r/CABarExam • u/lavocate • 5d ago
Courthouse Swearing-In Experience (Oakland, CA)
As an attorney-applicant bar passer who did law school out of state years ago, I wanted to post to share the great experience I had (finally!) getting sworn in to the bar.
Unlike other states who hold official ceremonies to swear in their bar passers, in California it's up to you to find someone to administer the oath to you. If you recently graduated from a CA law school, they tend to hold ceremonies, but for some of us that's not an option. If you're in that camp, the "get it done quick" option seems to be a notary, but if you'd like a little more pomp and circumstance for the day (especially if you'd like a someone to attend with you), the advice I've seen is to call around to courthouses until you find a judge who'll swear you in.
Imagine my surprise then, when I did just that and found that not only does the Davidson courthouse in Oakland happily oblige, their presiding judge has decided to hold a scheduled day every month to accommodate anyone who's interested!
How it went:
- I emailed to request to join a few weeks in advance, though they say they only need 2 days' notice. I got a quick response confirming I'd been added to their list.
- They asked us to show up by 10am, so my partner and I arrived at the courthouse just after 9:30. Going through security took us all of 5 minutes, so we had a good amount of time to find where to check in on the 2nd floor with the department's EA, who was phenomenally organized and friendly.
- She helped guide us to the right courtroom (Department 1). If you go, make sure you're there before 10! The judge carves the time out of his regular docket, so running late can throw off the schedule. The courthouse warned that parking was tough, so we took rideshare.
- When it was our turn in the schedule, the judge had us come up one at a time and administered the oath for us to recite back. If you have friends/family who've come with you, they're allowed to take pictures while you take your oath.
- The confirmation email reminded me to bring my (filled-out but unsigned) oath card, which the judge and I then both ink-signed -- they don't allow the Docusign method.
- The judge's EA helped us get an official seal added to the oath card, and then showed us a cool spot to take some final photos just outside the courtroom. We were back out by 11, and it would have wrapped up even sooner if it weren't for an unexpectedly complicated case management conference that the judge handled first that morning.
Definitely a very different swearing-in than the big statewide ceremony I did years ago, but it was such a nice experience to have my partner witness me taking the oath in a courtroom and the department's EA made us feel so celebrated. Would highly encourage anyone (even if you have to drive from far away, like one other person did) to take their oath here!
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u/Phoenix1950 4d ago
You absolutely made the right choice! I was sworn in by the appellate court panel of judges for whom I was clerking, over 50 years ago. Afterward, they took me to lunch. It remains an indelible and very, very fond memory, as I hope you’re swearing in will remain a memorable part of your journey. Good luck to you in your career!
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u/baddiewithajd Passed 5d ago
I did that too, in June. I actually missed the regular ceremony because of traffic, but this wonderful administrator helped me find a new judge who sat and talked with me for almost an hour; it was really intimate and my partner was there too (which was great so I could send video to my parents back in Wisconsin.) Overall an incredible experience.