MINNESOTA COURT RULES

PROFESSIONAL RULES

Rules for Admission to the Bar

Rule 2.Definitions and Due Date Provisions

A.Definitions.

As used in these Rules:

(1) "Affidavit" means: (a) a document that has been signed, sworn, and notarized; or (b) a document that has been signed under penalty of perjury, provided that the signature is affixed immediately below a declaration using substantially the following language: 'I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.'

(2) "Application file" means all information relative to an individual applicant to the bar collected by or submitted to the Board while the application is pending and during any conditional admission period.

(3) "Applicant portal" is a confidential password-protected electronic site used by applicants and Board staff to share information and to send and receive documents.

(4) "Approved law school" means a law school provisionally or fully approved by the American Bar Association.

(5) "Board" means the Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners.

(6) "Court" means the Minnesota Supreme Court.

(7) "Director" means the staff director for the Board.

(8) "Full-time faculty member" means a person whose professional responsibilities are consistent with the definition of "full-time faculty member" set forth in the Standards for Approval of Law Schools, published by the American Bar Association's Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

(9) "Good character and fitness" means traits, including honesty, trustworthiness, diligence and reliability, that are relevant to and have a rational connection with the applicant's present fitness to practice law.

(10) "Jurisdiction" means the District of Columbia or any state or territory of the United States.

(11) "Legal services program" means a program existing primarily for the purpose of providing legal assistance to indigent persons in civil or criminal matters.

(12) "Notify" or "give notice" means to mail or deliver a document to the last known address of the applicant or the applicant's lawyer. Notice is complete upon mailing, but extends the applicant's period to respond by three days.

(13) "Uniform Bar Examination" or "UBE" is an examination prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), comprised of six Multistate Essay Examination questions, two Multistate Performance Test questions, and the Multistate Bar Examination.

B.Due Dates Provisions.

Due dates specified under these Rules shall be strictly enforced and shall mean no later than 4:30 p.m. on the date stated, absent a written determination by the Board that extraordinary circumstances warrant an adjustment of a specific deadline for all applicants. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday, the deadline shall be the first working day thereafter. Materials mailed with a postmark dated on the due date will be accepted.

(Amended effective March 14, 2000; amended effective September 1, 2004; amended effective July 1, 2007; amended effective September 1, 2011; amended effective February 1, 2013; amended effective July 1, 2016; amended effective November 20, 2018; amended effective April 6, 2020; amended effective October 1, 2021.)