All Latest News
How is COVID-19 Affecting the Georgia Office of Bar Admissions?
As a result of Governor Kemp's declaration that a Public Health Emergency exists in the State of Georgia and Chief Justice Melton's declaration of a Statewide Judicial Emergency, the Office of Bar Admissions remains open for critical business only and with limited staff.
Please continue to monitor this website for updated information.
Will the results of the February 2020 Georgia Bar Examination be delayed?
The Board of Bar Examiners is continuing to grade the February 2020 Bar Examination, and as of March 21, 2020, results of the February 2020 Georgia Bar Examination are scheduled to be released on Friday, May 22, 2020. The Supreme Court appreciates the efforts of everyone involved in grading the examination during this difficult time.
What if I have a deadline to submit information?
Deadlines for any information due between now and April 13, 2020, to either the Board of Bar Examiners or Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants will be automatically extended to April 13, 2020. If you have additional questions about deadlines related to
submission of requested information, please contact your analyst via the "Create Message" button on your user account home page. For all other deadline related questions, call the Office of Bar Admissions.
Is the deadline for filing an application for the July 2020 Georgia Bar Examination still June 3, 2020?
Yes. The regular filing deadline for the July 220 bar application remains June 3, 2020.
Will the July 2020 Georgia Bar Examination be administered as scheduled?
As of March 21, 2020, there have been no changes to the July 2020 Georgia Bar Examination. The impact the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will have on the July 2020 Georgia Bar Examination is not certain at this time. The Board of Bar Examiners and Office of Bar Admissions are in close contact with the National Conference of Bar Examiners and other jurisdictions, as we all consider possible options for the July 2020 exam in the event that prohibitions against large gatherings remain in effect.
Can I submit required documents and amend my application while the Office of Bar Admissions is closed except for critical business?
Yes. Applicants with a portal account are strongly encouraged to amend their on-line application and submit required documents electronically through their home page.
Are Fitness Applications for the July 2020 Georgia Bar Examination being processed?
Yes. The majority of Office of Bar Admissions staff members are able to work remotely and steps are being taken to allow the Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants to hold its meetings via teleconference or videoconference. The Fitness Board will take all reasonable steps to ensure that applicants who timely filed a Fitness Application and submitted all required information in a timely manner are not unduly delayed as a result of the effects of COVID-19.
July 2019 Bar Examination Results Have Been Released
To view the list of names of applicants who passed the examination, click here. For information on being sworn-in, click here.
Effective July 2019 Exam, Drinking Water in Clear, Plastic, Disposable, Unlabeled Bottles Only
Drinking water in clear, plastic, disposable, unlabeled bottles ONLY will be allowed inside the Examination Room. Drinking water in any other type bottle is PROHIBITED. Prohibited items must be placed in the gray trash cans at the exam site. Items placed in the gray trash cans will be treated as trash, and they will be discarded.
Effective Immediately Military Spouse Attorney Waiver Process and Policy
WAIVER PROCESS AVAILABLE FOR MILITARY SPOUSE ATTORNEYS SEEKING ADMISSION IN GEORGIA
Georgia generally permits admission on motion without examination for applicants who demonstrate they received a J.D. degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association, are admitted to practice by examination in the bar of the highest court of another United States jurisdiction with which Georgia has reciprocity for bar admissions purposes, and have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years immediately preceding the date upon which the applicant's petition for admission on motion is submitted. See Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law in Georgia (Rules), Part C, Section 2.
The Board of Bar Examiners recognizes that these eligibility requirements may be difficult to satisfy for attorney spouses of active duty military personnel, who frequently are transferred to new duty stations in states where they are not admitted to practice. Many of these attorney spouses of active duty military are not eligible for admission on motion without examination under Part C, Section 2 of the Rules, either because they are licensed in jurisdictions that do not have reciprocity with Georgia or they do not have the requisite years of experience in the practice of law as required under the Rules. See Rules, Part C, Sections 2 (b) and (e). Those facing this situation are encouraged to apply to the Board of Bar Examiners for a waiver of strict compliance with the reciprocity and/or practice requirements. See Part F, Section 5 of the Rules for information about waivers.
For purposes of the waiver process, a "military spouse attorney" is defined as a person who is:
(a) An attorney at law who has been admitted by examination to membership in the bar of the highest court of another United States jurisdiction;
(b) The spouse of an active duty member, including but not limited to members called to active duty under Title 10 of the United States Code, of the United States Uniformed Services as defined by the Department of Defense of the United States (or, for the Coast Guard, when it is not operating in the service of the Navy, by the Department of Homeland Security); and
(c) The spouse of a service active duty member who is on military orders stationed or home-ported in the State of Georgia.
To be considered a "military spouse attorney," an applicant must meet all three of the above-listed criteria.
Documentation establishing that an applicant is a military spouse attorney will be viewed by the Board as some evidence of good cause for waiver of the reciprocity and/or active practice requirement under Part C, Section 2 (e) of the Rules. In deciding whether sufficient evidence of good cause for a waiver has been established, the Board will also consider evidence related to an applicant's competence in the practice of law, including but not limited to, evidence of the applicant's legal education and employment history, as well as evidence prescribed under the Instructions and Checklist for Filing Petition for Waiver of Admission on Motion Requirements for Admission of a Military Spouse Attorney to the Practice of Law in Georgia.
For more information about the waiver process, please contact the Director of the Office of Bar Admissions at (404) 656-3490.
Notice Regarding Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather, the Georgia Bar Examination will proceed as scheduled as long as the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Georgia, remains open. To determine if the Convention Center remains open, please check www.collegeparkga.com. You may also check our website (www.gabaradmissions.org), WSBTV and www.wsbtv.com for information on the status of the Georgia Bar Examination. If severe weather is predicted for the days of the Bar Examination, please plan accordingly. Late applicants will not be allowed to make up any time lost.
In the rare event of a power outage that requires the use of the Center’s generator, all applicants will handwrite the remainder of the exam.
Certification of Fitness Application Information
For instructions on how to complete the Certification of Ftiness Application, please click here.
For information on the Office of Bar Admissions procedure for processing Certification of Fitness Applications, please click here.
Items Required for Timely Filing
Your Fitness Application is not considered timely filed unless THE FOLLOWING are completed BY THE FILING DEADLINE:
- Your online application must be successfully submitted; and
- Your filing fee(s) must be paid.
* Credit card payment, Money Order, or Cashier's Check must be received in the Office of Bar Admissions by 4:00 p.m.
NOTE: Fitness Applications for Admission on Motion DO NOT have a specific deadline; however, your Motion Fitness Application is not considered timely filed until you have submitted your petition fitness application and fees.