Speeding ticket after I applied, before I received decisions

[missmouse]

Hi! I applied to all of my law schools in early October (2019) and just received a ticket this past weekend (November). I plan to plead guilty, so I am not convicted of any violation at this point. But Columbia, for example, in their Character and Fitness section says,

"Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, arrested, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, except minor parking violations, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding?"

So technically, I have been cited with the violation of a speeding law, correct? But this happened after I already applied, so all of my C+F questions are truthful. Do I have to send in an update telling them I received a ticket?

[James Finch]

Hi Miss Mouse,

Law schools will absolutely want to know that you've been cited for a speeding violation, and that you disclosed it to them. This is because they want to know any and all information that may lead to you failing a state bar's character and fitness test. Obviously a speeding ticket isn't going to disqualify you from practicing law (and police don't tend to ticket lawyers, especially if they may see them in court); what a law school or bar association wants to know is whether you're honest and willing to disclose this information. Deceit or dishonesty is a much bigger issue for them than a tendency to drive your car too fast.

What I'd recommend is for you to contact the deans of students of all the schools you've applied to and disclose this ticket and its current status in the courts along with your plan to plead guilty to it. They can then advise writing an addendum or whatever else they'll require; the key is that you appear forthright and get out in front of this, especially as it's recent. I had a similar issue where I'd had a couple of minor ticketable violations a few years prior; their records had already been expunged, and I hadn't even thought to include them, but asked about it at orientation and was told by the dean of students that they were absolutely something I needed to disclose. I ended up writing a short addendum during the orientation week and submitting it to the school, and never heard another word about it.

Good luck on your applications!

[missmouse]

Thank you, James! This seems like sound advice. Your help is much appreciated.