California To Give Online Bar Exam On Oct. 5-6, Permanently Lower Cut Score, Provide Provisional Licensure For Class Of 2020 Grads

California Supreme Court:

The California Supreme Court on Thursday announced it will permanently lower the passing score for the California Bar Exam and released plans for an October test administered online.

The court’s letter to State Bar of California trustees includes the following measures for exam takers and 2020 law school graduates:

• The California Bar Exam will be administered online on October 5-6; 
• The court directed the State Bar to extend registration for the October exam through July 24; 
• The court permanently lowered the passing score from 1440 [2d highest in country, after DE] to 1390 [4th highest, after DE, OR, NV, VA]; 
• The court directed the State Bar to expedite creation of a provisional licensure program under supervision to 2020 law school graduates—effective until they can take and pass a California bar exam, and expiring no later than June 1, 2022.

• Bloomberg Law, California Pushes Bar Exam to October, Offers Temporary Licenses
• Courthouse News Service, California Sets Remote Bar Exam Dates Amid Pandemic
• Los Angeles Times, California Sets Remote Bar Exam For October, Lowers Passing Score
• Derek Muller (Iowa), High-level implications: California Supreme Court reduces bar exam cut score from 144 to 139
• The Recorder, California Sets Online-Only Bar Exam for October, Permanently Lowers Passing Score
• The Recorder, Court Mum on Reasons Behind Unexpected Decision to Lower Bar Exam Score
• Sacramento Bee, California Won’t Cancel Bar Exam Despite COVID-19 But Offers Options to Law School Graduates