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State Board of Law Examiners

WHAT’S NEW?

  1. Adoption of the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). Effective with the February 2007 General Bar Examination, the MPT will become a component of the written test. The 90 minute MPT question will be given the twice weight of a single essay question. Seven essay questions will be administered in the morning session and three essay questions plus the MPT will be administered in the afternoon session. With the addition of the MPT, the duration of the morning session of the written test will be extended from 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes, and the afternoon session will be extended from 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. The total testing time for the written test will be extended from 5 hours to 5 hours 40 minutes.

  2. Adoption and Application of the Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct. On April 15, 2005, the State Board of Law Examiners adopted amendments to Board Rule 3. Examination Subject Matter and Board Rule 5. Out-of-State Attorney Examination to conform these rules to the adoption of the Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct by the Court of Appeals of Maryland on February 8, 2005. The Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct are effective July 1, 2005.

The State Board of Law Examiners determined that the existing Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, which govern matters occurring before July 1, 2005, will be the applicable rules for the General Bar Examination and the Out-of-State Attorney Bar Examination administered on July 26 & 27, 2005.

The State Board of Law Examiners determined that the new Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct will be the applicable rules for the General Bar Examination and the Out-of-State Attorney Bar Examination administered on February 21 & 22, 2006 and all subsequent Maryland Bar Examinations.

  1. Title 5. Evidence in the Maryland Rules explicitly recognized as a source of law for the General Bar Examination. On November 11, 2004, the State Board of Law Examiners amended Board Rule 3. Examination – Subject Matter.

The amendment to Board Rule 3 recognizes explicitly that certain Maryland Rules of Evidence are codified as Title 5. Evidence in the Maryland Rules, Annotated Code of Maryland. This revision does not change the scope of the Maryland Bar examination; it states explicitly the location of certain statutory evidence rules. This change is effective immediately.

  1. Adoption of West’s Annotated Code of Maryland and Addition of the Criminal Procedure Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to the Out-of-State Attorney Examination. On November 11, 2004, the State Board of Law Examiners amended Board Rule 5. Out-of-State Attorney Examination. The amendment to Board Rule 5 enacts two principal changes.

    1. Effective immediately, references to the Maryland Rules have been changed to reflect adoption of the 2002 edition of West’s Annotated Code of Maryland (and its subsequent replacement volumes) as evidence of the law in the State of Maryland. Prior to October 1, 2003, The Michie Company published the only officially recognized Annotated Code of Maryland, and

    2. The Criminal Procedure Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland has been added to the subject matter which may be tested on the Out-of-State Attorneys Examination effective for examinations administered after January 1, 2006.

  2. New Filing Deadlines for the Original Petition for the General Bar Examination and New Requirement for Final Law School Transcript. Effective March 1, 2004, the filing deadline for the original petition (certifying law school graduation) is May 20th for a July examination and December 20th for a February examination.

The original petition must be notarized by the bar applicant prior to filing with the State Board of Law Examiners. However, no law school certification of graduation is required prior to filing the original petition with the Board. After the bar examination is administered, the Board will send the notarized original petition of each first time applicant to the applicant’s law school for certification by the Dean of the law school.

A bar applicant must have graduated from law school or must be unqualifiedly eligible for graduation prior to the first day of the Maryland bar examination that he or she takes. Not later than September 1st after taking a July bar examination and not later than March 15th after taking a February bar examination, the Board must receive directly from the law school an OFFICIAL LAW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT showing that the applicant graduated or was unqualifiedly eligible for graduation prior to the first day of the examination taken. It is the applicant’s responsibility to pay any fee or complete any form required by the law school to ensure that the law school sends the official transcript to the Board by the deadline. A transcript is not required from an applicant who is retaking the examination and previously arranged for a transcript to be delivered to the Board.

  1. Prohibition on Digital Watches and Devices at the General Bar Examination. The only time keeping device which an applicant is permitted to use at the Bar examination is a non-digital (analog) wristwatch with no audible alarm. The Board prohibits digital watches, stop watches, clocks, and all digital devices. Do not bring personal digital assistants, cell phones, cameras, imaging devices, or any other electronic device to the examination site. Possession or use of a prohibited device at the examination site will be treated as a cheating incident. Test proctors will confiscate prohibited devices.

  2. Prohibition on Study Materials, Backpacks, Carry Bags and Luggage. No Bar Review materials or texts, law books, or law related notes or reference material of any description are permitted at the Bar Examination site. Possession of any such material will be treated as a cheating incident. Backpacks, brief cases, carry bags, and luggage of any description are prohibited at the examination site. This prohibition of extraneous materials is to heighten site security and simplify entry procedures. MEN’S WALLETS, WOMEN’S HANDBAGS AND PURSES AND LUNCH BAGS/ BOXES ARE PERMITTED.

  3. Forms for Test Accommodations. There is a new form for requesting test accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act and expanded guidelines describing the supporting documentation which must be submitted with the request. The new form is entitled “Applicant’s Accommodations Request Form.” The same form and documentation guidelines may be used by applicants applying as experienced attorneys pursuant to Bar Admission Rule 13. See the General Bar Examination Details. The form and supporting documentation must be filed not later than May 20th for a July exam and not later than December 20th for a February exam for a general bar applicant. The form and documentation must be filed not later than 60 days prior to the examination for an applicant taking the Out-of-State Attorneys bar exam.

  4. Oath Required within 24 Months. Effective January 1, 2002, a candidate who has passed the Maryland bar examination may not take the oath of admission to the Bar later than 24 months after the date that the Court of Appeals ratified the Board’s report for that examination. A candidate who fails to take the oath within the required time period shall reapply for admission and retake the bar examination. See Bar Admission Rule 12.