Schware v. Board of Bar Examiners of New Mexico

353 U.S. 232 (1957)

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Schware v. Board of Bar Examiners of New Mexico

United States Supreme Court
353 U.S. 232 (1957)

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Facts

Rudolph Schware (plaintiff) applied for admission to the New Mexico bar. Schware had previously been a member of the Communist Party. During that time, Schware participated in violent shipyard strikes and was arrested for political activities and the use of aliases. Schware quit the party in 1940 and served honorably in the United States Army before attending law school, from which he graduated in 1953. In support of his bar application, Schware offered testimony from his rabbi, as well as from faculty, fellow students, and staff from his law school, all of whom corroborated Schware’s testimony of his current good character. The Board of Bar Examiners of the State of New Mexico (board) (defendant) denied Schware’s application, finding that Schware had not shown good moral character. The state supreme court affirmed, and Schware appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Black, J.)

Concurrence (Frankfurter, J.)

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