In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of California ordered that the July bar exam be postponed until September at which time it may be administered online. The decision to postpone the exam was issued on April 27, directing the State Bar to submit a workplan to the court no later than May 11, with goals and milestones for online administration of the tests. Read the court’s full letter here.

The effects of this decision on the law school class of 2020 and graduates who planned to take the bar exam this summer are serious and immediate, as the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) outlined in a letter to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and members of the Committee of Bar Examiners in early April.

“Although a delay in the bar exam is unavoidable under the circumstances,” says Yolanda Jackson, BASF Executive Director, “it means a delay in being able to practice law, affecting graduates’ ability to find and retain employment, pay off student loans and support themselves and their family. We appreciate the California Supreme Court’s consideration of many stakeholders’ views, including those of law students and bar associations, while making this difficult decision and recognizing the many challenges ahead for our profession.”

For more information on the Supreme Court of California decision, visit the California Courts newsroom.