Uniform Bar Examination (UBE)[edit]

Main article: Uniform Bar Examination

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NCBE has developed a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which consists solely of the
MBE, MEE, and MPT, and offers portability of scores across state lines. Missouri
became the first state to adopt the UBE;[37] both that state and North Dakota were the
first to administer the UBE, doing so in February 2011. Following Missouri's lead,
several other jurisdictions, all of which were among the 22 that already were using all
three components of the UBE, are expected to adopt that examination. However, many
of the largest legal markets – California, Florida, Illinois and Texas – have so far chosen
not to adopt the UBE. Among the concerns cited with the adoption of the UBE were its
absence of questions on state law and the fact that it would give the NCBE much
greater power in the bar credentialing process.[38]
As of January 2017,[39] the Uniform Bar Examination Jurisdictions are (date of first UBE
administration in parentheses):

 Alabama (July 2011)

 Alaska (July 2014)
 Arizona (July 2012)
 Colorado (February 2012)
 Connecticut (January 2017)
 District of Columbia (January 2016)
 Idaho (February 2012)
 Iowa (February 2016) [40]
 Kansas (February 2016)
 Maine (July 2017)
 Massachusetts (January 2018)
 Minnesota (February 2014)
 Missouri (February 2011)
 Montana (July 2013)
 Nebraska (February 2013)
 New Hampshire (February 2014)
 New Jersey (February 2016)
 New Mexico (January 2016)
 New York (July 2016)
 North Dakota (February 2011)
 Oregon (January 2017)
 South Carolina (January 2017)
 Utah (February 2013)
 Vermont (January 2016)
 Washington (July 2013)
 West Virginia (January 2017)
 Wyoming (July 2013)
Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)[edit]
The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination
created and sold to participating state bar examiners. [41]
Description[edit]
The examination is administered on a single day of the bar examination in 49 states and
the District of Columbia, as well as in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau. The only state that does not administer the
MBE is Louisiana, which follows a civil law system very different from the law in other
states. The MBE is also not administered in Puerto Rico, which, like Louisiana, has a
civil law system.[42] The MBE is given twice a year: on the last Wednesday of July in all
jurisdictions that require that examination, and on the last Wednesday of February in the
same jurisdictions, except for Delaware and North Dakota.
The 200 MBE questions test six subjects based upon principles of common law and
Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (covering sales of goods) that apply
throughout the United States. The questions are not broken down into sections and the
six topics are distributed more or less evenly throughout the course of the exam. Exam-
takers generally receive three hours during the morning session to complete the first
100 questions, and another three hours during the afternoon session to complete the
second 100 questions.
In January 2009, NCBE indicated that it was considering adding a seventh topic, civil
procedure, to the examination.[43] Civil Procedure was scheduled to make its first
showing on the MBE in February 2015.
Average scores[edit]
The average raw score from the summer exam historically has been about 128 [citation needed],
or about 67% correct (only 175 of the 200 questions are scored with the remaining 25
questions being evaluated for future use[44]), while the average scaled score in 2007 was
about 140.[45] In summer 2007, the average scaled score was 143.7 with a standard
deviation of 15.9. Over 50,000 applicants took the test; less than half that number took it
in the winter.
Transfer of MBE scores[edit]
Taking the MBE in one jurisdiction may allow an applicant to use his or her MBE score
to waive into another jurisdiction or to use the MBE score with another state's bar
examination.[46]
Multistate Essay Examination (MEE)[edit]
The Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) is a collection of essay questions largely
concerning the common law administered as a part of the bar examination in 26
jurisdictions of the United States: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
New York, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau (Not part of the
United States), Rhode Island, South Carolina (eff. Feb. 2017), South Dakota, Utah,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.[47]
The MEE can cover any of the following areas: [48][49]