Does anybody know if 3L law students are allowed to try cases in court if they have their student bar card?

My misdemeanor chief said I need to check because you have to be SWORN to represent the state of Texas in court and you have to be an attorney to be sworn. Is there an exception for students?

Thanks for the info!

The way I remember it is that a 3L barcard allows you to try cases as long as you sit with an attorney who has more than (I think) 5 years or more practicing law. That's it. I remember I tried cases when I had my 3L barcard and it was pretty simple. Good luck!

A law student with a 3L bar card can try cases in court as long as they sit with one of the sponsors on the back of their card. My 3L card had 4 attorneys listed on the back. You have to work with one of those lawyers. The attorneys must have 5 yrs experience to be listed.

I certainly hope so, for those 800 mental health cases wherein I represented the state, and the three appeals I wrote at the time would otherwise be suspect. Though, in retrospect, those who know me think they were suspect anyway!

When I was a 3L I tried a few cases with an attorney in the back of the room-- he didn't have 5 yrs experience, nor was he listed on my card (which didn't have anyone listed.) That was in 1999-2000 so perhaps rules have changed.

Postconviction Litigation
Office of the Attorney General