§805-A. Qualifications for admission to practice

1.  Certificate of qualification; admission.  Any person who produces a certificate of qualification from the board recommending his admission to the bar may be admitted to practice as an attorney in the courts of this State on motion in open court. No person may be denied the opportunity to qualify for admission because of race, creed, color, national origin or sex.

[PL 1985, c. 124, §6 (NEW).]

2.  Issuance of certificate of qualification.  A board of bar examiners shall issue a certificate of qualification stating that the applicant is a person of good moral character and possesses sufficient learning in the law to practice as an attorney in the courts of this State to each applicant who:

A. Produces satisfactory evidence of good moral character.

(1) The fact that an applicant has been convicted as an adult of a crime that is punishable by imprisonment of one year or more in this State or in another state or jurisdiction of the United States raises a presumption that the applicant has not met this requirement. This presumption may be rebutted by proof that a lawful pardon has been obtained, that extraordinary circumstances surrounded the commission of the crime or that a reasonable amount of time has passed since the applicant's conviction and completion of sentence and there is evidence of complete rehabilitation based on the applicant's subsequent history.

(2) Nothing in subparagraph (1) precludes the board or the Supreme Judicial Court from considering a conviction as a basis for disqualification under this paragraph;   [PL 1993, c. 643, §1 (AMD).]

B. Attains the passing grades established by the board on those examinations required by the board; and   [PL 1985, c. 124, §6 (NEW).]

C. Establishes that he attended and observed any legal proceedings required by the board.   [PL 1985, c. 124, §6 (NEW).]

[PL 1993, c. 643, §1 (AMD).]

3.  Admission within one year of passing bar examination.  The applicant must be admitted to practice within one year from the time that he has been notified of his passing of the bar examination. This one-year period may be enlarged by successive one-year periods by a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court on motion for good cause shown during the period.

[PL 1985, c. 124, §6 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1985, c. 124, §6 (NEW). PL 1987, c. 395, §A14 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 643, §1 (AMD).