February 2022 Bar Exam FAQ

Sep 25, 2026

FAQ dedicated to the February 2022 Oregon State Bar Examination, explaining how a hotel HVAC malfunction created unusually cold testing-room temperatures and describing the likely effects on applicants’ performance. It summarizes the Oregon Supreme Court’s May 10 remedial actions for that cohort, including a revised passage score and limited credit and provisional licensing pathways. It also clarifies how UBE scores remain unchanged and covers expected timelines for results and alternative admission pathways.

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FAQ: February 2022 Bar Exam

What happened at the exam site?

What was the impact on the exam and the applicants?

What remedial actions did the Oregon Supreme Court adopt?

What is the impact on applicants’ Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) scores?

When will the bar exam results be announced?

What is the status of discussions around creating alternative means of admission, in addition to the bar exam?

Why are the BBX and Court interested in alternatives to the bar exam?

FAQ: February 2022 Bar Exam During the administration of the February 2022 Oregon State Bar Examination, the HVAC system at the hosting venue malfunctioned, resulting in cold temperatures for most test takers. On Tuesday, May 10, the Oregon Supreme Court adopted several remedial measures proposed by the Oregon Board of Bar Examiners (BBX) . Following are answers to questions about the February exam. What happened at the exam site? The examination – testing approximately 132 applicants – was held February 22- 23 at the Holiday Inn at Jantzen Beach, with a small group of applicants also at the Oregon State Bar Center in Tigard. The HVAC system at the hotel malfunctioned on both days. The temperatures in the six testing rooms ranged between approximately 50 and 60 degrees, with most being on the lower end of that range for most of the exam. The HVAC system in one room at the OSB Center also malfunctioned for a brief period on the first day of testing. What was the impact on the exam and the applicants? The Oregon Board of Bar Examiners believes that the testing environment very likely affected the performance of a significant number of applicants. However, we cannot quantify the impact on any individual examinee, nor on the cohort as whole. Given the likelihood that the impact was widespread, the BBX recommended broad remedial measures to the February cohort. What remedial actions did the Oregon Supreme Court adopt? During its public meeting on May 10, 2022, the Court voted to take the following remedial measures, applicable solely to the February 2022 bar exam cohort: ▪ Implement a passage score of 265 for the February 2022 bar exam, specifically for admission to the Oregon State Bar. See below for discussion on the nationally recognized UBE. ▪ Provide a credit for applicants who receive a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) score of 269 or below to take one Oregon bar exam at no cost between now and February 2024. ▪ Authorize the creation of a Provisional License Program for applicants with a score of 264 or below. The program would be loosely modeled on the current structure of the OSB’s Temporary Practice Program. The BBX will present details of the program in writing to the Court by June 30, 2022; it is anticipated that the program will be finalized at the Court’s July 2022 meeting. It is anticipated that the Court will publish a written order detailing theremedial measures it has authorized no later than May 13, 2022. A link to that order will be added to this FAQ when it is issued. What is the impact on applicants’ Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) scores? None. The UBE is the bar exam for approximately 40 states, including Oregon. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) develops and scores the exam. AUBE score provides applicants with a test score that will be accepted in other UBE jurisdictions, [i.e.](i.e. it)[ it](i.e. it) is a nationally portable bar exam score. Everyone who completed the February 2022 Oregon Bar Examination has received a valid, transferrable, UBE score. The OSB and the Oregon Supreme Court have no authority over UBE scores once the NCBE has established an official UBE score for an applicant, because all UBE states agree that the NCBE is the official holder of such scores. None of the remedial actions taken by the Court impact that UBE score. Oregon’s traditional pass score is in the mid-range nationally, with a pass score of 270. Approximately 30 states have the same or lower pass scores. For the applicants seeking admission to the Oregon State Bar who took the February 2022 Oregon Bar Examination (applicants who sat for the exam in Oregon), the Court has set the pass score at 265. When will the bar exam results be announced? We do not yet have a firm date for this announcement. The Bar needs to have the results approved by the Court. Now that we know the pass score is 265, the Bar will submit a new exam report to the Court. Once the Court approves the results, then the OSB will publ

FAQs

What happened at the February 2022 exam site?

The hosting hotel’s HVAC malfunctioned on both exam days, leaving most testing rooms at roughly 50–60°F, and a room at the OSB Center also experienced a brief malfunction on the first day.

What remedial measures did the Oregon Supreme Court adopt on May 10, 2022?

The Court adopted remedies limited to the February 2022 cohort, including a February-specific passage score of 265, a credit allowing eligible applicants with a UBE score of 269 or below to take one Oregon bar exam at no cost until February 2024, and authorization of a Provisional License Program for applicants scoring 264 or below.

Do the remedial actions affect applicants’ Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) scores?

No. UBE scores are developed and scored by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and remain valid and transferrable regardless of the Court’s remedial measures; the OSB and the Court do not have authority to change UBE scores after NCBE establishes them.

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Lucas Martin