To be certified to the Supreme Court for admission and a license to practice law, a person who has not been admitted to practice law in a sister state, United States jurisdiction, possession, territory, or dependency or in a foreign country shall:
(a) . . .
(b) (1) Be of good moral character.
Section 6062(a) of the Business and Professions Code states:
(a) To be certified to the Supreme Court for admission, and a license to practice law, a person who has been admitted to practice law in a sister state, United States jurisdiction, possession, territory, or dependency the United States may hereafter acquire shall:
(1) . . .
(2) Be of good moral character.
A moral character determination is also required for applicants for the Multijurisdictional Practice program (Registered In-House Counsel (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.46(c)(2)); Registered Legal Aid Attorney (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.45(c)(2)); and Registered Military Spouse Attorney (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.41.1(c)(4)) and for the Registered Foreign Legal Consultant program (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.44(c)(2)), referred to as “special admissions.”
Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 4, Rule 4.40 of the Rules of the State Bar of California (Admissions Rules) states
(A) An applicant must be of good moral character as determined by the State Bar. The applicant has the burden of establishing that he or she is of good moral character.
(B) “Good moral character” includes but is not limited to qualities of honesty, fairness, candor, trustworthiness, observance of fiduciary responsibility, respect for and obedience to the law, and respect for the rights of others and the judicial process.
Rule 4.41(A) of the Admissions Rules states with respect to an Application for Determination of Moral Character:
An attorney who is suspended for disciplinary reasons or disbarred, has resigned with disciplinary charges pending or is otherwise not in good standing for disciplinary reasons in any jurisdiction may not submit an application.