(f)
• Certificates of good standing, including disciplinary history, from each jurisdiction admitted, clearly stating current good standing, dated no earlier than 60 days prior to submission of application.
  Note: Applicants currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject of a pending disciplinary matter in any jurisdiction are not eligible for admission. Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. 34(f)(1)(E).
• Certified driving history from every state in which a driver's license has been held for the past ten years to current, for the longest period of time offered by the jurisdiction and cannot be an uncertified copy from a third-party vendor.
• Photo - A full color passport quality photo of you only; head, neck and shoulders, no hat, hoodie or other item obstructing your head or face. Please review the Arizona Photo Upload Requirements in the FAQs.
• Evidence of passing MPRE score as established in this jurisdiction (if not forwarded by NCBE).
• Completed fingerprint card - THIS IS THE ONLY DOCUMENT TO BE MAILED TO OUR OFFICE. The standard FBI blue and white fingerprint card, on heavy stock, is available from Attorney Admissions by emailing a request, along with your current mailing address to attorneyadmissions@courts.az.gov. Please put "Fingerprint Card Request" in the subject line of your email. Live-scan or ink prints must be affixed to the card. The completed fingerprint card must be mailed so that it arrives within 5 days of your application submission to ensure timely processing. Do not mail the completed fingerprint card until you have submitted and paid for your bar admissions application.
  

• Mail completed fingerprint card to:
• Arizona Supreme Court
• Attorney Admissions
• 1501 West Washington Street, Suite 104
• Phoenix, AZ 85007

Additional Information Requests and Updates:

During the investigation, you may be asked for additional information or clarification. If this is necessary, the investigation may be significantly prolonged. If you do not respond within thirty days, the investigation will be abandoned until your written response is received.

All documents must be uploaded to your online application at the time of filing. Any additional documents needed will be uploaded as additional documentation. Documents received on behalf of individuals who have no pending application will be returned.

Timing:

There is no precise time period for processing any file, as every applicant’s background is unique. The investigation (post certification) will take a minimum of four months, followed by file assessment by members of the Committee.

Avoid Common Errors:

Failure to heed the instructions and exact requirements will result in delays in the investigation.

1. Read every question thoroughly and answer it completely.
2. Provide complete and current addresses for all individuals and entities listed.
3. Where required by the question, provide information in chronological order by start date.
4. Personal and legal references may not be listed in any other part of your application.
5. Provide all documents required by the application. If an official agency (for example law enforcement, court, regulatory board, etc.) advises you that the required documents are not available, you must obtain an official written notice from them that specifically states the documents are unavailable and the reason(s) why (for example, the documents are purged after a given number of years).
6. Do not submit an application that is incomplete in any respect and expect to amend it at a later date. The application must be complete at the time of submission.

If there are matters pending at the time you submit your application (for example, a civil matter), you may submit the application and provide updates as they occur.

Tips:

Employment history: If you require assistance to reconstruct your employment history, you may contact the Social Security Administration (telephone 800-772-1213; website ssa.gov) for a report of your earnings history. You may then contact employers listed for the information required.

Previous employer is out of business: You must provide a verifying reference who can affirm that employment.

Self-employment: You must provide a verifying reference who can affirm that employment.

Traffic Citations: Not all traffic citations will appear on your driving record(s). It is your responsibility to contact local or regional law enforcement to obtain information about citations.

References: Select personal and legal references that are willing to provide information to the Committee, and will do so in a timely manner.