Credit Hours and Accreditation Standards

(A) Credit Hours: CLE credit hours shall be computed by the following formula: Total minutes /60 = total credit hours. Credit hours shall be rounded to the nearest 1/10th of an hour. Unless otherwise provided in these Rules, only legal education shall be included in computing the total hours of actual instruction. Programs may be split into accredited and non-accredited hours. Non-instructional portions of programs, such as breaks and introductory remarks, shall not be included in the credit computation. Business meetings or portions of programs devoted to the business of the presenting group do not qualify for credit. (B) Accreditation Standards: The Commission shall approve continuing legal education activities consistent with the following standards: (1) The activity shall have significant intellectual or practical content and the primary objective shall be to increase the participant’s professional competence as a lawyer or a judge; (2) The activity shall constitute an organized program of learning dealing with matters directly related to the practice of law, the exercise of judicial responsibility, professional responsibility, law office management, use of technology, or the ethical obligations of lawyers or judges; (3) Credit may be given for continuing legal education activities where (i) in person or televised live instruction is used or (ii) mechanically or electronically recorded or reproduced material is used in an organized program; (4) Continuing legal education materials are to be offered, and activities conducted, by an individual or group qualified by practical or academic experience in a setting physically suitable to the educational activity of the program; (5) Thorough, high quality, and carefully prepared written materials should be made available to all who attend the course. It is recognized that written materials are not suitable or readily available for some types of subjects; the absence of written materials should, however, be the exception and not the rule. (C) Activities for Which CLE Credit Will Not Be Approved: The Commission will not approve: (1) Courses designed to review or refresh recent law school graduates or other Attorneys in preparation for any bar examination; (2) Activities for which the Attorney has already received credit in another form, including attendance. For example, an Attorney who prepared materials and received credit for presenting a seminar may not also receive credit for the publication of those materials, or for attendance during the time spent speaking at the seminar. However, the Attorney may receive credit for attending portions of the seminar which the Attorney did not teach, and the Attorney may receive credit notwithstanding that the Attorney also seeks or receives CLE credit for the activity from another jurisdiction. (D) Disabilities and Special Circumstances: An Attorney who has a disability or some other special circumstance, which makes attendance at continuing legal education activities inordinately difficult for a substantial period of time, may file a request with the Commission for a permanent substitute program in lieu of attendance, or a temporary substitute program in lieu of attendance during the period of the disability or special circumstance. The Attorney shall state in writing to the Commission the reasons for the request and a proposal for a continuing legal education plan tailored to the Attorney’s circumstances. The Commission shall promptly review the request, seek such additional information as appropriate, and approve or disapprove such plans on an individual basis.