(a) Filing. An applicant may file a Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland if the applicant: (1) meets the pre-legal educational requirements of Rule 19-201(a)(1);(2) unless the requirements of Rule 19-201(a)(2) have been waived pursuant to Rule 19-201(b), meets the legal education requirements of Rule 19-201(a)(2), or will meet those requirements before the first day of taking the UBE in Maryland; and(3) contemporaneously files, or has previously filed, a completed Character Questionnaire pursuant to Rule 19-205 that has not been withdrawn pursuant to Rule 19-205(f), and the applicant has not withdrawn or been denied admission pursuant to Rule 19-204. The Notice of Intent shall be under oath, filed on the form prescribed by the Board, and accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(b) Request for Test Accommodation. An applicant who seeks a test accommodation under the ADA for the bar examination shall indicate that request on the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland, and shall file with the Board an "Accommodation Request in a form prescribed by the Board, together with the supporting documentation that the Board requires. The form and documentation shall be filed no later than the deadline established by the Board for filing the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland. The Board may reject an accommodation request that is (1) substantially incomplete or (2) filed untimely. The Board shall notify the applicant in writing of the basis of the rejection and shall provide the applicant an opportunity to correct any deficiencies in the accommodation request before the filing deadline for the current examination or, if the current deadline has passed, before the filing deadline for the next administration of the examination.Committee note: An applicant who may need a test accommodation is encouraged to file an Accommodation Request as early as possible.
Cross reference: See Rule 19-208 for the procedure to appeal a denial of a request for a test accommodation.
(c) Verification of Legal Education. Unless the requirements of Rule 19-201(a)(2) have been waived pursuant to Rule 19-201(b), the applicant shall aver under oath that the applicant has met, will meet, or will be unqualifiedly eligible to meet those requirements prior to the first day of the applicant taking the UBE in Maryland. No later than the first day of July preceding an examination taken in July or the first day of February preceding an examination taken in February, the applicant shall cause the Board to receive an official transcript or other satisfactory evidence that reflects the date of the award to the applicant of a qualifying law degree under Rule 19-201, unless the official transcript already is on file with the Board's administrative office. Committee note: "Other satisfactory evidence" normally consists of a letter from the law school dean or other authorized law school official certifying the date of graduation or unqualified eligibility where the law school transcript is unavailable, such as a late graduation or a financial hold on the transcript.
(d) Time for Filing. An applicant who intends to take the UBE in Maryland shall file the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE by the appropriate deadline established by the Board through its rule-making authority pursuant to Rule 19-102 (c)(2). Upon written request of an applicant and for good cause shown, the Board may accept a Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland filed after that deadline. If the Board rejects the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland for lack of good cause for the untimeliness, the Board shall transmit written notice of the rejection to the applicant. The applicant may file an exception with the Court within five business days after notice of the rejection is transmitted.(e) Withdrawal of Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland or Absence from Examination. If an applicant withdraws the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland or fails to attend and take the examination, the examination fee shall not be refunded. The Board may apply the examination fee to a subsequent examination if the applicant establishes good cause for the withdrawal or failure to attend. This Rule is derived from former Rule 19-204(2018).
Formerly Rule 19-204, adopted June 6, 2016, eff. 7/1/2016. Renumbered Rule 19-206 Dec. 4, 2018, eff. 3/1/2019; amended March 30, 2021, eff. 7/1/2021; amended September 13, 2024, eff. 10/1/2024.HISTORICAL NOTES
2018 Orders
The December 4, 2018 order re-numbered this rule from Rule 19-204, made stylistic changes, conformed the Rule for implementation of the Uniform Bar Exam, and added a new section (c) pertaining to verification of legal education.