Background: Maryland Rule 19-205(b)(2) requires the Character Questionnaire filed by UBE applicants (exam in Maryland or UBE transfer) to “be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the applicant meets the pre-legal education requirements of Rule 19-201(a)(1).” By Board policy, “satisfactory evidence” of pre-legal education is limited to an official undergraduate/college transcript issued to SBLE, except as otherwise described below.
Maryland Rules 19-206 and 19-207 also require that UBE exam and UBE Transfer applicants provide an official transcript showing the date the law school conferred the applicant’s JD degree, unless waived pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-201(b).
Procedure for submitting official UNDERGRADUATE TRANSCRIPTS:
- The Applicant should cause their undergraduate institution to issue an official transcript showing conferral of their bachelor’s degree or equivalent. (The transcript must be issued by the institution awarding the degree.) (Transcripts from non-degree undergraduate schools are not required.) (Partial/non-degree law school transcripts are not required.)
- The undergraduate/college transcript must arrive in SBLE’s office BEFORE or together with the required hard-copy Character Questionnaire.
- The transcript should be issued to: State Board of Law Examiners, Judiciary A-POD, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21401.
- SBLE will accept official electronic transcripts so long as the email delivering the transcript derives directly from the undergraduate institution or a transcript service such as Parchment.com, SCRIP-SAFE International (eSCRIP-SAFE.com) or the National Student Clearinghouse (studentclearinghouse.org), and the transcript is an “official electronic transcript.” (Scanned PDFs of hard copy official transcripts are generally not accepted.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: [email protected].
- If an electronic transcript is not available, the undergraduate institution should mail the transcript directly to SBLE, and it must arrive in SBLE’s office BEFORE the Applicant files the required hard-copy Character Questionnaire. (SBLE will record receipt of the undergraduate transcript on the Applicant’s “My Status” page in eBar and sent an email notification of the status update. The required hard copy Application may be filed immediately upon receipt of notification that the transcript was received by SBLE. Applicants should include a copy of the notification email in their filing.)
- If the Applicant believes that there may be insufficient time before an applicable filing deadline for the undergraduate institution to send a transcript directly to SBLE, the Applicant may obtain the sealed official transcript from the undergraduate institution and submit it to SBLE in person or by commercial delivery service along with the Application. (Paper transcripts delivered by the Applicant should meet the “Issued to SBLE” requirement and must remain in the original sealed enveloped as issued by the school.)
For Applicants unable to provide an official undergraduate/college transcript:
- Applicants admitted to law school without a bachelor’s or equivalent degree or under other conditions causing it to be impossible for the applicant to procure an official undergraduate/college transcript must cause their law school dean, registrar, or authorized admissions official to submit directly to SBLE a signed letter on law school/university letterhead certifying that the applicant’s pre-legal education satisfied the applicable American Bar Association standard for admission of applicants to law school.
- The required letter must arrive in SBLE’s office BEFORE or together with the required hard-copy Character Questionnaire.
Procedure for submitting LAW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS:
- The Applicant should cause their law school to issue an official transcript showing conferral of the JD degree. (The transcript must be issued by the institution awarding the degree.) (Transcripts from non-degree law schools are not required.) (Partial/non-degree law school transcripts are not required.)
- Except as set forth below, the date of conferral of the JD shown on the official law school transcript must PRECEDE the first day of the administration of the UBE in Maryland.
- For applicants taking the bar (General Bar or UBE), the law school transcript must arrive in SBLE’s office by the July 1 immediately preceding a July exam.
- For applicants taking the bar exam (General Bar or UBE), the law school transcript must arrive in SBLE’s office by the February 1 immediately preceding a February exam.
- For applicants planning to transfer a Qualifying UBE Score to Maryland, the law school transcript must arrive BEFORE or together with the required hard-copy Notice of Intent to Transfer a Qualifying UBE Score to Maryland
- The transcript should be issued to: State Board of Law Examiners, Judiciary A-POD, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21401.
- SBLE will accept official electronic transcripts so long as the email delivering the transcript derives directly from the law school or a transcript service such as Parchment.com, SCRIP-SAFE International (eSCRIP-SAFE.com) or the National Student Clearinghouse (studentclearinghouse.org), and the transcript is an “official electronic transcript.” (Scanned PDFs of hard copy official transcripts are generally not accepted.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: [email protected].
- If an electronic transcript is not available, the law school should mail the transcript directly to SBLE. (SBLE will record receipt of the law school transcript on the Applicant’s “My Status” page in eBar and sent an email notification of the status update.)
- If the Applicant believes that there may be insufficient time before an applicable filing deadline for the law school to send a transcript directly to SBLE, the Applicant may obtain the sealed official transcript from the law school and submit it to SBLE in person or by commercial delivery service. (Transcripts delivered by the Applicant should meet the “Issued to SBLE” requirement and must remain in the original sealed enveloped as issued by the school.)
For Applicants unable to provide a conforming law school transcript:
- Applicants sitting for the UBE in Maryland whose official law school transcript shows a graduation date after the first day of the bar exam they took must cause their law school dean, registrar, or authorized admissions official to submit directly to SBLE a signed letter on law school/university letterhead certifying that the applicant was “unqualifiedly eligible” for graduation prior to the first day of the Bar exam.
The required letter must arrive in SBLE’s office no later than the law school transcript deadline set forth above.