NM · rules

N.M. Sup. Ct. Order No. S-1-AO-2026-00023

Order No. S-1-AO-2026-00023 Next Gen Bar Examination Administration and Scoring attest

activein force · 2026-09-30 – presentact-effective-date

Filed

Supreme Court of New Mexico

6/15/2026 4:36 PM

Office of the Clerk

1 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

2 June 15, 2026

3 NO. S-1-AO-2026-00023

4 IN THE MATTER OF THE

5 ADMINISTRATION OF THE NEXTGEN

6 UBE AND PASSING SCORES FOR THE

7 NEXTGEN UBE, LEGACY UBE, AND THE

8 MPRE

9 ORDER

10 WHEREAS, this matter came on for consideration upon recommendation of

11 the Board of Bar Examiners to administer the NextGen Uniform Bar Examination

12 (“NextGen UBE”) to test an applicant’s minimum competence to practice law in

13 New Mexico beginning in July 2027;

14 WHEREAS, other jurisdictions will begin administering the NextGen UBE in

15 July 2026;

16 WHEREAS, New Mexico currently administers the “Legacy UBE” to test an

17 applicant’s minimum competency to practice law, see Rule 15-502 NMRA;

18 WHEREAS, to assist with the transition from the Legacy UBE to the NextGen

19 UBE and to facilitate admission through the UBE score transfer method under Rule

20 15-302 NMRA, the Board of Bar Examiners recommends the adoption of passing

21 scores for the NextGen UBE in New Mexico;

WHEREAS, the minimum passing score for the Legacy UBE in New Mexico 1

is two hundred sixty (260), see Rule 15-502(B), and the National Conference of Bar 2

Examiners recommends an equivalent passing score of six hundred ten (610) for the 3

NextGen UBE; and 4

WHEREAS, the Court having considered the recommendation and being 5

sufficiently advised, Chief Justice Julie J. Vargas, Justice Michael E. Vigil, Justice 6

C. Shannon Bacon, Justice David K. Thomson, and Justice Briana H. Zamora 7

concurring; 8

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the NextGen UBE will be 9

administered in New Mexico beginning with the July 2027 examination period, 10

which is currently scheduled for July 28, 2027, through July 29, 2027; 11

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that for all applicants, the minimum passing 12

score for the NextGen Bar Exam will be six hundred ten (610); 13

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that NextGen UBE transfer scores will be 14

accepted in New Mexico under Rule 15-302 beginning in July 2026; 15

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED th at for all applicants, the minimum passing 16

score for the Legacy UBE is two hundred sixty (260), see Rule 15-502(B); and 17

age 3 of 3

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that for all applicants, the minimum passing 1

score for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is a scaled score of 2

eighty (80), see Rule 15-503(B) NMRA. 3

IT IS SO ORDERED. 4

WITNESS, the Honorable Julie J. Vargas, Chief Justice of 5

the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico, and the 6

seal of said Court this 15th day of June, 2026. 7

Provenance

Source: supremecourt.nmcourts.gov
Retrieved: 2026-09-30
Edition: 2026-09-30
Content hash: f4d455c19fd16252f6f230946a781d6c33995389078841840294d8f06fa30e6c

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