Maine Bar Exam

***Maine also offers a Maine Attorneys’ Exam for qualifying attorneys.

Maine Bar Exam Format

The Maine bar exam takes two days and consists of the Maine Essays, the Multistate Performance Test (“MPT” ) and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE” ). Maine law is tested on the Maine bar exam.

Maine Prepared Essays
The Maine essay section tests six (6) essays. Each essay is 45-minutes but may also include essays from the Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”).

The essays will include the following Maine rules and subjects:

  • Maine Rules of Civil Procedure
  • Maine Rules of Criminal Procedure
  • Maine Rules of Appellate Procedure
  • Maine Rules of Evidence
  • Maine Rules of Professional Conduct

The essays may also include the following subjects:

  • Agency
  • Business Associations
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Constitutional Law
  • Contracts
  • Creditors’ Rights
  • Criminal Law
  • Equity
  • Estates
  • Evidence
  • Family Law
  • Federal Income Taxation
  • Partnership
  • Real Property
  • Statute of Frauds
  • Statute of Limitations
  • Torts
  • Uniform Commercial Code
  • Wills and Trusts

MPT (Performance Test)
Maine tests one (1) MPT performance test.

MBE (Multiple Choice)
Maine 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

MBE Score Transfer
Maine accepts MBE scores from other jurisdictions. Maine accepts scaled scores achieved within the past 61 months (10 exams). Attorneys who have practiced law for at least three of the past five years may also qualify for a Maine Attorneys’ Exam.

Maine Bar Exam Testing Schedule

Day 1
Morning – 4 Essays (3 hours)
Afternoon – 2 Essays and 1 MPT (3 hours)

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

Maine Bar Exam Testing Dates and Application

The Maine bar exam is held twice each year on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The bar exam is held in Portland, Maine. Applications can be found on the Maine State Board of Bar Examiners’ Website.

Exam Date Preliminary Date Application Deadline Late Deadline
 Final Deadline
Feb. 21-22, 2017 Oct. 15 Dec. 20 +7 days +14 days
July 25-26, 2017 March 15 May 20 +7 days +14 days

Grading

Maine Bar Exam Weight

ME Essays 63.6%
MBE 36.4%

Grading Procedure
The written scores are scaled to the MBE scaled score.

Passing Score
The minimum passing score is a scaled score of 138. Bar exam results must be mailed to the applicants within 75 days of the bar exam.

Pass Rates
Not currently available.

Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the Maine Bar Exam
Unsuccessful applicants may obtain a copy of any essay question, the applicant’s answer, and sample answers. Applicants must request the materials within 30 days after the mailing of the exam results.

Retaking the Maine Bar Exam

Applicants failing the Maine bar exam may reapply to take a subsequent exam upon payment of the same fee required of an original applicant. Applicants who pass one part the of exam and fail another part may not carry forward the partial passing score to a subsequent Maine bar exam, except for the use of an MBE score.