Rule 37. Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Admissions

(a) Time Limitations on Admission. 1. No applicant who sat for the Bar Exam, as defined in Rule 35(a)(1), shall be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona until the applicant has successfully satisfied all requirements of Rule 34, Rule 35, Rule 36, and Rule 37 and has been recommended for admission by the Committee on Character and Fitness. Failure to take the oath of admission and be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona within 5 years of earning a passing score on the Bar Exam will void all examination scores, and the applicant will be required to successfully retake all required examinations and comply with all required procedures relating to Character and Fitness determinations. Bar Exam attempts prior to July 2012, successful or unsuccessful, shall be considered equivalent to the Arizona uniform bar examination and the Bar Exam for purposes of these rules. 2. No applicant for admission on motion shall be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona until the applicant has successfully satisfied all requirements of Rule 34, Rule 36, and Rule 37 and has been recommended for admission by the Committee on Character and Fitness. Failure to take the oath of admission and be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona within 5 years from the date of application will void all application and character investigation materials, and the applicant will be required to resubmit an application and comply with all required procedures relating to admission on motion. 3. No applicant for admission based on transfer of another jurisdiction's bar examination score deemed acceptable by the Court shall be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona until the applicant has successfully satisfied all requirements of Rule 34, Rule 35, Rule 36, and Rule 37, and has been recommended for admission by the Committee on Character and Fitness relating to admission on motion. 3. No applicant for admission based on transfer of another jurisdiction's bar examination score deemed acceptable by the Court shall be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona until the applicant has successfully satisfied all requirements of Rule 34, Rule 35, Rule 36, and Rule 37, and has been recommended for admission by the Committee on Character and Fitness. Failure to take the oath of admission and be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona within 5 years of earning a score on another jurisdiction's bar examination, as deemed acceptable by the Court, will void all application and character investigation materials, and the applicant will be required to resubmit an application and comply with all required procedures relating to admission to the practice of law in Arizona. 4. The 5-year timeframe referenced in Rules 37(a)(1) and 37(a)(3) shall commence on the last date on which the bar examination or Bar Exam was administered and not the date(s) on which the applicant's score was released. (b) Taking Oath of Admission. No applicant shall be admitted to the practice of law in Arizona unless he or she has taken the oath of admission to the practice of law in Arizona as prescribed by the Court, before a notary or other person authorized to administer oaths, and has paid any applicable fees. Any applicant who has been informed by the Court that he or she has been approved for admission shall be eligible to take the oath of admission on a form provided by the Court. The form shall be subscribed by the applicant and the person administering the oath and upon its filing with the clerk of the Court a Certificate of Admission shall be issued to the applicant. Provided that all other requirements for admission have been satisfied, an applicant who wishes to be admitted in open court may do so on oral motion by a member of the State Bar of Arizona, and thereafter a Certificate of Admission shall be issued to the applicant on administering the oath and upon its filing with the clerk of the Court a Certificate of Admission shall be issued to the applicant. Provided that all other requirements for admission have been satisfied, an applicant who wishes to be admitted in open court may do so on oral motion by a member of the State Bar of Arizona, and thereafter a Certificate of Admission shall be issued to the applicant. No applicant is entitled to practice law in Arizona until the Certificate of Admission has been issued. (c) Retention and Confidentiality of Records of Applicants for Admission. The records of applicants for admission to the practice of law shall be maintained and may be destroyed in accordance with approved retention and disposition schedules pursuant to administrative order of the Court, pursuant to Rule 29, Rules of the Supreme Court. The records and the proceedings concerning an application for admission shall remain confidential, except as otherwise provided in these rules. Bar counsel shall be allowed access to the records of applicants for admission and the proceedings of the Committee concerning an application for admission in connection with the duties set forth in Rule 36(a)(2)(C). In addition, the Committee on Character and Fitness and the Committee on Examinations, or the Committees' designated staff, may 1. disclose their respective records pertaining to an applicant to A. the National Conference of Bar Examiners; B. the admitting authority of any other state to which the applicant seeks admission; C. an attorney discipline enforcement agency; D. an agency authorized to investigate the qualifications of judicial candidates; E. a law enforcement agency, upon subpoena or good cause shown; or F. other court agencies, court committees or regulatory boards, for good cause shown; 2. publicly announce the names of the applicants who have successfully completed the examination, except for applicants who applied in accordance with Rule 34(b)(2) and who have not satisfied the evidence of graduation requirement; 3 l candidates; E. a law enforcement agency, upon subpoena or good cause shown; or F. other court agencies, court committees or regulatory boards, for good cause shown; 2. publicly announce the names of the applicants who have successfully completed the examination, except for applicants who applied in accordance with Rule 34(b)(2) and who have not satisfied the evidence of graduation requirement; 3. except for applicants who applied in accordance with Rule 34(b)(2) and who have not satisfied the evidence of graduation requirement, report to the law school from which the applicant graduated data and information consistent with Rule 35(f)(4)(C) and 35(f)(4)(D); 4. disclose to an applicant, as required by Rule 36(f), evidence to be used at a hearing; and 5. disclose to an applicant, under Rule 35(i)(4), evidence to be used at a hearing. (d) Refund of Fees. Applicants for admission under Rules 34(e) and 34(g) shall not receive a refund of the application fee for any reason, including denial of admission, withdrawal of the application, or failure to pursue admission after application, regardless of the date the applicant notifies the Committee. Credit for the fees paid by an applicant who withdraws or fails to pursue admission after application will be applied to any application made by the applicant for two years from the date of the original application. (e) Immunity from Civil Suit. 1. The Court, the Committee on Character and Fitness, the Committee on Examinations, and the members, staff, employees, and agents thereof, are immune from all civil liability for conduct and communications occurring in the performance of their official duties relating to the examination, character and fitness determination, and licensing of persons seeking to be admitted to the practice of law. 2 1. The Court, the Committee on Character and Fitness, the Committee on Examinations, and the members, staff, employees, and agents thereof, are immune from all civil liability for conduct and communications occurring in the performance of their official duties relating to the examination, character and fitness determination, and licensing of persons seeking to be admitted to the practice of law. 2. Records, statements of opinion and other information regarding an applicant for admission communicated by any entity, including any person, firm, or institution, without malice, to the Court, the Committee on Character and Fitness, the Committee on Examinations, and the members, staff, employees, and agents thereof, are privileged, and civil suits predicated thereon may not be instituted.