Information for Law Students and Rule 13 Certification

Law Student Registration (1L and 2L ONLY) - Seeking an Early Character & Fitness Determination

The law school registration is for those seeking an early determination of character and fitness in their 1L or 2L year only.  All applicants for admission to the bar must submit an Application for Character and Fitness Report, which allows the Board to conduct a background investigation to determine if the applicant possesses the requisite character and fitness for admission to the bar. For additional information about the character and fitness process, review the FAQ.

If you file the Application for Character and Fitness Report, Authorization and Release and the corresponding fee by the first June 30 after you begin law school, you qualify for a reduced application fee. Once the first June 30 after you began law school has passed, you no longer qualify for the reduced fee and are no longer eligible to submit the LSR - 1 - On or before the first June 30 application.  However, you may still file to seek an early character and fitness determination (i.e., prior to applying to take the bar exam) pursuant to Rule 8.05(c), between the first June 30 and the second June 30 after you began law school. Once the second June 30 after you began law school has passed, you cannot seek an early determination and must wait and apply for the Bar Examination in accordance with the exam filing deadlines set out in Rule 8.07.

Submitting an Application for Character and Fitness does NOT register you to take the bar examination. You must submit an Application for Bar Examination in your final semester of law school in order to register for the bar examination. We do not accept applications for the July exam before February 1 or for the February exam before September 1.

To apply for an early character and fitness determination prior to your last year of law school, click here ».

Rule 13 Certification

Supreme Court Rule 13 provides for certification of law students to engage in certain activities as specified in Rules 13.01 and 13.04. Under Rule 13.01, an eligible student may appear in court or before an administrative tribunal in Missouri on behalf of any person who is: (1) Indigent, or (2) a client represented by a clinic chartered by an American Bar Association approved law school, if the person on whose behalf the student is appearing has indicated in writing consent thereto and the supervising lawyer has also indicated in writing approval thereof. An eligible student also may, with the written approval of the supervising lawyer, appear in any matter (1) on behalf of the State or (2) on behalf of a county or municipality for purposes of prosecuting a municipal ordinance violation. In each case, the conditions listed in Rule 13.01 must be met. Eligible students also may engage in the following activities listed in Rule 13.04 under the general supervision of a member of The Missouri Bar: (1) preparation of pleadings and other documents to be filed in any matter in which the student is eligible to appear, but such pleadings or documents must be signed by the supervising lawyer; (2) preparation of briefs, abstracts and other documents to be filed in Missouri appellate courts, but such documents must be approved by the supervising lawyer; (3) provide assistance to indigent inmates of correctional institutions or other persons who request such assistance in preparing applications for and supporting documentation for post-convictions relief, supervised and signed by the attorney of record, if any; and (4) participate in oral argument in appellate courts in the presence of the supervising lawyer.

In order to receive Rule 13 certification, law students must file an application with the Supreme Court of Missouri as provided in Rule 13.02. The certification, if granted by the Court, remains in effect for 21 months or until announcement of the results of the first bar examination following the student's graduation, whichever is earlier. If the student is successful in the bar examination, the Rule 13 certification continues in effect until the date the student takes the oath of admission.

To apply for Rule 13 certification, click here ».