Rule 16 Privilege

When someone shares information about a bar applicant's character or fitness to practice law, they are protected from being sued over what they said. This applies to people who send letters, give statements, or testify during a formal hearing about whether someone should be allowed to practice law in North Dakota.

This protection exists so people feel safe being honest. If a person knows something about an applicant, good or bad, they can tell the Board without worrying that the applicant will later sue them for defamation or some other claim based on that information. As long as the information was given as part of the admission process, the person who provided it cannot be taken to court over it.

This rule matters most to employers, colleagues, judges, or others who get asked to give input on someone applying to become a lawyer. It also matters to the applicants themselves, since it means they cannot use a lawsuit to punish or silence someone who spoke up during the review process.