The Florida Bar exam that was rescheduled Aug. 26 by the state Supreme Court will be administered online Oct. 13.
The July Bar exam was rescheduled to Aug. 19 and intended to be available online.
However, “It was determined that administering a secure and reliable remote Bar examination in August was not technically feasible,” said the Florida Board of Bar Examiners in a statement released Aug. 16.
After the Aug. 19 date was canceled, the state Supreme Court established Aug. 24 a supervised practice program that will let some applicants for the August 2020 Bar exam work under the supervision of a licensed attorney during the pandemic.
The temporary program is needed because the online testing system developed to adapt the Bar exam process to COVID-19 pandemic conditions failed, causing the delay.
“We acknowledge and accept the criticism that has been directed at the Court and the Board of Bar Examiners. Our inability to offer the Bar examination in August was a failure. We apologize for that failure,” said Chief Justice Charles Canady in a statement released Aug. 19 by the court.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners plans to establish the supervised practice program by the end of August. The program will last until 30 days after the results of the February 2021 Bar exam are released.
Canady said the Court and the Bar Examiners will take steps to improve their communications about the Bar exam and to make sure there are backup plans for future uncertainties caused by the pandemic.
“In particular, we assure you that we will put in place alternative plans so that, one way or another, there will be an October administration of the Bar exam,” Canady said.
Visit https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/content/download/643402/7307150/AOSC20-80.pdf to view the court order.