Rules for admission to the Indiana Bar are found in the Indiana Court Rules. Pursuant to Rule 3, the Supreme Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to admit attorneys to practice in Indiana. The minimum age limit set by the State Board of Law Examiners for applicants for admission to the Bar is 21. Pursuant to Rule 13, each applicant for admission to the Bar will have to meet certain educational requirements. The applicant should be a graduate of a law school located in the United States which is approved by the American Bar Association. According to Rule 17, each applicant for admission must pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). The passing score for the MPRE shall be a scaled score of eighty (80) and must be achieved within two (2) years before or after the date the applicant successfully takes the Indiana Bar examination.
Rule 29 establishes minimal continuing legal education requirements for each Attorney admitted to the Bar of the State of Indiana and each non-attorney judge. Pursuant to Section 3 of that Rule every attorney not licensed as an attorney shall complete no less than six hours of approved courses each year and shall complete no less than thirty-six hours of approved courses each educational period. At least three hours of approved courses in professional responsibility shall be included within the hours of continuing legal education required during each three year educational period. Not more than twelve hours of the educational period requirement shall be filled by non legal subject matter courses. Under Section 3(c) OF Rule 29, for attorneys admitted after December 31, 1998 at least six (6) of the thirty-six (36) educational period requirements shall be satisfied by attending an applied professionalism program for newly admitted attorneys which has been accredited by the Commission.
Any person admitted to practice law in the highest court of law in any other state, may be granted a provisional license to practice law in Indiana under Rule 6. The said person has to meet certain conditions to practice law in Indiana. S/he must have been engaged in the practice of law for a period of at least five of the seven years prior to the date of application.
Ind. R. Admis. B. & Disc. Att’y Rule 12
Section 2. Committee on Character and fitness.
The applicant must be at least 21 years of age and possess good moral character and fitness to practice law.
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Ind. R. Admis. B. & Disc. Att’y Rule 17
Section 2. Examinations.
In addition, each applicant for admission upon examination, before being admitted, must pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). The passing score for the MPRE shall be a scaled score of eighty (80) and must be achieved within two (2) years before or after the date the applicant successfully takes the Indiana two-day essay bar examination.
Ind. R. Admis. B. & Disc. Att’y Rule 13
Section 4. Educational requirements for admission to examination.
Educational qualifications Each applicant for admission to the bar of this Court by written examination shall be required to establish to the satisfaction of the State Board of Law Examiners that the applicant is:
(A) A graduate of a law school located in the United States which at the time of the applicant’s graduation was on the approved list of the Council of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar of the American Bar Association. (The Supreme Court of Indiana reserves the right to disapprove any school regardless of ABA approval);
(B) A person who satisfactorily has completed the law course required for graduation and furnishes to the Board of Law Examiners a certificate from the Dean thereof, or a person designated by the Dean, that the applicant will receive the degree as a matter of course at a future date, pursuant to Indiana Rules of Admission and Discipline, Rule 15; and
(C) A person who has completed in an approved school of law two cumulative semester hours of legal ethics or professional responsibility.
Ind. R. Admis. B. & Disc. Att’y Rule 29
Section 3. Education requirements.
(a) Every Attorney, except as provided below, and every Judge of a city, town or Marion County small claims court, who is not licensed as an Attorney, shall complete no less than six (6) hours of Approved Courses each year and shall complete no less than thirty-six (36) hours of Approved Courses each Educational Period. At least three (3) hours of Approved Courses in professional responsibility shall be included within the hours of continuing legal education required during each three (3) year Educational Period. Such hours may be integrated as part of a substantive program or as a free standing program. All credits for a single educational activity will be applied in one (1) calendar year. No more than twelve (12) hours of the Educational Period requirement shall be filled by Non Legal Subject Matter Courses.
Ind. R. Admis. B. & Disc. Att’y Rule 6
A person who has been admitted to practice law in the highest court of law in any other state (herein defined as state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia), may be granted a provisional license to practice law in Indiana upon a finding by the State Board of Law Examiners that said person has met each of the following conditions:
(a) The applicant has actively engaged in the practice of law for a period of at least five (5) of the seven (7) years immediately preceding the date of application.
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