District of Columbia Bar Exam Information

2010 exam dates and location(s)

The February 2010 District of Columbia bar exam will take place on Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24. The July 2010 D.C. bar exam will take place on Tuesday, July 27 and Wednesday, July 28.

MEE subjects (MBE subjects are in bold)

Agency, Commercial Paper, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Conflict of Laws, Corporations, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Federal Civil Procedure, Partnerships, Real Property, Sales, Secured Transactions, Torts, Trusts and Future Interests, and Wills.

Structure

The Tuesday exam day consists of the written portion of the exam – two MPTs (90 minutes, 45 points each) and six MEE questions (30 minutes, 15 points each). The Wednesday exam day consists of the MBE. The MBE is a 200 question multiple choice exam. 100 questions are asked in the morning over a three hour period, and 100 questions are asked in the afternoon over a three hour period. The MBE has 33 questions each for Contracts and Torts, and 31 questions each for Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, and Real Property. 190 of the 200 questions are graded, the other 10 are experimental. 200 questions over six hours averages out to 1.8 minutes per question.

Scoring

The total score of the D.C. exam is comprised of 50% MBE, 25% MPT, and 25% MEE. The written portion of the exam is worth 180 points, and is scaled to the MBE. Examinees must score a minimum scaled score of 133 on both the MBE and the written portion. Thus, the minimum scaled score required for passing is 266.

MPRE

Applicants must score a minimum of a 75 on the MPRE. Note that an applicant must provide an official MPRE score report even if he or she specified D.C. as a reporting jurisdiction. This report must be submitted within one year from the date results are released.

Pass rate

D.C.’s pass rate for the February 2009 exam was 57% for first time takers, and 44% for all takers.

Bar examiner contact information

Application deadlines

The timely deadline for the February 2010 exam is December 15, 2009. The late deadline is December 30, 2009.

The timely deadline for the July 2010 exam is May 3, 2010. The late deadline is May 18, 2010.

Note that applications must be received at the Committee’s office by 4:00 PM on these dates.

Application fees

Applicants must submit a separate certified check, cashier’s check, or money order for each of the following: 1) $100 for exam application, payable to “Clerk, D.C. Court of Appeals,” 2) $200 for late exam application, payable to “Clerk, D.C. Court of Appeals,” 3) $40 for the NCBE written exam, payable to “National Conference of Bar Examiners,” and 4) $52 for NCBE MBE exam, payable to “National Conference of Bar Examiners.” There is also a fee for the NCBE character report.

Forms

Applications must be typed. An application consists of the following: 1) one original and one copy of the character and fitness application and D.C. specific forms, 2) proof of law school graduation (Certificate A) form, 3) the Examination Registration Questionnaire, 4) the Attestation Page (must be signed and notarized within five days of application submission date), and 5) three Authorization and Release forms (must be signed and notarized within five days of application submission date).

The Committee acknowledges the receipt of each application by mail the month after it is received. The Committee mails admission tickets 10 days prior to the exam.

Character and Fitness considerations

Applicants must use the character and fitness application supplied by the NCBE. Applicants must file one original plus one copy of the application.

Results

The Committee releases results in mid-May for the February exam, and in mid-November for the July exam. The Committee posts the pass list on its website and the D.C. Bar’s website. The Committee notifies successful applicants in writing of their MBE scaled score. The Committee notifies unsuccessful applicants in writing of all of their scores. Unsuccessful applicants can review their essays and model answers at a date and time specified by the Committee.

Admission to bar

Examinees must appear in person to administer an oath and sign the roll of attorneys. The Committee will notify examinees by letter of two dates upon which they can appear (one date three weeks after and another date seven weeks after results are released). The Committee requires examinees to appear within 90 days.

*All state bar exam information is subject to change without notice; please verify this information with the bar examiner’s office.*