Supreme Court Rules - Rule 8 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Admission to the Bar: Application for Character and Fitness Report

Clerk Handbooks

Supreme Court Rules

		Section/Rule:	8.05
Subject:	Rule 8 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Admission to the Bar	Publication / Adopted Date:	February 1, 1972
Topic:	Application for Character and Fitness Report	Revised / Effective Date:	September 1, 2023

8.05 Application for Character and Fitness Report

(a) Every applicant for admission under Rule 8.07, Rule 8.09, Rule 8.10, Rule 8.105, or Rule 8.106 shall file with the clerk of this Court a written application for character and fitness report in the form prescribed by the board. Applicants shall pay to the clerk of this Court the prescribed non-refundable fee.

(b) Except as provided in Rules 8.05(c) and 8.05(d), the application for character and fitness report shall be filed concurrently with the application for admission under Rule 8.07, Rule 8.09, Rule 8.105, or Rule 8.106.

(c) Law students intending to apply for admission in Missouri upon graduation from law school may file an application for character and fitness report upon commencing the study of law in a juris doctorate program at a law school approved by the American Bar Association but prior to the student’s last year of law school. Law students in their last year of law school must submit an application for character and fitness report, if not previously submitted, concurrently with an application for bar examination in accord with the filing deadlines set out in Rule 8.07.

(d) An applicant seeking reinstatement to the bar by this Court pursuant to Rule 5.28 shall, upon written notification by the chief disciplinary counsel, file an application for character and fitness report in the form and manner prescribed by the chief disciplinary counsel. The chief disciplinary counsel and the board may enter into an agreement for the board to conduct character and fitness investigations for applicants seeking reinstatement to the bar. The character and fitness investigation and report completed pursuant to this section shall be included in the applicant's reinstatement file maintained by the chief disciplinary counsel.

(e) An applicant shall be required to file a new and complete application for character and fitness report and pay the prescribed fee if more than 60 months have expired since the date the application initially was filed.

(Adopted September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003. Amended January 27, 2004, effective February 1, 2004; Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2011, effective September 1, 2011; Amended June 29, 2017, effective July 1, 2017; Amended September 5, 2018, effective January 1, 2019.)

Regulations of Board of Law Examiners

1. Law students are encouraged to file an application for character and fitness report upon beginning law school and may be allowed a reduced application fee as set out in the prescribed fee schedule.

2. The application for character and fitness report is a continuing application, and applicants are required to file a written update within 30 days of any change to any information provided or sought in the application.

(Adopted September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003. Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2023, effective September 1, 2023.)