Character and Fitness Decision: A stressful time of year.

The Ohio Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness, are reviewing all Bar Applications for the July 2024 Ohio Bar Examination. The Board is tasked with determining whether each individual applicant “possesses the requisite current character and fitness” to be admitted to take the Ohio Bar Examination. It is the applicant’s burden of proof to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that the applicant possesses the requisite character, fitness and moral qualifications for admission to the State of Ohio.

After their decision, each applicant will receive a letter from the Secretary of the Board indicating the result of the Character and Fitness Review.

If you have been approved, congratulations, stop reading this and study for the Bar Examination.

If you were denied, unfortunately, you will not be taking the July 2024 Ohio Bar Examination.

So what’s next?

1. (Most Common) Your application may be subject to a Sua Sponte investigation, where the Board would appoint a Panel to hold a hearing, evaluating the facts and circumstances of the issues present in your Ohio Bar Application. You have the opportunity to obtain counsel, present evidence of your current character and fitness, and seek a recommendation of approval by the Panel members.
2. If you already had a hearing before an appointed panel of the Board of Commissioners, then your matter will be sent to the Ohio Supreme Court by the Board filing a Final Report. See Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio Rule 1, Section 14(F). The Ohio Supreme Court will then issue a Show Cause Order (why the report should not be confirmed and the recommendation of the Board not be adopted). You have 30 days to file objections to the findings or recommendations of the Board. A hearing will be held before the Ohio Supreme Court for their determination of whether you have the requisite current character and fitness as described through and evaluated from the Court’s precedent.

If you were denied, or your application is going through the Sua Sponte investigation, it is time to gather evidence for your presentation. Seeking counsel to assist in this can greatly relieve the stress of attempting to do this alone.

At Koblentz, Penvose & Froning, LLC, we have been representing Ohio Bar Applications in their quests to become licensed lawyers for a number of years. We have had great success working with our clients in presenting their application and individual circumstances wining approval by the Hearing Panel, and ultimately the Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness.

At a minimum, should you be facing a denial while seeking to be an Ohio licensed lawyer, call and have a conversation with a qualified attorney.