On 6 May 2025, Reuters reported on California’s bar exam, highlighting the fallout from the state’s failed attempt to implement a new licensing format. The California Supreme Court has ordered the cancellation of the state’s newly developed bar exam for the July 2025 sitting, following significant issues during its February administration.
The February exam, which was intended to be a cost-saving alternative to the national bar exam, was marred by technical failures and controversy over the undisclosed use of artificial intelligence to draft multiple-choice questions. The court expressed concern over the flawed drafting process and transparency lapses, ordering the State Bar of California to revert to the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) for the July test. This decision effectively ends California’s short-lived effort to independently develop and administer its own bar exam.
In light of the problems faced by February examinees, the court approved several scoring adjustments, including imputing scores for those unable to complete major parts of the test. The February pass rate was 55.9%. The State Bar now projects that addressing the aftermath will incur an additional cost of at least USD 2.3 million—offsetting the USD 3.8 million in anticipated annual savings.
Following this development, the bar exam will once again be conducted in person and follow the previous MBE-based format. Additionally, State Bar Executive Director Leah Wilson announced her resignation, effective July, citing the February exam failure as a contributing factor.