Good moral character is a defined legal concept in United States law which details requirements for consideration for certain benefits or positions. The term is primarily used by the federal government in immigration law, but it is often a requirement for a particular position of employment or license in a specific occupation or profession. It is basically a statement that the person concerned
. has a history of good work ethics, has little or no criminal history, and is capable of conducting themselves in a respectable and ethical manner. The certificate, letter or written statement is required for admission to practice law, government employment, admission to colleges or universities, applications for citizenship in a country or nation and often as a prerequisite for employment with a company that experiences a lot of exposure to the public. In order to gain U.S. citizenship through naturalization, a person needs to have a history of good moral character. While good moral character is not necessarily a set of personal qualities, the term describes behaviors in which the applicants are not involved. It is related to the concept of moral turpitude, which is another legal concept common in the United States that is often used in similar instances. The precise requirements concerning representation of moral character for government and commercial employers are widely varied. Background checks are considered by many employers as a type of verification of good moral character. These types of verification are often accompanied by drug testing. For admission to the bar in the United States, lawyers must go through extensive moral character checks as part of the application process. For entrance to a state college or university, it is customary to provide at least three letters or statements from teachers or employers verifying positive moral character. Although often handwritten, there are several sites which provide examples of and templates for these type of recommendations. Listed are some links to such sites. More Reference Links: http://www.lettercover.com/category/certificate/ http://forms.justia.com/rhode-island/statewide/supreme-court/admission-to-rhode-island-bar/certificate-of-good-moral-character-14376.html
