Teenage Offenses No Bar To Bar Admission

The Louisiana Supreme Court has admitted an applicant notwithstanding a criminal record and concerns about the disclosure of those incidents in the law school admission process.

Following the proceedings, the commissioner filed his report with this court, recommending petitioner be admitted to the practice of law. The commissioner noted that petitioner’s criminal offenses were committed from 2005 to 2008, when he was a teenager. No similar occurrences appear in his history since that time. Further, regarding petitioner’s failure to disclose his criminal history on his law school application in response to a question seeking disclosure of offenses resolved through deferred adjudication, the commissioner found that petitioner’s explanation for the omission was credible, resulting from his lack of understanding of the law governing dismissal of his charges.

The Committee filed an objection to the commissioner’s recommendation, and oral argument was conducted before this court pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XVII, § 9(D)(11).

Considering the commissioner’s recommendation and the entire record of this proceeding, we conclude petitioner is eligible to be admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana.

No conditions are attached.

Good result. (Mike Frisch)