New Jersey Bar Exam Format
The New Jersey bar exam takes two days and consists of the New Jersey Essays and the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”). New Jersey law is tested on the New Jersey bar exam.
New Jersey Essays
New Jersey tests seven (7) essays. The essays are 45-minutes each. The Board states that although knowledge of New Jersey law is not crucial to success on the exam, familiarity with new law or distinctive cases will aid the applicant in preparing your responses. Sample questions can be found here. Subjects include:
- Agency
- Civil Procedure
- Commercial Paper (UCC Art. 3)
- Conflict of Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts (Common Law and UCC Art. 2/Sales)
- Corporations
- Criminal Law
- Disciplinary Rules
- Equity
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Partnership
- Real Property
- Secured Transactions (UCC Art. 9)
- Torts
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Zoning and Planning
MBE (Multiple Choice)
New Jersey uses the standard MBE. Subjects include:
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts (Common Law, Sales/UCC Art. 2)
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Evidence
- Real Property
- Torts
MBE Score Transfer
New Jersey accepts MBE scores transferred from other jurisdictions for concurrent exams only. Applicants who plan on taking the MBE in another state must arrange to have their MBE scores transferred no later than February 1 for Feburary exam and July 1 for the July bar exam.
New Jersey Bar Exam Testing Schedule
Day 1 (Wednesday)
Morning – MBE Part I (100 questions; 3 hours)
Afternoon – MBE Part II (100 questions; 3 hours)
Day 2 (Thursday)
Morning – 4 New Jersey Essays (3 hours)
Afternoon – 3 New Jersey Essays (2 hours, 15 minutes)
New Jersey Bar Exam Dates and Application
The New Jersey bar exam is held on the last Wednesday and Thursday of February and July. Applications can be found on the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners’ Website.
| Exam Date | Timely | Late Deadline | Final deadline |
| February 27-28, 2013 | Oct. 1 – Oct. 30 | Nov. 1 – Nov. 15, 2012 | Nov. 16 – Dec. 15, 2012 |
| July 31 – Aug. 1, 2013 | March 1 – March 31, 2013 | April 1 – April 15, 2013 | April 16 – May 15, 2013 |
Grading
New Jersey Bar Exam Weight
| MEE | 50% |
| MBE | 50% |
Grading Procedure
The New Jersey essays are graded on a scale from 0-6 and then converted to scale that equates to the MBE. The essay and MBE scaled scores are then combined to generate the total bar exam score.
Passing Score
The minimum passing score is a combined average score of 272. The Board expects to release the results for the February exam by May 15 and by November 15 for the July exam.
Pass Rates
Not currently available.
Review and Appeal for Applicants Failing the New Jersey Bar Exam
Applicants with total bar exam score of 260 to 272.9 will have their answers re-graded by different readers who are unaware of the first grades. The two grades are then averaged and the total bar exam score is recomputed. Applicants with a new score of 133 or greater pass the written portion of the New Jersey bar exam.
When the first and second grades differ by more than two points on any given essay, the Bar Examiner who drafted the essay will grade the question. The Bar Examiner’s grade is the final grade. The grade cannot be lower or higher than the previous two grades. All grades are final and there is no appeal available. Applicants may have their MBE scores hand graded.
Retaking the New Jersey Bar Exam
Applicants may reapply to take the New Jersey bar exam.