(a) Appointments
(1) The Supreme Court is responsible for appointing ten examiners to the Committee of Bar Examiners for a term of four years with each full term commencing at the end of the Board of Trustees’ September meeting.
(2) The Supreme Court may fill any vacancies at any time. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the four-year term vacated and such appointments do not count toward any term limits for the examiner filling the vacancy under (a)(5) of this rule.
(3) At least one examiner must be a judicial officer in this state.
(4) The other examiners must be licensees, at least one of whom shall have been admitted to practice law in California within three years of the date of appointment.
(5) With the exception of appointments to fill a partial term vacancy under (a)(2) of this rule, each examiner shall serve for a term of four years and may apply for reappointment by the Supreme Court for up to three additional full terms. Reappointments are at the discretion of the Supreme Court. Examiners may continue to serve beyond the expiration of their terms until their successors are appointed.
(6) The Supreme Court shall select the chair and vice chair of the Committee of Bar Examiners. The terms of the chair and vice chair shall be one year ending at the conclusion of the Board of Trustees’ September meeting.
(Subd (a) amended effective October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2019.)
(b) Nominations
(1) The Supreme Court may make its appointments from a list of candidates nominated by the Board of Trustees pursuant to a procedure approved by the court.
(2) Candidates selected for nominations shall be screened for actual and potential conflicts of interest including any financial and nonfinancial interests that might affect or might be affected by the candidate’s service as an examiner. Such conflicts may include being actively involved in any capacity related to a bar examination preparation business or in any other capacity to assist applicants in fulfilling the requirements for admission; or are actively serving as a member of the governing or other policy-making board or committee of a law school.
Rule 9.4 amended effective October 1, 2025; adopted effective January 1, 2018; previously amended effective January 1, 2019.