In Re: Committee on Bar Admissions Cfn 852981 ( 2017 )

Supreme Court of Louisiana
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE #062
FROM: CLERK OF SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
The Opinions handed down on the 14th day of December, 2017, are as follows:
PER CURIAM:
2017-BA-0065 IN RE: COMMITTEE ON BAR ADMISSIONS CFN 852981
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.
ADMISSION GRANTED.
12/14/17
SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
NO. 2017-BA-0065
IN RE: COMMITTEE ON BAR ADMISSIONS CFN-852981
BAR ADMISSIONS PROCEEDING
PER CURIAM
Petitioner successfully passed the Louisiana Bar Examination. However, the
Committee on Bar Admissions (“Committee”) advised petitioner that it was unable
to certify him for admission to the bar on character and fitness grounds. Specifically,
the Committee cited petitioner’s record of criminal offenses, as well as his failure to
fully disclose his criminal history when he applied to law school.
Petitioner then applied to this court for admission to the practice of law. We
remanded the matter to the Committee on Bar Admissions Panel on Character and
Fitness to conduct an investigation and appointed a commissioner to take character
and fitness evidence.
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.
ADMISSION GRANTED.
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