The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a two-hour multiple-choice examination designed to measure the knowledge and understanding of established standards related to a lawyer's professional conduct. It is developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is US based non-profit organization that develops the Multistate Bar Examination and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, as well as many other stardardized tests for lawyers. ...

As of the March 2006 administration, the test consists of 60 questions. Only 50 are scored; the other 10 (randomly scattered throughout the exam) will be used for experimental purposes. An additional 10 survey questions at the end of the exam are used to evaluate the conditions of the testing center. The raw score is converted to a "scaled score" based on the measured difficulty of the version of the test taken; the scaled score is used to determine passing scores. Scaled scores range between 50 and 150, with a median very close to 100.

Of the 56 jurisdictions in the United States (the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau), 52 require a minimum passing score on the MPRE for bar admission. The passing score varies between jurisdictions. The lowest score accepted by any jurisdiction is 75 (several); the highest required by any state is 86 (currently Utah; California will raise its required score to 86 effective January 1, 2008). The next highest required score is 85, currently required by 15 states (among them Arizona, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia). Only Maryland, Puerto Rico, Washington, and Wisconsin do not use the MPRE; these jurisdictions incorporate their own ethics rules in their bar examinations. Wisconsin is also unique in that graduates of law schools within that state need not take the bar examination in order to be admitted in that state (see diploma privilege). California uses the MPRE even though it is the only jurisdiction that has not adopted either of the two sets of professional responsibility rules proposed by the American Bar Association — and California rules differ from the ABA rules in many ways. Connecticut and New Jersey waive the MPRE requirement for bar candidates who have earned a grade of "C" or better in a law school course in professional ethics. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Minor parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries â€¢ Politics Portal • • A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to... Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... It has been suggested that Califas be merged into this article or section. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq mi (32,160 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,824 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A bar examination is a lengthy examination (two or more days) conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction. ... The diploma privilege is a method for lawyers to be admitted to the bar without taking a bar examination. ... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ...

Some states have unique requirements regarding the timing of the MPRE in relation to the bar exam. Four states—Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Nebraska—currently require that all candidates for the bar exam achieve a passing MPRE score before sitting for the exam. Iowa requires the passing score to be on file several months before the exam, with a petition process for candidates who pass the March MPRE and the July bar exam in the same year. Illinois only recognizes scores from the two MPRE administrations immediately prior to its bar exam, which effectively means that a student who wishes to be admitted in Illinois should not take the MPRE more than nine months before graduation. Many other states have a "window" either preceding or surrounding the bar exam outside of which MPRE scores are not recognized. Disclaimer: These examples should not be considered authoritative. Readers who are planning to take a bar exam should examine the rules of that jurisdiction. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

The test is based on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, as well as controlling constitutional decisions and generally accepted principles established in leading federal and state cases and in procedural and evidentiary rules (courtesy American Bar Association website and National Conference of Bar Examiners MPRE website).

The MPRE differs from the remainder of the bar examination in two crucial ways:

• In almost all states, a J.D. is required to sit for the bar exam. The MPRE can be, and almost always is, taken before graduation from law school.
• MPRE scores from any jurisdiction in the United States are automatically recognized by all other jurisdictions (assuming that any special timing requirements are met), although in order to be admitted to a bar, an applicant must meet that jurisdiction's minimum passing score. Scores on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), another component of the bar exam in almost all states, do not necessarily transfer between jurisdictions. Some jurisdictions will not accept an MBE score from any other jurisdiction; some others only accept MBE scores from another jurisdiction if the applicant is concurrently taking the bar exam in two jurisdictions; still others require a minimum MBE score for transfer.

Juris Doctor (J.D.) is a first degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries, most notably the United States. ... The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a six-hour, two-hundred question multiple-choice examination covering contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, and real property. ...

Passing scores by jurisdictions

• Source: http://www.abanet.org (2005)

See also

• Bar examination

A bar examination is a lengthy examination (two or more days) conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction. ...

External links

• Official Homepage