Abstract
Although every applicant for admission to the Illinois bar is required to demonstrate good moral character and general fitness to be licensed to practice law, few lawyers and would-be lawyers are familiar with what constitutes proof of character and fitness or the procedures by which such proof is to be made. This Article offers a general introduction to the procedural form and substantive elements of determinations of character and fitness under Illinois Supreme Court Rules. The subjects discussed are: the character and fitness process as a litigated proceeding; the relevant matters to be proved; the four levels of evidentiary review, and how the procedures at each level affect substance and the burden of proof; the formal Rule 9 hearing and the role of counsel appointed to present matters adverse to the applicant; posthearing matters, including review by the Illinois Supreme Court; and the special problem of considering disability when determining character and fitness. The Article concludes with a discussion of the 2000 decision, In re Krule, the Supreme Court’s last opinion on character and fitness.
Recommended Citation
Stephen Fedo,
Proving Character and Fitness in Illinois Bar Admissions: An Introduction to the Substantive Requirements and the Applicable Procedures,
49
S. Ill. U. L.J.
676
(2025).
Available at:
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol49/iss4/7