(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana July bar exam will take place with adjustments in place to account for social distancing due to COVID-19. The Indiana Supreme Court handed down an order describing how the State Board of Law Examiners should conduct the test.
In response to the crisis, the exam will be held remotely on July 28, 2020. It will include the Indiana Essay Examination and a series of short answer questions on topics tested on the Multistate Bar Examination.
Being respectful of social distancing for the bar exam is just one of many operational changes the Supreme Court has implemented due to COVID-19. The Court created a path for graduate legal interns and held the May attorney swearing-in ceremony for new lawyers remotely.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush explained, “As with all our emergency planning during this pandemic, we are concerned about health and safety. Being mindful of applicants and test proctors, we are adjusting the exam so the Board can continue its review of applicants and successful test-takers can join our profession on-time and provide needed legal services.”
In April, the Court announced it would quickly determine if adjustments would be needed for the summer bar exam. Unrelated to COVID-19, the Supreme Court is reviewing a report submitted by the Study Commission on the Future of the Indiana Bar Examination. The bar exam is administered twice a year through the Supreme Court’s Office of Admissions and Continuing Education, which certifies that admittees have fulfilled the requirements for admission to the bar.
