If your moral character application in CA is denied for lack of candor, does this keep you out forever?

Waiting for the results of a determination of moral character can be almost as stressful as waiting for the results of the bar exam.

(For those who are unfamiliar, the Determination of Moral Character is a background check performed by the State Bar when a law school graduate applies for admission to become an attorney.)

The answer depends on the type of omission. For instance, if you left off a criminal conviction, the Bar will most likely find out about it. They may give you a chance to amend your application, or they may deny it.

Also, re-read the instructions. If you are talking about something like getting fired from a short-term job, you might not even be required to report it.

Yes, you might get a second chance, even if your determination of moral character is denied.

Here's a link to one California lawyer's public state bar profile. She actually lied to the District Attorney's Office where she had been working as a law student and said she had been admitted, when her Moral Character application had not been completed. She made up a Bar number, but was caught when a secretary at her office checked the number on the State Bar website.

Her original admission to the state bar was canceled, but she was allowed to reapply and is now an attorney.

http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=208337

Please understand that this is a general discussion of legal principles by a California lawyer and does not create an attorney/client relationship. It's impossible to give detailed, accurate advice based on a few sentences on a website (and you shouldn't provide too much specific information about your legal matter on a public forum like this site, anyway). You should always seek advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction who can give you an informed opinion after reviewing all of the relevant information.