Supreme Court Rules - Rule 8 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Admission to the Bar: Application For Bar Examination

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		Section/Rule:	8.07
Subject:	Rule 8 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Admission to the Bar	Publication / Adopted Date:	February 1, 1972
Topic:	Application For Bar Examination	Revised / Effective Date:	July 1, 2009

8.07 Application For Bar Examination

(a) Every applicant for admission to the bar by examination shall file with the clerk of this Court an application for bar examination in the form prescribed by the board. In order to be timely filed, an application shall be properly postmarked or received on or before March 1 for the July examination and on or before the prior October 1 for the February examination. For applicants who failed the most recent examination and are applying for the next scheduled examination, the application shall be properly postmarked or received on or before May 1 for the July examination and on or before the prior October 1 for the February examination in order to be timely filed. The prescribed fee, which is nonrefundable, shall accompany the application.

For applicants who failed the most recent examination and are applying for the next scheduled examination, the application shall be properly postmarked or received on or before May 15 for the July examination and on or before the prior October 15 for the February examination in order to be timely filed.

The prescribed fee, which is nonrefundable, shall accompany the application.

(b) Subject to payment of an increased fee as set out in the prescribed fee schedule, an application submitted after the timely filing date prescribed in Rule 8.07(a) will be accepted if it is postmarked or received no later than May 31 for the July examination or December 31 for the February examination. An application not postmarked or received by May 31 for the July examination or by December 31 for the February examination will not be accepted.

(c) Except as provided in Rule 8.07(d), no person shall be eligible to take the bar examination until such person shall have met all the requirements for graduation with a juris doctorate degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. No applicant for admission by examination shall be certified for admission until the juris doctorate degree has been conferred. Proof that the requirements of this Rule 8.07(c) have been met shall be provided in such form and at such time as the board requires.

(d) A person who fails to meet the requirement set out in Rule 8.07(c) because that person graduated either from an unaccredited law school in the United States or from a law school outside the United States beyond the geographical area encompassed by the accreditation activities of the American Bar Association may request permission from the board to take the bar examination upon furnishing satisfactory evidence that the person:

(1) Has been admitted by examination to the bar and holds an active law license in another state or territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia and has engaged full-time in the practice of law in such state, territory, or the District of Columbia for at least three of the five years immediately preceding the date upon which the person initially submits an application to take the Missouri bar examination; or

(2) Has been admitted by examination to the bar and holds an active law license in another state or territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia and has completed successfully at least 24 semester credit hours in residence at a law school approved by the American Bar Association within the three years immediately preceding the date upon which the person initially submits an application to take the Missouri bar examination.

(e) A person who fails to meet the requirement set out in Rule 8.07(c) because that person graduated from a law school outside the United States beyond the geographical area encompassed by the accreditation activities of the American Bar Association may request permission from the board to take the bar examination by furnishing satisfactory evidence that the person:

(1) Has been admitted to practice law in the foreign country where the person's law degree was conferred, has been in good standing throughout the period of such admission, and has engaged in the full-time practice of law outside the United States for a period of at least three of the five years preceding the date upon which the person initially submits an application to take the Missouri bar examination; or

(2) Has been admitted to practice law in the foreign country where the person's law degree was conferred, has been in good standing throughout the period of such admission, and has completed successfully at least 24 semester credit hours in residence at a law school approved by the American Bar Association within the three years preceding the date upon which the person initially submits an application to take the Missouri bar examination.

(Adopted Feb. 1, 1972, eff. Sept. 1, 1972. Amended June 27, 1980, eff. Aug. 1, 1980; Nov. 20, 1990, eff. July 1, 1991; Jan. 1, 1991, eff. Aug. 1, 1991; Jan. 8, 1993; Oct. 16, 1995, eff. March 1, 1996; Feb. 13, 1998, eff. March 1, 1998; July 3, 2001, eff. Aug. 1, 2001; Sept. 3, 2003, eff. Oct. 1, 2003. Amended March 7, 2005, eff. July 1, 2005, Amended December 18, 2007, eff. January 1, 2008. Amended Jan. 26, 2009, eff. July 1, 2009.)