In the Matter of Murray ( 2023 )


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    SJC-13290
    IN THE MATTER OF JAMES MURRAY.1
    June 28, 2023.
    Attorney at Law, Bar application, Admission to practice.
    Supreme Judicial Court, Membership in the bar.
    The petitioner, James Murray, also known as James Hines,
    appeals from the judgment of a single justice of this court
    denying, without a hearing, his "Petition to take the
    Massachusetts Bar Examination" and his motion for partial
    summary judgment. The single justice observed that persons
    desiring admission to the bar of the Commonwealth are subject to
    the requirements of S.J.C. Rule 3:01 and that Murray's filing
    did not comply with the rule. See S.J.C. Rule 3:01, as
    appearing in 
    478 Mass. 1301
     (2018). We affirm.2
    1   Also known as James Hines.
    2  Murray has sought leave to use materials filed with the
    county court and this court in connection with a prior case,
    Murray v. Massachusetts Parole Bd., 
    481 Mass. 1019
     (2018), which
    also were referenced in the county court filings; to use the
    county court filings on appeal; and to file fewer copies of his
    materials than the rules require; and he requests that both
    rulings of the single justice be considered together. Those
    requests are allowed. In addition, however, Murray asks the
    court to take judicial notice of various other materials that
    were not before the single justice and seeks relief -- a waiver
    of the requirements of S.J.C. Rule 3:01 entirely -- that he did
    not request from the single justice. We decline to consider
    materials that were not before the single justice, see Matter of
    Ellis, 
    425 Mass. 332
    , 334 n.1 (1997), or "issues, arguments, or
    claims for relief raised for the first time on appeal," Cariglia
    2
    The procedures and requirements for admission to the bar of
    the Commonwealth are described in G. L. c. 221, § 37, and S.J.C.
    Rule 3:01. See Wei Jia v. Board of Bar Examiners, 
    427 Mass. 777
    , 780 (1998). See also Matter of Swanson, 
    483 Mass. 1022
    ,
    1023 (2019) ("[t]his court has the authority to establish the
    rules and standards by which individuals become licensed to
    practice law in Massachusetts"); Osakwe v. Board of Bar
    Examiners, 
    448 Mass. 85
    , 87 (2006). Among other things, an
    applicant to the bar is required to file a "Petition for
    Admission accompanied by the recommendation of a member of the
    bar"; "Petitioner's Statement"; "Authorization Form"; "Law
    School Certificate"; "Multistate Professional Responsibility
    Examination Score Report that sets forth a passing scaled score
    that meets or exceeds the Massachusetts required score"; "Two
    (2) Letters of Recommendation for Admission"; and "Current
    Certificate(s) of Admission and Good Standing from the highest
    judicial court of each state, district, territory or foreign
    country to which the petitioner is admitted, if applicable."
    S.J.C. Rule 3:01, § 1.1. Because Murray's filing did not
    include all the materials required by the rule, his present
    application is incomplete. See Matter of Swanson, supra at
    1024. "It therefore has not been referred to the board for a
    report 'as to the character, acquirements and qualifications of
    the petitioner.'" Id., quoting S.J.C. Rule 3:01, § 1.4.
    When Murray files the materials enumerated in S.J.C. Rule
    3:01, § 1.4, "and his application is otherwise complete, it will
    be referred to the board for its consideration." Swanson, 483
    Mass. at 1024. See Osakwe, 
    448 Mass. at 87
    . "The board
    examines an applicant's education and moral character. Those
    satisfying its standards may sit for the bar examination and, if
    successful, be admitted to practice. . . . The educational
    requirements to sit for the examination include a . . . college
    degree (or the equivalent)," 
    id.,
     and that the petitioner have
    graduated from a law school that meets the rule's criteria. See
    S.J.C. Rule 3:01, §§ 3.1, 3.2.
    We recognize that the court has authority to waive
    particular requirements of S.J.C. Rule 3:01 and that it has
    exercised that authority in appropriate circumstances. See,
    e.g., Novak v. Board of Bar Examiners, 
    397 Mass. 270
    , 274
    (1986). In the county court, Murray's "declaration" expressly
    sought a waiver of the provisions of S.J.C. Rule 3:01, § 3.3,
    v. Bar Counsel, 
    442 Mass. 372
    , 379 (2004).   All other requests
    for relief are denied.
    3
    which concerns the requirement that a petitioner successfully
    complete the Massachusetts bar examination. He also suggested
    that he is qualified to receive an honorary law degree. Murray
    did not, however, seek a waiver of other requirements of S.J.C.
    Rule 3:01. In the circumstances, there was no error in the
    single justice's determination that Murray's filing did not
    comply with the rule. See Novak, 
    397 Mass. at 271
    . We decline
    to consider for the first time on appeal whether, as Murray now
    argues, the rule's requirements should be broadly waived. See
    Cariglia v. Bar Counsel, 
    442 Mass. 372
    , 379 (2004).
    The judgment of the single justice denying on the record
    before him Murray's "Petition to take the Massachusetts Bar
    Examination" is affirmed. The single justice's denial of
    Murray's motion for partial summary judgment also is affirmed.
    So ordered.
    The case was submitted on briefs.
    James Murray, pro se.