Admission to the Bar of the United States Supreme
Court
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the swearing-in ceremony?
The official swearing-in will be at the United States Supreme
Court, located at One First St, N.E., Washington, DC 20543. The
swearing-in takes place at 10:00 am on Monday, May 23, 2011.
Applicants are asked to arrive at the Court by 8:30 a.m. that morning at the Maryland Avenue entrance (view map).
After the swearing-in, a continental breakfast will be served,
we will take group photographs, and there will be an optional
tour and lecture on the Supreme Court for you and your guests.
Supreme Court Justices have been invited to join us as well.
Who is eligible to apply for the bar of the U.S. Supreme
Court?
Candidates must have been admitted to practice in the highest
court of a State, Commonwealth, Territory, Possession or the District
of Columbia for at least three years prior to applying and must
not have been the subject of any adverse disciplinary action pronounced
or in effect during that three-year period.
When are applications due?
The deadline has passed to join the 2011 group swearing-in, but if you are interested in participating next year, please email Tara Anderson at tanderson@kentlaw.edu to be notified when the 2012 application materials are available.
Where do I send my completed application and processing fee?
Please send applications and checks to:
ATTN: Supreme Court Swearing-In
Chicago-Kent Alumni Association
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law
565 W Adams St.
Chicago, IL 60661-3691
Please make your $200 processing fee check out to: the “U.S.
Supreme Court,” staple it to your application
and send to Chicago-Kent. Please do not send your application
and check directly to the Supreme Court.
Do I have to send in my $200 fee ahead of time?
Yes. Because Chicago-Kent alumni are being admitted as a group,
the Clerk’s office requests us to collect all of the applications
and checks to submit them together.
Is my completed application a guarantee that I will be admitted
to the Bar?
All applications ultimately will be reviewed by the Clerk’s
Office of the U.S. Supreme Court. If the documents submitted demonstrate
that you possess the necessary qualifications, and if the application
has been correctly completed with payment submitted, the Clerk’s Office will admit you to the Bar.
How do I obtain my Certificate of Good Standing?
This Certificate must be obtained from the
Clerk of the highest court in your State and should be sent to the Chicago-Kent Alumni Association along with your completed application. A Bar Association certificate cannot be used as your Certificate
of Good Standing. In most States, please
allow at least a week to obtain this document.
To obtain a Certificate
from the Supreme Court of Illinois, send a written request with
your attorney registration number, date of admission and a $1.00
fee for each Certificate, to the Clerk of the Supreme Court,
Supreme Court Building, 200 East Capitol, Springfield, Illinois
62701. Contact Jan Borders at (217) 782-2035 if you need to expedite your Certificate.
Who may I ask to sponsor me?
Any person who is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme
Court in good standing and who is not related to you by blood
or marriage may act as your sponsor.
Whose names will appear on the certificate?
The names of the group's movant will appear on your final Bar
certificate. The group's movant will be determined in Spring 2011.
What is the difference between the standard and the alternate
certificate that I will receive after the swearing-in?
The standard certificate contains the words “…in the
year of our Lord, two thousand and eleven.” You can have
these words omitted by checking the box on the application specifying
that you’d like the alternate certificate.
May I bring a guest to the swearing-in?
Yes. However, applicants are limited to one guest only inside
the courtroom. Additional guests may wait in an adjoining room
and participate in the continental breakfast and lecture after
swearing-in. Individuals age 6 and over may sit inside the courtroom,
however the court requests that if children do attend that they
are not disruptive.
Where can I park?
Unfortunately there is no parking on Capitol Hill. We suggest
parking in a public lot and walking to the Supreme Court or taking
public transportation. Please click
here for a map of the Supreme Court.
I will need special accommodation or I have a question that
is not answered above. Who should I contact?
Please do not hesitate to call the Chicago-Kent Alumni Association at
(312) 906-5240 or email us at alums@kentlaw.edu.
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