You may request a refund within 60 days of your purchase as long as the course has not been accessed. Refunds for courses with technical issues will be prioritized. Processing may take up to 90 days. Credit card fees are nonrefundable. 

Please contact our support team via email at elearning@calbar.ca.gov. Please note, response times may take up to 48 hours. 

The Fresh Start Settlement Program is the State Bar’s Offer and Compromise Program authorized by State Bar Rule 3.1000. It is a one-year program enabling the State Bar to allow current and former licensees to settle certain outstanding debt consisting of discipline costs, client security fund reimbursement, and monetary sanctions accrued prior to January 1, 2025 for less than the amount owed. The Board of Trustees determined there is good cause for this program to enhance repayment rates while mitigating the severe consequences of debt for current and former licensees. Eligible debt will be confidentiality listed within the Fresh Start Settlement Program Platform.

You will be required to enter into a Settlement and Release of Claims Agreement with the State Bar and pay the full settlement amount either immediately in one lump sum or in installments by December 31, 2025. The State Bar will thereafter consider the eligible debt as itemized in the Fresh Start Settlement Program Platform paid in full for all purposes, including for purposes of return to active status or reinstatement to the practice of law. The State Bar will make no further effort to collect on the debt, including but not limited to, referral of debt to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), credit reporting agencies, entry of a Superior Court money judgment, our pursing other legal action.

Disbarred, resigned, not-eligible, active, and inactive licensees with outstanding debt owed to the State Bar.

The types of eligible debt included in the Fresh Start Settlement Program are debt accrued prior to January 1, 2025, as follows:

• Disciplinary Costs awarded against you pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 6086.10, subsection (a). These are costs ordered by the State Bar Court or Supreme Court of California.
• Monetary Sanctions awarded against you pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 6086.13, subsection (a). These are costs ordered by the State Bar Court or Supreme Court of California.
• Client Security Fund (CSF) reimbursement, including interest and processing costs, owed by you pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 6140.5, subsection (c). 
• Superior Court money judgments entered on any of the above debt.

Current and former State Bar licensees will be invited to participate in stages to ensure a smooth process. You will receive an invitation via mail and email when you are eligible. Please wait for your individualized invitation via mail and email for the website link and log-in instructions.  Former licensees and suspended licensees or licensees not otherwise eligible to practice law (as of January 1, 2025) will be notified by the end of March 2025. 

Licensees on active and voluntary inactive status (as of January 1, 2025) will be invited in May to have the opportunity to settle discipline costs, monetary sanctions and/or CSF reimbursements due with their annual fee renewals in 2026 and beyond. Any portion of the abovementioned debt due with your 2025 renewal fees, or otherwise due in 2025, must be paid in full in 2025, in alignment with the State Bar’s Schedule of Charges and Deadlines, as a condition of continued practice. This program does not include any other type of debt owed to the State Bar, included but not limited to, past due license fees, CTAPP and/or MCLE non-compliance penalties.

The State Bar is using eConciliador to administer the Program. eConciliador is a secure online platform that helps settle claims efficiently and quickly.

Your participation in this program is voluntary to resolve the debt that is owed to the State Bar. If you choose not to take advantage of the Fresh Start Settlement Program, the State Bar reserves all rights to pursue, or continue to pursue, any and all available legal remedies to recover the total owed debt, including without limitation reporting the debt to FTB, credit reporting agencies, entry of a Superior Court money judgment and/or pursuing legal actions. 

If you were an active or voluntarily inactive licensee as of January 1, 2025 and do not participate in the Fresh Start Settlement Program, or are not able to reach a settlement, you are required to pay your outstanding discipline costs, monetary sanctions and/or Client Security Fund reimbursements as originally ordered by the Supreme Court of California, State Bar Court and/or the Client Security Fund. If you were granted an extension of time to pay costs, your extension order will still be valid.

You will be sent a letter and an email, which will include the website link and your login details (your State Bar Number and a personal PIN). After logging in, you can create your own password or continue using the provided PIN.