Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Bar Loves Me!

Okay, maybe they don't love me. But they certainly must like me!

Well... I suppose the least I can say is that they don't think I'm of questionable moral character. Again.

I just received notice that my moral character application renewal was approved.

Yay.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome news, GP!
Saving time and money is always a nice surprise!

~Weezy

Anonymous said...

Hi. I havn't started the process yet. Do I simply fill out the app and pay the fee, or do I have to get my own DOJ, DMV, Credit reports and submit? I want this to be as painless as possible. Any tips before I get started? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if that's an indication you passed the exam. I know the deadline for moral character apps to be approved was May 1st for those who pass the exam and want to be sworn in in June. Do you think they coordinate, or don't the moral character people even know who passed the bar exam? Either way, I'm screwed - mine hasn't been approved yet and I'm waiting for results from this past exam.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:49. It's all laid out on the Cal Bar web site. You better get on it. CA has been taking a solid 6 months to get the moral character stuff done over the last year or so. My graduating class had 47 people and each of us got our's back just a few days under 6 months. It STINKS to have passed the test but have to wait on the swearing in until you get it back. Better get cracking now in hopes of good results.

The Grand Poobah said...

Weezy: I'm hoping for the ultimate money saver: passing the exam so I don't have to pay for it again!

Anon 8:49: Download the application and give them the info they're looking for. You only have to provide your fingerprints. Everything else is fill-in-the-blank type of stuff.

Anon 2:24: No, unfortunately the only thing it indicates is that I've "been found to possess the good moral character required for certification to practice law in California." There are a number of things we have to do to qualify to practice law in CA, and this is just one. And it's not related to any of the other things. And this was my renewal. My initial application, submitted back in September 2006, took seven months to process. One of my friends waited eleven months for approval and another friend got his back in about three months. Both were old guys, like me, with a lot of history to sift through. Don't worry.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all comments above - do it soon! I have a friend who found out he passed in November but then had to wait until the following May to get sworn.

Anonymous said...

question on the moral app extension. Once they approve your moral app, how long is it good for until you have to apply again? I read "An
extension application must be filed by an applicant no sooner than every 18 months and no later than every 24 months
after an initial determination of good moral character has been made by the Committee" so I assumed it was good for 1.5 years??? Is that correct?

Emily said...

The extension is good for 3 years, according to my letter of approval/determination. The initial was good for 2 years from the determination date. Clearly, this is another money making scheme to the detriment of repeat takers of the bar exam.

kris said...

In England, one has to get a fresh Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check plus the usual undertakings re not being bankrupt or the subject of any outstanding judgments.

Once we get in, we have to stay vigliant to keep it.

5 days to go. Maybe the longest week? Hang in there and best of luck!

Anonymous said...

submitted my MQ application around last Thanksgiving and two months ago received a letter that requested a credit report. Then I got a letter which said that they have completed the initial review. Any idea what that means? How much longer would you guys guess?

Anonymous said...

Credit report? Hmmm. Never heard of that. They didn't ask me for mine. Does the letter re: the completion of the initial review say something like it's been completed and has been assigned to a reviewer? I remember getting one letter that said they'd received all the docs with the proper info, the livescan, etc. and that they were assigning it to a reviewer, but then I didn't get any correspondence from them until I got my "you're morally sound" determination in the mail.

pimm said...

I'm officially starting to have a meltdown! This will be my first time getting bar exam results-hopefully the only time, but today I really started getting nervous. I am a zen, look at the big picture kind of person, or at least I'd like to think so, but it looks like I will not escape the roller coaster ride that most people take this week. Sorry to hijack the thread - but I had to tell someone!

Anonymous said...

yeah a credit report. I've been licensed (in another state) for pert near twenty years and fortunately have never had as much as a thirty day late ever, but I found request that a bit weird. Se la vie. Still have not heard back and we just over six months. Anxious to go back to work. Hope all of us are elated Friday night.

AF said...

Pimm -- I understand the nervousness. I am waiting for bar results for the second time. I actually think I failed again, so I have decided not to check on Friday. I shredded all my documentation over the weekend. I did write it down in case there is some sort of issue, but I have it at the office and will leave it on Friday. Some friends invited my boyfriend and me for dinner on Friday night that starts promptly at 6 pm, so I won't even be at home to think about it. Basically, I found the logon to be so anxiety-provoking last time that I simply don't have the stomach to do it again. I find the idea of finding the results in the mail the next day or a few days later much more bearable than the nerve wracking message on the internet. Anyone else not actually checking online and waiting for results in the mail?

Anonymous said...

I wish I didn't have to check either. I made the mistake of telling my friends and family that I was taking it a second time. Throughout studying and actual bar exam, I feel it's unnecessary pressure that I "have" to pass. If I don't pass this time, I will not tell anyone except for my wife.

What makes it worse is that I have a graduation party of a best friend on Sunday to go to. There will be about 30 of my closest friends and family there.

Ugh, I hate this.

Anonymous said...

how are you not going to tell anyone the result if you've already told people you sat for the exam? sorry to burst your bubble, but they're going to ask you if you passed or not. it's hard to tell people you failed, but like a lot of things in life, it's better to face it earlier rather than putting it off. of course, that's just my opinion. fyi, i thought i was going to have to tell people i failed for the fourth time, but somehow i passed in july.

Anonymous said...

I think he or she means the next time. If he or she doesn't pass this Friday, then he won't tell people he will take the July one. That's what I think he or she means.

Anonymous said...

Positive thinking is key!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
conbrio said...

Hey Poobah - good luck on Friday! Sending you lots of good vibes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!

Anonymous said...

I wish everyone who waiting for Bar results the absolute best. I passed the July 2008 exam and that exam was easy in comparison to the Feb 09 exam. I do not know if I could have answered the Civil Procedure and Corporations questions.

I hope that when I visit this site on Friday, I can say congratulations to everyone who passed the most difficult bar exam in the country.

Anonymous said...

I passed the July 08 exam and I didn't check until Sunday--when the results were public and I got an email congratulating me. I was on Tx holiday and couldn't stomach the idea of failing so I didn't check. Nothing wrong with that. Check or don't check--eventually you will. Nothing wrong with waiting till YOU'RE ready to check--after all, you are the one who sat for the exam--not your family or friends.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with checking later. This is my 7th time taking this exam, and I'm sick of seeing the message on Friday night saying that this name does NOT appear on the pass list.

I think it takes a lot of pressure off to check on Saturday or Sunday when you know it is available and are ready for the results. Good luck everyone, I hope we all do it. I'm rooting for you Poobah, I feel change in the air, 2009!

Anonymous said...

i also got a letter saying my moral character application needed to be turned in by may 1st deadline. whats up with that? anybody else get that letter?

Anonymous said...

February 2009
General Bar Examination
Repeaters
32.3% Passed