Last week, the legislatively mandated audit of the problems of the February 2025 California Bar Exam was released. You can find the report here. And here’s coverage from Julianne Hill at the ABA Journal:

A rushed timeline, poor planning, contract failures and a host of questionable decisions—including the use of generative artificial intelligence to help write some questions—are to blame for California’s disastrous launchof a proprietary bar exam in February 2025 that led to $5.1 million in costs plus millions more in lost revenue and legal costs, according to a report from the state auditor released Thursday.

Ironically, the move to launch the exam that allowed test-takers the option of taking it in person or remotely was an attempt by the cash-strapped State Bar of California to save money in the face of an anticipated $3.8 million deficit.

Julianne Hill, Audit of California Bar Exam Disaster Blames Poor Planning, Contract Failures and Rushed Timeline, ABA Journal, July 10, 2026; see also Adam Echelman, Audit: State Bar Missed Warning Signs Before 2025 Exam Fiasco, CalMatters, July 10, 2026. For earlier coverage about the significant problems surrounding the February 2025 exam, see this TaxProfBlog post.