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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Supreme Court Rules

		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:	September 1, 2023

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 filed 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 filed 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. Applications will be accepted no earlier than February 1 for the July examination and no earlier than the prior September 1 for the February examination.

(b) Subject to payment of an increased fee as set out in the prescribed fee schedule, an application filed after the timely filing date prescribed in Rule 8.07(a) will be accepted if it is properly filed no later than May 1 for the July examination or December 1 for the February examination. An application not properly filed by May 1 for the July examination or by December 1 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 from a law school not approved by the American Bar Association, located either in the United States or outside the United States, 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 bar examination in Missouri; 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, in their entirety, at least 24 semester credit hours in residence at a law school approved by the American Bar Association wholly within the three years preceding the date upon which the person initially submits an application to take the bar examination in Missouri; or

(3)

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 met all requirements for graduation with a Master of Laws degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association.

(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 not approved by 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 his or her law degree was conferred and 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 bar examination in Missouri; or

(2)

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

(3)

Has been admitted to practice law in the foreign country where his or her law degree was conferred and has been in good standing throughout the period of such admission and has met all requirements for graduation with a Master of Laws degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association.

(Adopted February 1, 1972, effective September. 1, 1972. Amended June 27, 1980, effective August 1, 1980, Amended November 20, 1990, effective July 1, 1991, Amended January 1, 1991, effective August 1, 1991, January 8, 1993; Amended October 16, 1995, effective March 1, 1996; Amended February 13, 1998, effective March 1, 1998; Amended July 3, 2001, effective August 1, 2001; Amended September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003. Amended March 7, 2005, effective July 1, 2005; Amended December 18, 2007, effective January 1, 2008; Amended January 26, 2009, effective July 1, 2009; Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2011, effective September 1, 2011; Amended June 29, 2017, effective July 1, 2017; Amended January 31, 2023, effective September 1, 2023.)

Regulations of Board of Law Examiners

1. Applications are deemed "properly filed" when the prescribed fee is tendered in full, the electronic portion of the application and character and fitness application are submitted electronically, and the executed Authorization and Release form is uploaded or received by mail. Any portion of an application that is returned for postage or because it is improperly addressed will not be considered properly postmarked. If the filing deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, then the deadline shall be the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

2. If the application is not substantially complete, as determined by the board, and is rejected for filing, the applicable increased late fee will be imposed if a complete application is not properly postmarked or received by the filing deadline.

*3. Upon written notice to the board received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fourteenth day before the examination applied for, an applicant may postpone taking the examination applied for and carry forward the application fee one time to the next scheduled examination. The applicant shall pay a postponement fee as set out in the prescribed fee schedule, within 10 days of submitting written notice of postponement. Except for extraordinary circumstances and good cause shown, an applicant who does not submit timely written notice of postponement shall be required to pay the prescribed application fee in full in order to sit for any future examination. By allowing an applicant to postpone taking the examination, the board does not waive, alter, or extend any provisions of Rule 8.

(Adopted June 27, 1980, effective August 1, 1980. Amended November 20, 1990, effective July 1, 1991, Amended January 15, 1991, effective August 1, 1991, Amended January 8, 1993, October 16, 1995, effective Mar. 1, 1996, Amended July 3, 2001, effective August 1, 2001, Amended September 3, 2003, effective October 1, 2003. Amended January 27, 2004, effective Feb. 1, 2004; Amended December 18, 2007, effective January 1, 2008; Amended January 26, 2009, effective July 1, 2009; Amended April 8, 2010, effective July 1, 2010; Amended August 16, 2011, effective September 1, 2011; Amended June 29, 2017, effective July 1, 2017; Amended January 31, 2023, effective September 1, 2023.)* By order of the Court dated April 28, 2020, this Regulation has been modified temporarily for purpose of the July 2020 Uniform Bar Examination as a result of COVID-19. Please view the order.