The First Legislature of the State of Louisiana required the examination of an applicant by judges.
"SECT. 25. And be it further enacted, That no counsellor or attorney at law shall be permitted to practice in either of the courts created by this act, unless in addition to the qualifications prescribed and required by the existing laws and regulations, he shall procure the certificate of at least two of the judges of the supreme court, that after due and strict examination in open court, they find him well and duly qualified to practice as an attorney and counsellor at law in the several courts of this state. Provided, that in the different districts except the first, the attornies[sic] and counsellors heretofore authorised[sic] to practice before the courts of the late Territory of Orleans, shall be permitted to exercise their profession during six months from the passage of this act, before the supreme and district courts without such examination."
Approved February 10th, 1813
The Supreme Court of Louisiana adopted this rule:
"The following Rule relative to the admission of Counsellors and Attorneys, was this day Ordered by the Court to be recorded in the words following, to wit,
It is hereby ordered by the Court, that from this date, no person shall be examined for the purpose of admission as Counsellor or Attorney, unless in addition to all other things required by Law, he produce to the Court a Certificate of having been in the Office of some practising [sic] Attorney for at least three years previous to any application made to be admitted--Except such as produce a license given in any other State or Territory of the Union, or such as have heretofore been admitted under the late Territorial Government."
[June 14, 1813, Book 1, 1813-1818, 29]
This is taken from the Supreme Court Minute Books, as reported by Warren M. Billings in his book The Historic Rules of the Supreme Court of Louisiana 1813-1879.
