California Bar Exam Description (February 2027, July 2027, February 2028)
The California Bar exam is a 2-day exam, consisting of:
- five 60-minute California essay questions, weighted 36%
- one 90-minute California Performance Test, weighted 14%
- the six-hour Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), weighted 50%
According to the California State Bar, the essay questions are "designed to measure an applicant's ability to analyze legal issues arising from fact situations. Answers are expected to demonstrate the applicant's ability to analyze the facts of the question, to tell the difference between material facts and immaterial facts, and to discern the points of law and fact upon which the question turns... The answer should evidence the applicant's ability to apply the law to the given facts and to reason in a logical, lawyer-like manner from the premises adopted to a sound conclusion. An applicant should not merely show that he/she remembers the legal principles, but should demonstrate his/her proficiency in using and applying them."
The following subjects may be tested on the California bar exam:
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure (Federal and California)
- Community Property
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Evidence (Federal and California)
- Professional Responsibility (ABA and California)
- Real Property
- Remedies
- Torts
- Trusts
- Wills (CA)
California Bar Exam (starting July 2028)
As of July 2028, California will be adopting the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).
For more information, visit:
The new exam format is a 1.5 day exam, consisting of:
- Multiple choice, weighted 49%
- Integrated question sets, weighted 21%
- Performance tasks, weighted 30%
The NextGen Uniform Bar Examination will test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law.
The following subjects may be tested on the NextGen UBE:
- Business associations and relationships
- Civil procedure
- Constitutional law
- Contract law
- Criminal law and constitutional protections of accused persons
- Evidence
- Real property
- Torts
- Starting in July 2028, family law will be included