The District of Columbia will adopt the UBE starting with the July 2016 administration of the exam. These changes were posted a few days ago and will be effective March 1, 2016. For all intents and purposes this does not changes anything about the actual exam itself, meaning the components (MBE, MEE and MPT) as well as the timing and subject matter tested, are unchanged. This does increase the portability and reciprocity of taking the DC bar exam however and is a welcome move. The court has rejected some other changes, including allowing third year law students to sit for the exam in DC, and those details are in the court order. Interestingly, there is now a limit on the number of times someone can sit for the DC bar exam, 4 times. The details of all these changes are posted in the full court order. Essentially, the rule change states that except for “extraordinary circumstances” no one will be allowed to take the DC bar exam more than four times. For those people out there that have already taken it four or more times, they will be allowed one more attempt before not being allowed to take the exam again.
Passing scores, time to apply, MBE transfer and MBE transfer minimum passing scores all remain the same. Again, these changes go into effect March 1, 2016 (after the February 2016 exam) so folks taking the exam this February need not concern yourselves.
See the full details in the court order here.
10 replies on “Washington DC adopts UBE for July 2016 and other changes”
Will there be a difference in taking the UBE in Washington DC as opposed to New York in July 2016? If so, do you have a recommendation on where to take it?
The passing score will be the same, 266 so there are no differences from purely an exam perspective. In New York these is the state specific additional component but that is separate and in addition to the ube. The main differences will be location and the people proctoring the exam. The DC folks are not always the best, this February’s exam is a special kind of disaster, so I’d probably recommend NY all else being equal.
Hey Dwight! Any word on the results being posted tomorrow? May 6? I see last year it was May 1 and May 7 the year before…also curios why this year’s exam was a special kind of disaster – lol! Thanks!
I am keeping my fingers crossed that they are able to pull it together by tomorrow, but as I’ve said before, don’t hold your breath.
I’m wondering if I passed DC in Feb. 2014 and now they’re utilizing a UBE exam. Could I use my score to waive into one of the other UBE states?
I don’t believe so.
Hi, I have a quick question. Do you think the content of the Barbri books be changed because DC has now accepted the UBE changes from February 2016 exam to now? And will the exam techniques change? What does adopting the UBE mean for the students taking the exam?
No, absolutely nothing should change whatsoever. The exam is the essentially the exact same as before.
Thank you for your quick response! Not sure why Barbri and other course handlers are saying students should get new books!
Not sure either, maybe trying to sell new materials or just clueless.