District of Columbia Bar Exam (UBE) details
A typical District of Columbia Bar Exam is a 2-day Uniform Bar Exam (UBE)
District of Columbia Bar exam information is subject to change without notice. Please verify with the D.C Committee on Admissions.
Please also reference the NCBE Covid-19 updates page for NCBE updates and individual jurisdiction announcements.
Day 1
- Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test questions (MPT in the AM)
- Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam questions (MEE in the PM)
Day 2
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM)
MBE
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
MEE
- Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations; and Limited Liability Companies)
- Conflict of Laws
- Family Law
- Trusts and Estates (Decedents' Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)
- Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code
- Plus all MBE subjects
MPT
- “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
MPRE
- A scaled score of 75 on the MPRE is required for admission.
Click here to learn more about the MPRE.
- MBE weighted 50%
- MEE weighted 30%
- MPT weighted 20%
An applicant taking both the essay portion and the MBE portion of the bar examination is required to achieve a combined scaled score of 266 to pass the examination.
Acceptance of MBE or D.C. Bar Exam Score
An applicant who received an MBE scaled score of 133 or higher on a prior MBE (taken within 25 months of the present exam) may waive in the MBE score and take only the essay exam. An essay score of 133 will then be required to pass the D.C. exam.
An applicant who received a scaled essay score of 133 or higher on a prior D.C. Bar Exam (taken within 25 months of the present exam) may waive in the essay score and take only the MBE. A scaled MBE score of 133 will then be required to pass the D.C. exam.
Admission on Motion
An applicant who has been a member of another bar and in good standing for five years immediately preceding application may be admitted without exam.
An applicant may be admitted without exam if applicant received a scaled MBE score of 133 or higher on an exam upon which applicant was admitted in another jurisdiction, achieved a scaled score of 75 or better on MPRE, and has a J.D. or LL.B. from an ABA accredited law school.
Admission by UBE
An applicant may be eligible for admission without examination if the applicant has achieved a scaled score of 266 or higher in another UBE jurisdiction. The passing UBE scaled score must be achieved no more than five years before the filing of the application.
We compile all of the information that you need to know about the dates, format, subjects tested, deadlines, fees and more - for each U.S. state - in the free BARBRI Bar Exam Digest.
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