Michigan Bar Exam Information

2010 exam dates and location(s)

The February 2010 Michigan bar exam will take place on Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24. The July 2010 Michigan bar exam will take place on Tuesday, July 27 and Wednesday, July 28. Exams are given at Michigan State University in East Lansing (at the Kellogg Center in February, and the Breslin Center in July).

Subject matter (MBE subjects are in bold)

Real and Personal Property; Wills and Trusts; Contracts; Constitutional Law; Criminal Law and Procedure; Corporations; Partnerships; Agency; Evidence; Creditor’s Rights (including Mortgages, Garnishments, and Attachments); Practice and Procedure (trial and appellate, state and federal); Equity; Torts (including no-fault); UCC (Sales, Negotiable Instruments, and Secured Transactions); Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct; Domestic Relations; Conflict of Laws; and Worker’s Compensation.

Structure

The Tuesday exam day consists of 15 essays, divided into a three-hour morning session and a two-hour afternoon session. 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

Effective February 2009, no examinee can pass the exam solely on the basis of his or her MBE score. The Board now grades all essay questions.

Each essay question is worth 10 points, for a total of 150 possible points. The essay scores are scaled to the 200-point MBE scale. The total exam score is determined by combining the scaled scores for the essays and the MBE and dividing the sum by two. An examinee must achieve an overall exam score of 135/200 in order to pass.

MPRE

An applicant for admission to the Michigan bar must achieve a minimum score of 85 on the MPRE. This score is valid indefinitely.

Pass rate

Michigan’s pass rate for the July 2008 exam was 83% for first time takers, and 74% for all takers.

Other exam information

The Board accepts concurrent MBE scores. Applicants may transfer such a score as long as he or she files a written notice of intent to transfer.

The Board will enforce a strict security policy at the exam site. Each examinee may bring into the exam one plastic food storage bag (one gallon maximum size) in which the examinee must fit all of his or her permitted items.

Bar examiner contact information

Application deadlines

Applications for the February Michigan bar exam can be filed as early as August 15, but to be considered timely they must be filed no later than November 1. Late applications will be accepted through December 15.

Applications for the July Michigan bar exam can be filed as early as January 15, but to be considered timely they must be filed no later than March 1. Late applications will be accepted through May 15.

Application fees

Applicants must submit along with their application, the following fees: 1) the application fee (plus late fee, if applicable), 2) the investigation fee, 3) the fingerprint processing fee, and 4) the NCBE application fee.

The bar exam application fee for a timely submitted application is $340. An applicant will be assessed a late fee of $100 (for a total application fee of $440) for an application submitted late.

The investigation fee for a timely submitted application is $225. An applicant will be assessed a late fee of $100 (for a total investigation fee of $323) for an application submitted late.

The fingerprint processing fee is $49.25.

The application, investigation, and fingerprint processing fees should be paid via money order, cashier’s check, or certified check made payable to “State of Michigan.”

The NCBE application is fee is $21, payable by Visa or MasterCard only.

Forms

A Bar Application Kit, which includes bar exam applications and forms, is available online from the State Bar of Michigan.

To confirm receipt of submitted materials, applicants should send all materials via certified mail, return receipt requested and/or include a postage-paid, self-addressed postcard along with the application.

Applicants will receive an individual admission certificate during the first week of the month of the exam.

Character and Fitness considerations

A candidate is required to have a Character & Fitness certification from every law school the candidate attended. Character & Fitness clearance is valid for three years.

Results

The Board releases results for the February exam in mid-May, and results for the July exam in mid-November. The Board posts exam results to its website. Exam results are valid for three years. An examinee may request a copy of the essay questions, model answers, and his or her answers for a fee of $20, paid via money order or certified check. An examinee may also request a breakdown of his or her MBE score.

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