Can I view my application in the Applicant Port after I have submitted it?
No. However, you will receive a courtesy copy of your application via email for your records.
After an application has been submitted, you will not be able to access the application or make any edits to it in the Applicant Portal. You should submit updates or amendments by posting the information to your moral character case feed.
Can I request a copy of my application?
Yes. A copy of your moral character application can be requested by submitting a Service Request Form with the applicable fee as a General Request in the Applicant Portal. Please allow approximately 30−45 days to process the request.
How do I upload my Live Scan Form after I submit my application?
Post the completed Live Scan Form to your moral character case feed. Do not submit the Live Scan Form as a General Request or as a Fingerprint Request, or there may be a delay in processing.
Will I receive immediate confirmation that the document or comment I posted to my moral character application was received?
No. However, you can view the documents you have successfully uploaded to your case in the Applicant Portal. You will receive confirmation once staff reviews the information.
I am confused as to when it is appropriate to submit a General Request. When should I submit a General Request?
You may submit a General Request to ask questions that are not related to your moral character application, request FD-258 fingerprint cards, or request assistance with the application prior to submission. General Requests are answered in the order received, and there may be a delay before the General Request is addressed as the volume of requests varies.
My application is in drafted status, and I am experiencing technical issues. What is the best way to resolve the issue?
Please call 415-538-2450 and ask to speak with the moral character Person of the Day. Please be prepared to email a screenshot if the issue cannot be resolved over the phone. Some issues may take more time to resolve if technical assistance is necessary.
What happens if I am given an adverse moral character determination?
The notice of the adverse determination will provide you with the date on which you may submit a new Application for Determination of Moral Character. You are encouraged to engage in affirmative rehabilitative activities during the period you must wait to reapply.
Alternatively, you may choose to request administrative review by the Committee of Bar Examiners. If you request review by the Committee, the date on which you will be eligible to reapply may change, as it will be determined by the Committee in the event it issues an adverse determination.
What are the possible outcomes once I submit a request for administrative review?
The Committee of Bar Examiners will review your request and your application. The Committee may take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to granting you a positive determination, requesting more information, extending an offer of abeyance, or rendering an adverse determination.
If the Committee declines to grant you a positive determination, it will decide how long you must wait before you may submit a new Application for Determination of Moral Character, which could be the same or different from the time that was set by State Bar staff when it made the initial determination, and will be calculated from the date of the Committee’s determination.
Can I have an extension to submit a request for administrative review?
No. The State Bar is unable to extend the period to request administrative review. The Committee will decide whether to accept an untimely request for administrative review.
If I reported an incident of sexual assault or sexual harassment to an educational institution (undergraduate, graduate, or law school), do I have to disclose the matter on my moral character application as a civil action or administrative proceeding to which I was a party?
No. An applicant who reported an incident of sexual assault or sexual harassment to an educational institution is not required to disclose the incident on the moral character application as a civil action or administrative proceeding to which the applicant was a party.
However, if a complaint was filed against you and you were formally or informally dropped, suspended, warned, placed on disciplinary probation, expelled, or requested to resign or allowed to resign in lieu of discipline from the educational institution, you must disclose this information on the moral character application in response to the question about scholastic discipline.
