Supreme Court Orders Review Of Indiana Bar Exam

A 14-member commission will consider changes to the exam for lawyers.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – A panel of legal experts will consider making changes to the Indiana Bar Examination.

The bar exam is the evaluation used to determine if an individual should be granted the ability to practice law.

In 2008, 82 percent of Indiana bar exam takers passed. Five years ago, the pass rate declined to 71 percent. The number passing it has fallen to 61 percent this year.

The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered a 14-member study commission to review the exam and determine if it needs any changes. Among the considerations will be whether Indiana should adopt the Uniform Bar Examination, the test used by 34 other states, including Ohio.

“We find that these recent developments warrant an in-depth analysis of the Indiana bar examination to determine whether changes in the format or content of the examination should be made,” the order stated.

Former Chief Justice Randall Shepard will chair the commission while Court of Appeals Chief Judge Nancy A. Vaidik will serve as vice chair. The other members are judges, lawyers and deans of each of Indiana’s law schools.

The group will make a report to the Indiana Supreme Court by December 2019.