Format, Content, & Grading of the Arkansas Bar Exam

All data provided below are subject to change by a decision at any time by the Arkansas Board of Law Examiners.  When any changes are made, they will be posted on this site.

The Arkansas Bar Exam is a three-day exam -- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday -- with essays and performance questions on Tuesday, the Multistate Bar Exam on Wednesday, and more essays on Thursday.

First Day (Tuesday):  
Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions
For details on the MPT, click here.

Three Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) questions
For details on the MEE, click here.

Second Day (Wednesday) morning session: 
3 hours 
Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
100 Multiple-Choice questions.

Second Day (Wednesday) afternoon session: 
3 hours
Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) 
100 Multiple-Choice questions.

Arkansas will accept an MBE scaled score of at least 135 from another jurisdiction if taken concurrently or on the next administration of the MBE.

For further details on the MBE, click here.

Third Day (Thursday):  
Four Arkansas Essay Questions
Recommended: 45 minutes each 


Subjects Tested on the Arkansas Bar Exam:

MBE Subjects
Constitutional Law
Contracts/Sales
Criminal Law/Procedure
Evidence
Real Property
Torts

MEE Subjects
Agency
Commercial Paper
Corporations
Federal Civil Procedure
Partnerships
Secured Transactions

Arkansas Essay Subjects
Conflict of Laws
Criminal Law and Procedure
Equity
Domestic Relations (Family Law)
Real Property
Torts
Wills
Estates and Trusts

Grading of the Arkansas Bar Exam:

The written portion of the Arkansas Bar Exam is graded and then scaled on the same scaling as the Multistate Bar Exam (low of 0, high of 200).. 

A total score of at least 405 is required to pass. 

Arkansas generally releases the results about four weeks after the bar exam.

Admission on Motion 
(i.e., without having to sit for the bar exam)

Effective October 1, 2004, Arkansas has permitted admission on motion.  Link


For further information, contact:

Arkansas Board of Law Examiners
2400 Justice Building
625 Marshall
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Telephone: (501) 374-1855

Exam Dates:

Summer 2007
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, July 24, 25, 26, 2007

Filing deadlines and fees are subject to frequent change.  Contact the Arkansas Board of Law Examiners to learn the rules in effect at the time of your application.