Format, Content, & Grading of the Montana Bar Exam

All data provided below are subject to change by a decision at any time by the Montana State Bar.  When any changes are made, they will be posted on this site.

The Montana Bar Exam is a 2-1/2-day exam -- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday -- with the multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam on Wednesday, and essays on Thursday and Friday.

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

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

Montana will accept an MBE scaled score of 130 or higher, taken within three calendar years.

For further details on the MBE, click here.

Second & Third Days (Thursday & Friday):  
11 Essay Questions (over three sessions)


Subjects Tested on the Montana Bar Exam:

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

Montana Essay Subjects
Agency
Civil Procedure
State Constitutional Law
Domestic Relations
Income, Estate and Gift Taxation
Partnerships  & Business Organizations
Ethics
Wills and Trusts
Water Law
UCC
Workers' Compensation
plus the six MBE subjects


Grading of the Montana Bar Exam:

Essays are graded on a scale of zero to a high of five. 

Your essays are totaled, with the total then converted to a scaled score, on the same scaling as the MBE (low of 0 to a high of 200).

The scaled essay score is doubled, then added to the MBE scaled score.

This number is divided by 3.

If the final number equals 130 or more, you pass the Montana Bar Exam.

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

Montana does NOT permit admission on motion.  

To be admitted to the Montana bar, you must take and pass the Montana bar exam.

For further information, contact:

State Bar of Montana
P.O. Box 577
Helena, MT 59624
Telephone: 406-442-7660
Fax: 406-442-7763

Exam Dates:

Winter 2007
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 
February 28, March 1, 2, 2007

Summer 2007
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 
July 25, 26, 37, 2007

Filing Deadlines and Fees:

Filing deadlines and fees are subject to frequent change.  Contact the Montana State Bar to learn the rules in effect at the time of your application.