UPDATE! Conspiracy theory UPDATE!

Hello everyone,

Remember how you and I were exceedingly unhappy about the announcement of the February 2025 Cal Bar “Retake” on March 3-4?  Only to be surpassed by the announcement that one rogue actor published (evidently accurately) one of the questions around March 1, and so the “retake” was moved a few weeks later, to mid-March?  And how that seemed SO UNFAIR because the Bar announced that they were using the same questions?  And the psychometrician also said there was no other way to have a reliable exam than to have the same questions?

That seemed SO unfair.  And it seemed like some people theoretically could have gotten quite an unfair advantage by consulting the deep reddits or the darkest parts of the web and found out what the questions were about before they saw them?

Well, the Cal Bar caved.  Even thought they said there was NO WAY they could provide new questions in time for the March 17 test, well, what do you know, they found a way.

Today, April 16, I discovered that the Cal Bar published the questions that people saw from the original exam on February 25… AND the re-test questions from mid-March.  I expected to see one new question because that’s what the Cal Bar said was going to happen.  Replace the spoiled question with a new one and retest the other 4 essays and a PT.

Nope.  What did I see today?

February 25 (original exam… note the questions were inexplicably presented in a different order for people, but they took the same questions)

1. Crim Pro
2. Wills/Trusts
3. Property
4. Contract Remedies
5. PR

And on the re-test?

1. Evidence
2. Community Property
3. Con Law
4. PR (different fact pattern/calls of question)
5. Contract remedies (different fact pattern/calls of question)

Whither the PTs?

The PTs were different.

Totally different exams, people!  I’m guessing State Bar Counsel informed the Bar that they risked SERIOUS legal exposure if they used the same questions.  Regardless of the rationale, one thing is clear:  the questions were different on Feb. 25 than they were in mid-March.

Now what does that all mean for July predictions?  Who knows? Totally unprecedented circumstances.

AboutSteven Harris

Steven’s bar exam prep approach has helped countless attorneys pass the California Bar Exam. With more than 20 years of tutoring experience, over 35,000 Essays and PTs graded, and his work as a Professor at multiple major universities, Steven has been there, seen it, and is ready to help you conquer the Bar. His Calweasel tutoring programs are customized to you, your schedule, and your life.