Opinion ID: 1948306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Standard of Review Rubenstein's Contention

Text: Rubenstein has appealed to this Court for relief from the Board's action. Supr.Ct.R. 52. The Board's ruling would prevent Rubenstein from ever gaining admission to the Delaware Bar. Consequently, the Board's denial of Rubenstein's petition has affected her substantial rights, as required by Supreme Court Rule 52(f). Therefore, it is appropriate for this Court to consider the merits of Rubenstein's petition for relief. This Court will not set aside the determination of the Board as to an applicant's professional competence unless the applicant demonstrates fraud, coercion, arbitrariness, or manifest unfairness. In re Reardon, Del. Supr., 378 A.2d 614, 618 (1977). Rubenstein does not allege that the Board conducted itself in either a fraudulent or a coercive manner. Rather, she contends that the Board's decision to grant her additional time on the essays but not on the MBE section of the Bar Examination was both arbitrary and manifestly unfair. Rubenstein argues that the Board's accommodations to her during the 1993 Bar Examination were an unreasonable response to her undisputed learning disability. Rubenstein asserts that she has demonstrated her professional competence by passing the essay section of the Bar Examination in 1993 and the MBE section of the Bar Examination in 1992. Accordingly, Rubenstein asks this Court to direct the Board to suspend the application of Board Rule 52.4(c), which requires an applicant to achieve specified minimum scores on both sections of the Delaware Bar Examination in the same administration of that test, and to certify her as qualified for admission to the Delaware Bar. Compare In re Hudson, Del.Supr., 402 A.2d 369, 371 (1979).