Colorado

Civil Procedure

Rule 202.3 – Board of Law Examiners

(1)Colorado State Board of Law Examiners. The Colorado State Board of Law Examiners (Board) shall consist of two committees: the Law Committee and the Character and Fitness Committee.

(2)Law Committee. The Law Committee shall serve as a permanent committee of the Supreme Court.

(a)Members. The Law Committee shall consist of eleven volunteer attorneys appointed by the Supreme Court. With the exception of the chair and vice-chair, members shall be appointed for one term of seven years. Diversity shall be a consideration in making the appointments. The terms of the members of the Law Committee shall be staggered to provide, so far as possible, for the expiration each year of the term of one member. All members, including the chair and vice-chair, serve at the pleasure of and may be dismissed at any time by the Supreme Court. A member of the Law Committee may resign at any time.

(b)Chair and Vice-Chair. The Supreme Court shall designate the two members of the Law Committee to serve as its chair and vice-chair for unspecified terms. The chair shall exercise overall supervisory control of the Committee. The chair shall also be a member of the Advisory Committee and serve as the chair of the Board.

(c)Powers and Duties. The Law Committee shall:

(i) Oversee the administration of two written examinations each year in the metropolitan Denver area, one in February and one in July, or at such other times and places as may be designated by the Supreme Court;

(ii) Make recommendations to the Supreme Court regarding passing scores for the written examination, Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and Multi-State Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE);

(iii) Oversee the process of grading the written examination to ensure uniformity and quality of grading;

(iv) Periodically report to the Advisory Committee on the operations of the Law Committee;

(v) Make recommendations to the Advisory Committee regarding proposed changes or additions to rules that concern the functions of the Law Committee; and

(vi) Adopt such practices as may from time to time become necessary to govern the internal operation of the Law Committee.

(3)Character and Fitness Committee. The Character and Fitness Committee shall serve as a permanent committee of the Supreme Court.

(a)Members. The Character and Fitness Committee shall consist of a minimum of seventeen volunteer members appointed by the Supreme Court. With the exception of the chair and vice-chair, members shall be appointed for one term of seven years. The chair and vice-chair may be appointed to serve an additional term of seven years, with such terms staggered. Diversity shall be a consideration in making the appointments. The terms of the members of the Character and Fitness Committee shall be staggered to provide, so far as possible, for the expiration each year of the term of one member. At least twelve of the members of the Character and Fitness Committee shall be attorneys, and at least five shall be non-attorneys (citizen members). Expertise in mental health shall be a consideration in making appointments of citizen members. All members, including the chair and vice-chair, serve at the pleasure of and may be dismissed at any time by the Supreme Court. A member of the Character and Fitness Committee may resign at any time.

(b)Chair and Vice-Chair. The Supreme Court shall designate two attorney members of the Character and Fitness Committee to serve as its chair and vice-chair for terms as set forth in subsection (a). The chair shall also be a member of the Advisory Committee.

(c)Committee Members Emeritus. A former member of the Character and Fitness Committee (f/k/a Bar Committee) may participate as a member of an inquiry panel or hearing board as provided in C.R.C.P. 208.4 and 209.2, when needed.

(d)Powers and Duties. The Character and Fitness Committee shall:

(i) Enforce the character and fitness standards set forth in C.R.C.P. 208 in the review of all applications for admission to the practice of law in Colorado;

(ii) Participate in inquiry panels as set forth in C.R.C.P. 208.4;

(iii) Participate on hearing boards empaneled by the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge pursuant to C.R.C.P. 209.2;

(iv) Periodically report to the Advisory Committee on the operations of the Character and Fitness Committee;

(v) Make recommendations to the Advisory Committee regarding proposed changes or additions to rules that concern the functions of the Character and Fitness Committee; and

(vi) Adopt such practices as may from time to time become necessary to govern the internal operations of the Character and Fitness Committee.

C.R.C.P. 202.3

Source: Entire rule added and effective September 1, 2014; amended and adopted April 11, 2019, effective April 11, 2019.

Annotation Law reviews. For article, “The Colorado Character Investigation of Applicants to the Bar”, see 28 Dicta 333 (1951).

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