CHAPTER 553

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 54-60, 54-61, 54-61.1 and 54-62 of the Code
of Virginia, relating to requirements for admission to certain exam-
inations; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
54-62.1, relating to the effect and effective date of amendments to such

sections.
[H 38]

Approved April 3, 1952

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 54-60, 54-61, 54-61.1 and 54-62 of the Code of Virginia be
amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54-60. Preliminary certificate of character and age required of
applicant.—No one shall take any examination under this article until he
shall file with the Board a certificate from the circuit court of the county,
or the corporation court of the city, wherein he resides, or the judge of
either of such courts, that he is a person of honest demeanor, of good
moral character, is over the age of twenty-one years, and has resided in
this State the preceding six months; or if he is, or within three months
prior has been, a student in one of the law schools of this State connected
with a university or college, a certificate signed by any two of the pro-
fessors of the law school that he is a person of honest demeanor, of
good moral character, is over the age of twenty-one years, and within
the preceding four years has studied law at such school for a period of
three collegiate years.

No such certificate shall be made by any such court or judge, unless
and until the name of the person applying therefor has been submitted
by the court, or judge, to three attorneys, practicing before such court,
who shall make a thorough investigation of the moral character and
fitness of the applicant and make a report of their findings to the court,
or judge, and the certificate shall show compliance with the above require-
ments; but such report shall not be binding on the court or judge.
§ 54-61. Any person who is over the age of nineteen and under
twenty-one years of age may take any examination under this article upon
filing with the Board a certificate from the circuit court of the county, or
the corporation court of the city, in which he resides, or the judge of
either of such courts, that he is a person of honest demeanor, of good moral
character, that he is over the age of nineteen years, that he has studied
law for the preceding four years in the office of a practicing attorney in
this State and that he will attain the age of twenty-one years on the................
day Of... (giving the date). No such certificate shall be made by any
such court, or judge, unless and until the name of the person applying
therefor has been submitted by the court, or judge, to three attorneys,
practicing before such court, who shall make a thorough investigation of
the moral character and fitness of the applicant and make a report of
their findings to the court, and the certificate shall show compliance with
the above requirement; but such report shall not be binding on the court
or judge.

If such person is, or within three months prior has been, a student
in one of the law schools of this State connected with a university or

day of... (giving the date).

No license to an applicant under this section shall be issued until he
attains the age of twenty-one years.

~§ 54-61.1. Same; beneficiary studying at law school under provisions
of §§ 23-10 to 23-13.—In the case of any beneficiary studying law at a
law school under the provisions of §§ 28-10 to 23-138, a certificate signed
by any two professors of such law school that he is a person of honest
demeanor, * of good moral character, is over the age of twenty-one
years, and within the preceding four years has studied law at such
school for a period of three collegiate years, may be accepted in lieu of
the court’s certificate required by § 54-60.

§ 54-62. Preliminary proof of education required of applicant.—
Every applicant before taking any examination under this article shall
furnish to the Board satisfactory evidence that such applicant has: *

(1) Received a degree or certificate from a law school approved by
the American Bar Association, or the Board, or,

(2) (a) Completed * at least a three-year academic course of an ac-
credited college * and (b) studied law for * at least three years, * in the
office of an attorney practicing in this State, whose full time is devoted
to the practice of law, or studied law for at least three years partly in
a law school approved by the American Bar Association or the Board and
partly in said practicing attorney’s office. The attorney in whose office the
applicant intends to study shall be approved by the Board which shall
prescribe reasonable conditions as to such course of study.

§ 54-62.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding sections,
any person who has studied law for at least two years in any such approved
law school may take the examination provided for under this article, but
shall not be issued any license to practice law in this State until he shall
have completed the requirements of § 54-62.

§ 54-62.2. Effective date of amendments to §§ 54-60, 54-61.1 and
54-62; exemption from effect thereof.—The provisions of §§ 54-60, 54-61.1
and 54-62, as hereby amended, shall be in effect on and after January
one, nineteen hundred fifty-four; provided, that any person eligible to
take the examination provided for under this Article on December thirty-
one, nineteen hundred fifty-three, shall not be denied the right to take
such examination because of the amendments hereinabove referred to.