Rule I. Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar

Rules Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar

Rule I.

Registration of Intent to Apply for Admission to the Alabama State Bar.

A. Registration of Law Students and Others Seeking Admission to the

Alabama State Bar. Every person seeking to apply for admission to the Alabama State

Bar shall, within 60 days following the commencement of the study of law in any law

school, register with the Secretary ("the Secretary") of the Board of Commissioners of the

Alabama State Bar ("the Board" or "the Board of Commissioners") by completing and filing

the online registration application and such other papers as may from time to time be

reasonably required by the Board. No fee shall be required if the registration application

is filed within the first 60 days following the commencement of the study of law. If, however,

the registration application is filed after 60 days, such application shall be accompanied

by an appropriate fee of:

(1) $50.00 if filed after 60 days but on or before the 180th day;

(2) $100.00 if filed after 180 days but on or before the 390th day

(3) $250.00 if filed after 390 days.

The deadline date for filing the registration application shall be determined using

the official date for the commencement of study announced by the registrant's law school.

The registrant shall be responsible for submitting, as a part of the registration application,

certified verification of that date upon the form supplied by the Board. Any fee required

with a registration application filed pursuant to this rule shall be nonrefundable.

B. Committee on Character and Fitness. The Committee on Character and

Fitness ("the Committee") (see Rule V) shall promptly conduct an initial review of the

registration application for matters bearing on the registrant's character and fitness,

including, but not limited to, alcohol or drug addiction or abuse, criminal history, financial

responsibility, and mental-health issues

nrefundable.

B. Committee on Character and Fitness. The Committee on Character and

Fitness ("the Committee") (see Rule V) shall promptly conduct an initial review of the

registration application for matters bearing on the registrant's character and fitness,

including, but not limited to, alcohol or drug addiction or abuse, criminal history, financial

responsibility, and mental-health issues. Thereafter, the Committee shall conduct an

investigation or otherwise inquire into and determine the qualifications, character, and

fitness of every registrant who applies for admission to practice law in the State of

Alabama and may request the personal appearance of any registrant at such reasonable

time and place as the Committee may prescribe.

If the Committee, during the course of an investigation of the registrant, concludes

that a complete set of his or her fingerprints would be of substantial assistance in the

investigation, the Committee may direct the registrant to submit a complete set of his or

her fingerprints. The failure of the registrant to submit, upon request, a complete set of

his or her fingerprints, to fully and accurately comply with any reasonable request to

produce documents or to appear personally before the Committee, or to fully and

accurately provide such other information as reasonably may be requested by the

Committee shall be a sufficient ground to deny approval of the registration.

If the Committee is reasonably satisfied that the registrant possesses good moral

character, has completed the prelegal education required by these Rules (see Rule IV.A

and B), and is fit to practice law in the State of Alabama in all other respects, it shall

approve the registration, and the Secretary shall thereupon issue to the registrant a

certificate of registration and cause a record thereof to be kept in the Secretary's

office

hat the registrant possesses good moral

character, has completed the prelegal education required by these Rules (see Rule IV.A

and B), and is fit to practice law in the State of Alabama in all other respects, it shall

approve the registration, and the Secretary shall thereupon issue to the registrant a

certificate of registration and cause a record thereof to be kept in the Secretary's

office. If the registrant is found deficient in any of the aforementioned qualifications, the

certificate of registration shall not be issued until and unless the Committee is satisfied

that the registrant has overcome the deficiency.

A majority of the Committee may at any time and place, if in meeting assembled,

act for the Committee, with the power of examination herein granted the Committee,

regardless of when the registration application was filed with the Secretary.

In cases where a registrant does not file the registration application within 390 days

following the commencement of the study of law and the degree of investigation required

makes immediate review or resolution of the registration impractical, the Committee may

in its discretion defer its review and investigation of the registration to allow a reasonable

opportunity to thoroughly investigate the registrant's character and fitness.

From a ruling of the Committee declining to approve the application for registration,

an appeal shall lie to the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar (which, when acting

in such capacity, shall be referred to as the "Character and Fitness Appeal Board"), if

notice of appeal is filed with the Secretary and a copy of the notice is also filed with the

Disciplinary Clerk of the Alabama State Bar within 30 days after the applicant has been

notified of the action of the Committee. Such appeal shall be heard, de novo, within 30

days after the filing of the notice of appeal or at such time as agreed upon by stipulation

between the appellant and the General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar.

C

ary and a copy of the notice is also filed with the

Disciplinary Clerk of the Alabama State Bar within 30 days after the applicant has been

notified of the action of the Committee. Such appeal shall be heard, de novo, within 30

days after the filing of the notice of appeal or at such time as agreed upon by stipulation

between the appellant and the General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar.

C. Registration Not an Application for Admission. The registration

application filed by a registrant shall not be deemed an application for admission to the

Alabama State Bar.

[Amended eff. 8-8-2008; Amended eff. 1-11-2013; Amended eff. 1-19-2017.]

Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule I, Rules

Governing Admission to the Alabama State Bar, effective August 8, 2008, is published in

that volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from 993 So.2d.

Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending the Rules Governing

Admission to the Alabama State Bar is published in that volume of Alabama Reporter that

contains Alabama cases from 104 So. 3d.

Note from the reporter of decisions: The order amending Rule I, Rule II, Rule

III, Rule V, Rule VI(B), and Appendix, effective January 19, 2017, is published in that

volume of Alabama Reporter that contains Alabama cases from ___ So. 3d.