Testing Accommodations Appeals

General Information

An applicant whose request for testing accommodations was denied or only partially granted may file an appeal with the Office of Attorney Admissions (“OAA”). Applicants whose request for accommodations was returned as incomplete or rejected as untimely are precluded from appealing. An applicant cannot appeal a determination made on a prior accommodation request or upon reapplication for a new exam; the applicant would need to submit a new testing accommodation request on a subsequent exam.

Things to Consider:

• The appeal is not a substitute for an incomplete accommodations request. If an applicant’s request is returned as incomplete, the applicant must complete the request and send it back to the OAA before the deadline. Otherwise, the request will be deemed abandoned by the applicant.
• The appeal is the applicant’s opportunity to contest the deficiencies that the OAA or its expert consultant(s) noted and/or provide further explanation, information, or documentation that may aid the OAA in its review on appeal. The appeal should clarify facts and identify documentation, if any, that the OAA or its expert consultant(s) have overlooked or misapprehended.
• The appeal should include documentation not previously provided to the OAA; do not simply resubmit information provided with the initial accommodations request.
• The appeal may not present any new diagnosis or disability that was not identified in the applicant’s initial accommodations request.
• The appeal may not include any new accommodation request.
• Second or subsequent appeals may not be accepted by the OAA.

Instructions

1. An appealing applicant must have been denied accommodations in whole or in part.
2. Upon receiving the Accommodations Determination Letter, the applicant MUST IMMEDIATELY notify the OAA, by emailing our office at bleinfo@csc.state.co.us, they plan to file an appeal.
3. The written appeal must:
   • be typewritten,
   • attest to the truth and accuracy of the statements made therein,
   • be made under penalty of perjury, and
   • contain the applicant’s original signature and date.
4. The appeal must clarify facts or identify documentation, if any, that the OAA and/or its expert consultant(s) have overlooked or misapprehended.
5. The appeal should include additional documentation not previously submitted that supports the applicant’s position on appeal.
6. The appeal and additional documentation must be uploaded together to the applicant’s Citrix ShareFile® folder previously provided to them.
7. Once the applicant uploads their appeal and supporting documentation, the applicant MUST IMMEDIATELY inform the OAA via the Messaging Center in their online application portal that their appeal was uploaded to their assigned Citrix ShareFile® folder.
8. The appeal must be in writing and received by the OAA no later than 14 days from the date of the Accommodations Determination Letter. Upon a showing of good cause, the OAA may, in its discretion, extend this deadline if an applicant requests an extension of time within the 14-day period to appeal. Such extensions are not guaranteed and must be supported by good cause
9. The OAA will review the appeal and notify the applicant of its appeal decision as soon as reasonably possible. If the OAA grants the requested accommodations on appeal, the applicant will be provided with a new or updated Individual Exam Schedule.

NOTICE CONCERNING THE SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS IN DIGITAL FORMAT

The OAA will only accept documentation in digital format using Citrix ShareFile®. Upon submitting documents to the OAA in digital format, an applicant is representing that each digitized document is a complete and accurate representation of the original document. The OAA reserves the right to request production of the original of any uploaded document. Do not upload accommodations-related paperwork to your online admissions application.