The State Bar of California Targets Meazure Learning After Widespread Exam Failures
The California Bar’s already embattled reputation has taken another dramatic turn. After a disastrous rollout of a new bar exam format earlier this year, the State Bar of California has filed a lawsuit against Meazure Learning—the vendor contracted to administer the February 2025 exam.
The litigation comes after thousands of test-takers encountered severe technical difficulties during the exam, leading to widespread frustration, public outcry, and an urgent need for damage control by the Bar.
Financial Pressures Forced a Risky Testing Overhaul
The crisis traces back to California’s long-standing budget problems. Facing the prospect of financial insolvency if it continued using traditional bar exam models, the State Bar sought to implement a lower-cost alternative. In September 2024, the Bar signed a $4.1 million contract with Meazure Learning, opting for a new, experimental exam format—
partially developed with AI assistance.
The transition, meant to cut costs and streamline the testing process, instead resulted in a full-blown operational meltdown.
What Went Wrong: Technical Failures Plague the February Exam
According to the State Bar’s legal filings, Meazure Learning’s platform was riddled with critical failures:
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Login issues: Some candidates were unable to access the exam portal at all.
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Severe delays: Many test-takers experienced significant lags during the exam.
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Security breaches: Proctoring systems reportedly failed, raising questions about exam integrity.
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Non-functional tools: The spell-check feature froze the system, and the basic copy-and-paste function didn’t work.
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Typing delays: In some cases, keyboard lag made it nearly impossible to write coherent exam responses.
These technical setbacks not only disrupted test-takers’ performance but also undermined public trust in the Bar’s ability to administer a fair and reliable licensing exam.
Refunds, Retakes, and Reputational Damage
In response to the widespread failures, the California Bar offered full refunds and a
free retake option for affected candidates. While this gesture aimed to repair goodwill, it did little to contain the reputational fallout.
The Bar eventually abandoned its experimental exam model and returned to the
National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) for future testing—a tacit admission that the experiment had failed.
The Legal Battle: California Bar vs. Meazure Learning
The Bar’s lawsuit against Meazure Learning seeks unspecified damages, alleging breach of contract and negligence in the administration of the February exam. The filing, prepared by litigation powerhouse Hueston Hennigan, represents an effort to shift blame away from the Bar itself and toward the vendor.
While the damages may not fully compensate for the logistical nightmare and reputational harm, the lawsuit serves another purpose: demonstrating that the Bar is taking accountability seriously and pursuing remedies for its applicants.
What’s Next for California Bar Examinees?
For those preparing to sit for the
July 2025 exam, the switch back to NCBE offers a measure of stability. Candidates can expect a more standardized testing experience, free from the technological uncertainties that plagued the February exam.
Still, the broader questions remain:
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Can the California Bar recover from this debacle?
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Will the state’s legal community continue to support an institution that many now see as unreliable?
As the legal battle unfolds, both the Bar and Meazure Learning will face scrutiny—not just in court, but in the court of public opinion.
Key Takeaways:
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The California Bar sued Meazure Learning after massive technical failures during the February 2025 exam.
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Issues included login failures, lagging systems, and broken exam tools.
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The Bar offered refunds and retakes but faced significant reputational damage.
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Future exams will revert to the NCBE’s standardized format.
