West Virginia Bar Exam Information

2010 exam dates and locations

The February 2010 West Virginia bar exam will take place on Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, February 24. The July 2010 West Virginia bar exam will take place on Tuesday, July 27 and Wednesday, July 28. Exams are given in Charleston.

MEE subjects (MBE subjects are in bold)

Business Associations (Agency and Partnerships, and Corporations and Limited Liability Companies); Conflict of Laws; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law and Procedure; Evidence; Family Law; Federal Civil Procedure; Real Property; Torts; Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates, and Trusts and Future Interests); and Uniform Commercial Code (Negotiable Instruments and Secured Transactions).

Structure

The Tuesday exam day consists of the written portion of the exam – two MPTs (90 minutes each) and six MEE questions (30 minutes 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 MPT and MEE question scores are combined and scaled to the MBE. The MPT/MEE scaled score is combined with the MBE scaled score to determine the final score. Examinees must earn a combined scaled score of 270 to pass.

MPRE

Applicants must score a minimum of a 75 on the MPRE. This score must be achieved within 25 months of passing the exam. Note that an applicant must provide an official MPRE score report even if he or she specified West Virginia as a reporting state.

Pass rate

West Virginia’s pass rate for the July 2008 exam was 79% for first time takers, and 72% for all takers.

Bar examiner contact information

Application deadlines

The timely deadline for the February 2010 exam is November 1. The late deadline is December 1.

The timely deadline for the July 2010 exam is April 1. The late deadline is May 1.

Note that these deadlines are postmark dates.

Application fees

The application filing fee for the West Virginia exam is $375. An additional $150 fee is required of applications submitted late. These fees must be paid via check or money order payable to the “West Virginia Board of Law Examiners.” There is also an NCBE character and fitness application fee.

Forms

The following forms must be submitted to the Board: 1) one completed and notarized original character and fitness application along with three copies, 2) four completed Application Affidavits (with original signatures), and 3) four completed Affidavits of Authorization and Release (with original signatures).

Attachments

An applicant must submit an official transcript from the school that awarded his or her undergraduate degree and law degree. Applicants must also submit a credit report obtained within the 30 days preceding the application submission date. Also, as mentioned above, applicants must also submit an official MPRE score report.

Character and Fitness considerations

The character and fitness application for the West Virginia exam is available at www.ncbex.org/ea. Applicants must adhere to the following steps: 1) complete the application online and print two original copies, 2) sign and notarize the application where necessary, 3) make four copies (keep one for self), and 4) mail one original copy to the NCBE. Applications can pay via credit card on the website or via check or money order submitted with the original copy.

Results

The Board releases results approximately six to eight weeks after the exam. Results are posted online by application number and are also mailed.

Admission

The Board issues passing examinees a certificate of eligibility. An examinee must appear before the Supreme Court of Appeals within 12 months of receiving his or her certificate. At that time, an examinee takes an oath and signs the roll of attorneys. The Board holds the admission ceremony approximately one month after passing examinees are issued their certificates.

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