Pennsylvania § 2161 Criminal history record checks

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 2161 — Criminal history record checks

Pennsylvania § 2161

JurisdictionPennsylvania

Title 42JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

PartPART II

Ch. 21JUDICIAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Subch.PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF LAW EXAMINERS

This text of Pennsylvania § 2161 (Criminal history record checks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2161 (2026).

Text

(a)Authorization.--The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners may require that persons applying for admission to the bar and the practice of law in this Commonwealth be subject to:

(1)A Federal criminal history record check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(2)A State criminal history record check through the Pennsylvania State Police.

(b)Fingerprints required.--All applicants as required under subsection (a) shall submit fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record checks, and the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity of the applicant and obtaining a current record of any criminal arrests and convict

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(a) Authorization.--The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners may require that persons applying for admission to the bar and the practice of law in this Commonwealth be subject to:

(1) A Federal criminal history record check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(2) A State criminal history record check through the Pennsylvania State Police.

(b) Fingerprints required.--All applicants as required under subsection (a) shall submit fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record checks, and the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity of the applicant and obtaining a current record of any criminal arrests and convictions.

(c) Use of information.--Any information relating to an applicant and obtained under this section by the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners may be interpreted and used by the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners only to determine the applicant's character, fitness and suitability for admission to the bar and the practice of law in this Commonwealth.

(d) Inapplicability.--The provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121(b)(2) (relating to general regulations) shall not apply if a request for a criminal history record check is submitted pursuant to this section.