Don’t let go of every shred of hope just yet – there may be something you can do, particularly in certain jurisdictions, if you don’t pass the bar exam. If all else fails, you can return to the mental anguish of failing the bar exam after you consider the scenarios below and get back to studying again when you recover.
Now, the first step is to get a copy of your graded exam. Some jurisdictions make this available to unsuccessful candidates. This is the case for Colorado, as these steps are borrowed from an article called “So You Didn’t Pass The July Bar Exam? Get A Copy Of It,” which appeared in Law Week Colorado. This article serves as an example highlighting what you can do to be proactive about your unsuccessful result for many jurisdictions, but every state has different procedures for appealing bar exam results, so make sure you check the rules for your jurisdiction.
The next step is to determine if your score is close enough to passing that you’re eligible for review. If so, submit a request immediately for graded answers and send a letter indicating which answers you’d like to have regraded. (The regrading request deadline in Colorado is October 29th). Some states may not provide your graded answers, but someone will be assigned to review your answers. Other states such as Ohio, automatically regrade exams that are within a few points of passing. However, other jurisdictions may not offer regrading.
Finally, if you do have access to your graded answers, examine them for a scoring error that kept you from attaining a passing score. Even if you don’t have access to your answers, many states, including California, will check to see that your results add up properly and there are no mathematical errors, upon request.
Whatever you do, act quickly and don’t delay this process. The deadlines come around quickly. In Colorado, the deadline for requesting a copy of the exam is December 8th.
For more information on appealing bar exam results, check out our previous May article, “Should You Appeal Your Unsuccessful Bar Exam Result?“ This article covers certain certain circumstances where you might want to appeal the outcome of your California Bar Exam result.
Are you familiar with the bar exam result appeals process in your state? Have you had a successful attempt appealing your bar exam score? Please share your knowledge and experiences in the comments section below!
Results from the February 2011 Colorado Bar Examination will be posted no sooner than Thursday, May 5, 2011 on the Colorado Board of Law Examiner’s website in the form of an alphabetical pass list. Results will also be mailed to candidates on Friday, May 6, 2011. Good luck to all the candidates!
Results from the July 2010 Colorado Bar Examination were posted this morning, Thursday, October 7, 2010 at the Colorado Board of Law Examiner’s website in the form of an alphabetical pass list. Results will also be mailed to candidates on Friday, October 8, 2010. The overall pass rate was 78%. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Center complex. Congratulations to all the passing candidates!
