Colorado Bar Exam

Colorado Bar Exam Format

The Colorado bar exam is the Uniform Bar Exam (“UBE”) and takes two days and consists of the Multistate Performance Tests (“MPT”), Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”), and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”).

MPT (Performance Test)
Colorado tests two (2) MPT performance tests.

MEE (Essays)
Colorado tests six (6) essays. Subjects include:

  • Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and LLCs)
  • Civil Procedure (Federal)
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Family Law
  • Negotiable Instruments/Commercial Paper (UCC Art. 3)
  • Real Property
  • Secured Transactions (UCC Art. 9)
  • Torts
  • Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates, Trusts, Future Interests)

MBE (Multiple Choice)
Colorado uses the standard MBE. Subjects include:

  • Civil Procedure
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Real Property
  • Torts

Score Transfer
Colorado accepts UBE scores of 276 or greater from other UBE jurisdictions that are achieved within the past three years. A UBE score earned more than three years but less than five years prior to the filing of an application in Colorado may qualify with additional practice of law requirements.

 

Colorado Bar Exam Testing Schedule

Day 1
Morning – 1 MPT and 3 MEE essays (3 hours)
Afternoon – 1 MPT and 3 MEE essays (3 hours)

Day 2
Morning – MBE Part I (100 questions; 3 hours)
Afternoon – MBE Part II (100 questions; 3 hours)

Colorado Bar Exam Dates and Application

The Colorado Bar Exam is tested on the last Tuesday and Wednesday in February and July. Applications can be found on the Colorado Supreme Court’s Website.

Exam Dates Preliminary Date to Apply Application Deadline/ Late Deadline
February 21-22, 2017 After Sep. 1 Dec. 1/ Dec. 31
July 25-26, 2017 After Feb. 1 May 1/May 31

Grading

Colorado Bar Exam Weight

MPT 20%
MEE 30%
MBE 50%

Grading Procedure
Colorado has adopted a “holistic” grading procedure for the MPTs and MEE on a scale of 1-6. Holistic grading assigns a score to an answer based on global impression of the answers’ quality.

Passing Score
The minimum passing requirements for the Colorado bar exam are a reported scaled score of 276.

If the bar exam score falls within a specified range of the passing score, the MPT and MEE answers are re-graded to ensure fairness. The first grading and the regarding are then averaged. The MPT and MEE average score is then scaled and added to the MBE score as above. The Colorado bar exam is graded and reported in approximately nine weeks.

Pass Rates
Statistics can be found here.

Review for Applicants Failing the Colorado Bar Exam
Colorado bar examinees may request some of the answers be re-graded if the bar exam score is within three points of the 276 passing score (273, 274, and 275). In addition, individuals that achieved a score of 276 or greater, but then failed the exam after the re-grade, may request some of the answers be re-graded again. The re-grading request allows for the re-grading of three essays or one performance test. This would be the third time the essays are re-graded.

Eligible individuals must file a petition with the Colorado Board of Law Examiners.

Retaking the Colorado Bar Exam

Colorado places no limit on the amount of times the Colorado bar exam can be taken.