This article originally appeared in The Bar Examiner print edition, Fall 2026 (Vol. 95, No. 3), pp. 43–46.
Rule Changes
New Mexico
The Supreme Court of New Mexico approved, via a July 30, 2026, order, a new skills-based pathway to bar admission. The pathway is planned to be implemented in summer 2027. The order can be found at supremecourt.nmcourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Order-No.-S-1-AO-2026-00026-In-the-Matter-of-Skills-Based-Pathway-to-Bar-Licensure.-Attest.pdf.
Ohio
The Supreme Court of Ohio approved revisions to Rule I, Section 18, of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio to include servicemembers and otherwise to come into compliance with the 2024 Servicemembers Civil Relief Act amendments. The revisions are effective September 1, 2026.
The Supreme Court of Ohio also approved revisions to its jurisdiction-specific component for the bar exam. Effective November 1, 2026, the Ohio Law Component (OLC) will test fewer subjects but each will be tested more deeply, with additional questions on the multiple-choice test. The OLC is also shifting from an on-demand model, with examinees now being able to take the test up to four times a year under required monitored/proctored conditions. The revisions also open the testing window, allowing aspiring Ohio attorneys to take the Ohio Law Component any time after completing their second year of law school instead of after taking the UBE.
Wyoming
Effective August 12, 2026, the Supreme Court of Wyoming approved revisions to the Rules and Procedures Governing Admission to the Practice of Law to remove reciprocity as a basis for admission on motion. The order is available at www.wyocourts.gov/app/uploads/2026/07/Order-Amending-Bar-Admission-Rules-6-12.pdf.
People
District of Columbia
Natalie Sanders’s last day as Director of the Committee on Admissions was August 27, 2026.
Idaho
Justice Robyn M. Brody replaced Justice G. Richard Bevan as chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court effective October 1. Justice Bevan will retire from the court on October 30.
West Virginia
West Virginia has welcomed two new justices to its Supreme Court of Appeals after their election in May 2026. Justice H. L. Kirkpatrick will serve out the unexpired six-year term of the late Justice Tim Armstead. Justice James W. Flanigan will serve his term through 2028, previously held by the retired Justice Elizabeth D. Walker.
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