Application of Fink

Fink and others, who failed to pass the Alaska bar examination given by the Territorial Board of Law Examiners provided for by Alaska Compiled Laws Annotated, (1949), §§ 35-2-31 to 35-2-51, filed a petition in the court below praying that they be admitted to practice law in Alaska “and for such other and further relief as the court may deem equitable”. No person or board was named as respondent and the proceeding below, as well as the appeal here, was entirely ex parte.

The court below assumed it had inherent power to admit to practice, but declined, as it had the right to do, to exercise that…