If you have been disciplined for academic misconduct in the past, no matter the circumstance, you must reveal this to the Florida Board of Bar Examiners when applying to the Florida Bar. You are offered the space for a Complete Statement of the Circumstances. Take this as an opportunity to provide an honest and detailed account of the situation, explain why it happened, and how you are a changed person and made up for this indiscretion. In this blog, we will show you what not to do with this space as well as what to do with it to have the best possible outcome. 

What Is a Complete Statement?

One definition of “complete” is “having all the necessary or appropriate parts”

Everybody’s interpretation of having a statement with all the necessary or appropriate parts varies. However many applicants make errors that result in their statements being incomplete in their Bar applications.

Where to Begin: Florida Bar Exam Questions Regarding Past Academic Misconduct

Before drafting your explanation, gather all the paperwork associated with the educational institution discipline incident. Carefully review that paperwork and then use that information when describing the

event.

Examples of What NOT to Say in the “Complete Statement of the Circumstances” on Your Bar Application – Questions Regarding Past Academic Misconduct and Discipline

The following are examples of “complete statements” from Bar applications submitted to the Florida Board of Bar Examiners without prior review by an attorney. They are an example of what NOT to say. They’ve been edited to remove any information that would make the identity of the applicant known.

• “I was reprimanded for “cheating” as defined by the Honor Code. I used a paper from a previous student and received outside help on an ungraded assignment in my writing class.”

If you’re going to reference the honor code, you need to include it – i.e. “…as defined by the Honor Code which states (insert definition of cheating from Honor Code).”

Then you need to describe exactly what you did that constituted cheating in detail. What was the class and what was the assignment? How did you get the other student’s paper in the first place? Did you pay the student or exchange anything in return for the paper? Did the student know that you were going to use the paper as your own? Did you represent the whole paper as your own or did you use parts of it? It looks like there was a paper plus outside help, so what was the outside help you received? From whom did you receive help? You get the idea.

• “At the time I had a lot going on in my personal life and instead of dropping the class and taking it at another time, I accepted outside help from another when it was prohibited in the course.”

The overall explanation of “why?” is good, but it lacks important details. Did you go to the professor and ask for an extension before resorting to cheating? Why didn’t you drop the class instead of cheating? Regarding whatever was going on in your personal life, is it something that could happen again? If yes, it might affect your clients and/or your ability to practice law with reasonable safety to the public, assuming you’re admitted to the Florida Bar. Also, if it’s a time management issue, describe what you’ve done to improve your time management skills to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

• “The school later found out about it and I did not deny the allegations. I was suspended for a term.”

How did the school find out? At what time did they find out, in relation to you submitting the paper as your own? Did the professor tell them? Did the professor talk with you first? Who was/were the person(s) who talked with you? Did you have to go before an honor board or any other disciplinary panel? If not, why? If yes, what was the proceeding and what was the outcome? Did you accept accountability and apologize? If not, why? Was/were there any other sanction(s) offered other than suspension? Did you have any terms you needed to complete during the suspension? How did you get back into good standing?

What to Say on Your Florida Bar Application Regarding Past Academic Misconduct and Discipline

First of all, be honest and forthright. Do NOT consider that the Florida Board of Bar Examiners WON’T find out about the incident. The Florida Bar Character and Fitness Background Investigation is incredibly thorough. Offer all pertinent details. (The examples above shed a lot of light on exactly what to include.) Explain how you were accountable, got back into good standing, or how you are different now than when the incident happened. 

Conclusion

We hope you have a clearer picture of what not to say AND what to say on your Florida Bar application regarding past academic misconduct. If you still need clarity on this section of the bar application you can contact Elizabeth S. Conan, Attorney At Law, with questions regarding your own complete statements about past academic misconduct and educational institution discipline.

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