interesting are at hand, and the difficulty is to make a selection; but it will be noticed that Mr. Fox speaks from intimate experience.

BOSTON, MASS., August 23, 1897.

DEAR SIR: The attorney-general has referred to me, probably because of my experience as bar examiner, your letter of August 12, making certain inquiries concerning admission to the bar in this State, and I take pleasure in answering your questions in their order.

1. Application for admission to the bar is made by petition to the supreme judicial court or to the superior court. The applicant embodies in his petition the statutory requirements, i. e., that he is a citizen of this Commonwealth, or an alien who has made primary declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and that he is of the age of 21 years, and prays that he may be admitted to practice as an attorney if found to be qualified. By rule of court the petition for admission must be accompanied by the recommendation of a member of the bar, and the clerk with whom the petition is filed gives public notice of the petition by advertisement in the papers. The petition is then referred to the bar examiners, who hold, as a rule, two examinations in each county in each year.

2. As to the effect of a diploma: All candidates, whether graduates of a lawschool or not, are required to pass an examination. As a matter of practice the examiners are accustomed to ask the preliminary question whether the applicant is a graduate of any law school, and that fact is treated by them as of some weight. That it is not of controlling weight is shown by the fact that quite a number of lawschool graduates are rejected at every examination.

3. I can not say that knowledge of the civil law would be regarded as of any weight with the examiners. I am quite sure that no questions of civil law, except as incorporated in the common law, are ever put.

4. A member of the bar of another State files his petition for admission to this bar like any other applicant, stating, however, the fact that he has been admitted to practice in some other State, and his petition is referred to the bar examiners; but he is not subjected to a new examination unless his admission to the bar has been so recent as to excite suspicion. The statute upon this question is this:

Public Statutes, chapter 159, section 38: A person admitted as an attorney or counsellor of the highest judicial court of any other State of which he was an inhabitant, and who afterwards becomes an inhabitant of this State, may be admitted to practice here upon satisfactory evidence of his good moral character and his professional qualifications."

5. The applicant must be an inhabitant of the State and a citizen, or an alien who has made the primary declaration, and he must be a person of good moral character. The recommendation of a member of the bar is accepted as evidence of this last qualification unless objection is made.

6. I do not think it is the practice of the examiners to inquire as to the general education of the applicant as distinguished from his professional education. Undoubtedly the applicant's command of English, as shown by his examination paper, is of weight.

7. There is no positive requirement as to the term of professional study, and no preference is shown as between law school and office. The result depends for the most part upon the examination, which is intended to be thorough. The bar examiners have generally felt that a legal education could hardly be acquired in less than three years, the length of the course in each of our law schools; and we have intended to make it pretty hard for an applicant to pass a satisfactory examination who showed less than three years' study.

8. Until the present year the bar examiners have been appointed by the supreme judicial and superior courts for each county in the State; but by the act of 1897, chapter 508, the justices of the supreme judicial court are to appoint hereafter five bar examiners, who are to examine all applicants for admission to the bar throughout the State. Upon their favorable report the applicant is admitted "unless the court shall otherwise determine."

9. The supreme judicial court and the superior court are alone authorized to grant petitions for admission to the bar.

Very truly, yours,

The COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION,

Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C.

JABEZ FOX.

ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES AS TO CITIZENSHIP, EDUCATION, AND PROFESSIONAL ATTAINMENTS REQUIRED BY THE SEVERAL STATES FROM THOSE

WHO ARE LICENSED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE OR LAW.

1193

STATE AND THE PROFESSIONS.

LAW.

What qualifications as to citizenship, personal character, and liberal education are required from the applicant?

What qualifications are required in the way of a
professional study of law, and must such study
be done in a law office or be supplemented by
study in such an office?

Actual, bona fide citizenship. High moral character as testified to by a member of the profes sion. Education judged from examination. Must be a citizen of the State and of good moral character. The liberal-education feature is left to court which examines.

A declaration of citizenship and proof of good moral character are required, but there is no distinction between liberal and professional education.

A declaration of citizenship and certificate from two attorneys of court to which applicant has applied for admission that applicant possesses the character and attainments that entitle him to admission.

Must declare intention to become a citizen three months before applying; must have certificate of good moral character, but no special attention paid to liberal-education feature.

Must be a citizen of the United States, 21 years old, and be of good moral character, and must have graduated from a college or secondary school or had been admitted to a college or preparatory school, or passed an examination before committee, for which last he must pay a fee of $5.

Must be a resident of the State and of "fair" character, and must have a general knowledge of English and American history, mathematics, English grammar, and Latin.

Must satisfy judge that he is 21 years of age, and of good moral character.

Must be a citizen of the circuit wherein he makes application and of good moral character, as shown by a certificate of two attorneys known to court.

If the study period is passed in a law office, then
the judges of the supreme court must make
written examination, except those graduating
from Alabama University.

The circuit and supreme courts are the only bodies
authorized to grant license to practice law. Ap
plicant must stand satisfactory examination in
open court by the supreme court, and by a com-
mittee of three lawyers appointed by circuit
court when applicant is examined by that court.
the practice here, if not armed either with a di-
The only thing necessary to become admitted to
ploma or license from another jurisdiction, is to
stand the examination in open court, and by that
show such familiarity with the law as will sat-
isfy the court that the applicant is qualified to
take care of a practice.

Examination in open court after filing certificate from two attorneys.

If not a member of the bar of another State must pass an examination before supreme court or a committee appointed by it in cach judicial district.

Must have studied law after arriving at the age of 18 for two years, if a college or law-school graduate; otherwise, for three years in a law school or under competent professional instruction in the office of a practising attorney or with a judge of the superior court or both, of which period one year, at least, must be spent in this State. Applicants shall be required to pass a satisfactory examination, before a standing committee of fifteen, upon the law of pleading, practice and evidence, constitutional law, the law of real and personal property, contracts, torts, equity, criminal law, wills, and adminis tration, corporations, partnership, negotiable paper, agency, bailments, domestic relations, and such additional subjects as committee shall deem advisable.

A legal course in a law office is not necessary. All applicants for admission except practising lawyers of other States are required to study three years under direction of lawyer or judge of the State. Examination is made by a committee of the bar.

Shall be examined by the judge to whom appli cant applies or a committee of two appointed by judge.

Must undergo examination before committee ap pointed by court on common law, pleading and evidence, equity and equity pleading and prac tice, Code of Georgia, United States and State Constitutions, and the rules of court. Diplomas of certain law schools in Georgia will obviate necessity of examining candidate.

MEDICINE-Continued.