- When are the upcoming California bar exams?
- Why do I have to take the bar exam in order to practice law in California?
- What is the bar exam?
- What is the format of the bar exam?
1. When are the upcoming California bar exams?
A: The California bar exam is administered twice a year, once in February and once in July. The State Bar website provides general information about upcoming exams, including a list of the test sites, calendar of dates, etc..
2. Why do I have to take the bar exam in order to practice law in California?
A: The State Bar of California is responsible for protecting the public from lawyers who have not achieved a standard of "minimum competency" to practice law in California. The bar exam is that test of "minimum competency." The State Bar website provides the complete rules regulating admission to practice law in California.
3. What is the bar exam?
A: The bar exam is a basic test of two things. First, the bar exam tests whether you have the minimum competency to practice law in California. It tests your ability to "think like a lawyer" by evaluating whether you can spot the legal issues, recall and apply the appropriate rules of law to the given facts, present relevant arguments, and write in a concise lawyer-like manner.
Second, the bar exam tests your knowledge of the rules of law in 13 topics: Business Associations, Civil Procedure, Community Property, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Real Property, Remedies, Torts, Trusts, and Wills and Succession. The State Bar website provides information about the scope of coverage in some of the topics, as well as the new subject areas added in July 2007. The State Bar is in the process of completing similar scope of coverage outlines for the remaining subjects.
4. What is the format of the bar exam?
A: The General Bar Exam consists of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), six essay questions and two performance tests (PTs). On days 1 and 3, applicants will be given three hours in the morning session for 3 essay questions and 3 hours in the afternoon session for a PT. On Day 2, the MBE will be administered.
The Attorney's Exam consists of six essay questions and two performance tests, essentially Days 1 and 3 of the GBE. Read a general description of the bar exam.
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