Legal advice needed

[H2Andy]

hehehhe

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Given the general reputation lawyers have, I'm still trying to figure out why the school cares
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[JackSpearo]

haha ber rabbit, imagine how lawyers would be if it didn't matter...you'd get some real bad liars out there...

and i honestly wouldn't mind if someone from the school saw this post, they would see how stressed and how confused i am...

and i interpret the "ever plead guilty to" as void because although technically I did, it was thrown out...so why should I admit it?

anyways, thanks for the advice, I'll own up...

 

[H2Andy]

Given the general reputation lawyers have, I'm still trying to figure out why the school cares
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Scuba Do]

two things pertaining to this situation

1. If you have ever been convicted of, pleaded guilty or no contest or otherwise admitted responsibility to, or conceded that a prosecuting authority had sufficient evidence to convict you of, any felony, misdemeanor, violation, or other offense.



the answer here being no...since my guilty plea wasn't accepted



and the 2nd

2. All juvenile offenses. If records have been expunged or sealed, we require proof of the order or petition to expunge or seal, unless the law of the state in which you were convicted forbids inquiries about this information or its use by parties other than the state



I thought this PJC automatically came off after 3 years and my record would be clean, however, I found out today that I would have to request it, which I have...to be dismissed...which it will be...secondly, I'm not sure if NC protects its minors...so I'm not sure on that one...

First: Did you lie? A lie is a knowing falsehood. Even if what you said was false, it was not a lie if you honestly believed it to be true at the time. This will turn on what specifically the question was. If it was "have you ever been convicted of a crime," you honestly believed you had not (and, see below, you were not so convicted)

Second: What is your criminal justice status? You have not been convicted of a crime as the court took under advisement your plea until a later date, and never did find you guilty. However, as you indicate above, the question you were asked was broader than whether you have been convicted. You have pled guilty or otherwise conceded that a prosecuting authority had sufficient evidence to convict you. Thus, if this is the question, you must answer yes.

Third: What significance is this to your future? None. As long as you tell the truth and your life otherwise indicates that you are now a mature, productive, and law abiding citizen, I would be stunned if any law school rejected your application because of this incident.

 

[JackSpearo]

scuba do, yea I see your point, and yes at the time, and still I believe I answered it right...good point Scuba do...

 

[dsteding]

2. All juvenile offenses. If records have been expunged or sealed, we require proof of the order or petition to expunge or seal, unless the law of the state in which you were convicted forbids inquiries about this information or its use by parties other than the state

In the back of my mind (law school applications were six years ago for me) this is what I was thinking about. I think most, if not all, law school applications have this question.

Full disclosure--however inane the offense was--to me is the best course of action. Once again, the application is a character test to a certain degree, they'd rather see an honest yes with a reasonable explanation then have some rotten easter egg turn up later on.

Good luck with your schooling. As a young attorney that is on a 16 day, many late night, billing spree, I may question your motives, but law school is actually quite fun.

In a twisted sort of way.

Enjoy your time there.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Once again, the application is a character test to a certain degree, they'd rather see an honest yes with a reasonable explanation then have some rotten easter egg turn up later on.

So basically they want to see how well you "weasel"

Admin: "But did he get out of it?"
Assistant: "Looks like he weaseled it down to a prayer something or other."
Admin: "Admit him but make him squirm, I like it when they squirm."

Bad rabbit, bad bad rabbit!

 

[lazyturtle]

Check your records, which can be obtained from the city police departments. If theres no record of you being convicted of a crime don't mention it. If the connviction was before you were 18 it should not appear either.
Basically if its not on the reccord it never happened.

 

[Rick Murchison]

good eye Rick, but you gotta think of all the possibilities...Typically people apply to more than one law school...

but thanks for trying to make me look crazy/stupid/incompetent

;-)

What you are doing is called "sea lawyering."
It is not impressive, nor does it make you appear trustworthy, or smart, or cute, and it is especially void of wisdom.
Adults are much more forgiving of "Yes. When I was 17 I threw an egg at a car and plead guilty" than to 4 pages of clever weaseling around the issue, and who said what and why it ought to be thus and so. Once you've made the simple statement of fact, all the other stuff becomes ... inconsequential, and not worth anyone's time.
I am just the kind of guy who sits on admission boards; I am not impressed with what you're doing here.
Take it or leave it.
Rick
P.S. This is an entirely different animal than dealing with a government bureaucrat, where you do need to be skilled at things other than brevity and honesty. "Spin," I think they call it.