More on the South Carolina Bar Exam

Earlier on this blog, I reported on the controversy that has surrounded a decision to toss out the Wills, Trusts, and Estates question from the July 2007 South Carolina bar exam which resulted in an extra 20 students receiving passing scores, including the daughters of several prestigious individuals.

Here is some additional information from Debra Cassens Weiss, Plot Thickens: Bar Exam Chief Wasn’t Told of Grading Change, ABA J. Law News Now, Nov. 13, 2007:

The South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision to change the bar exam results for 20 test-takers was a surprise to the man who oversees the state Board of Law Examiners.

Board chairman George Hearn told TheState.com that neither the court nor any of his board members informed him of the decision to change the final exam scores submitted to the court by law examiners.

The court says it decided to drop the section of the exam on wills, trusts and estates from the test because of a scoring error reported by the examiner for the section. Among the 20 who benefited were the daughters of a trial judge and a state representative.

The daughters, Catherine Harrison and Kendall Burch, both serve as law clerks for circuit judges.