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200+ Free MA Bar Practice Questions

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A defendant served in a Massachusetts state-court action wishes to challenge personal jurisdiction. Under Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(b), how must the defense of lack of personal jurisdiction be raised to avoid waiver?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MA Bar Exam

270/400

Minimum Passing UBE Score

Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners

200 MBE + 6 MEE + 2 MPT

Exam Components (UBE)

NCBE / Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners

50% / 30% / 20%

MBE / MEE / MPT Weighting

Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners

$815

Petition Fee (plus $175 laptop)

Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners (2026)

July 2028

Scheduled NextGen UBE Transition

NCBE NextGen UBE jurisdiction decisions

100+

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep question bank

The Massachusetts Bar Exam is the UBE and requires a total scaled score of 270/400. Day 1 (writing, 50% of score) consists of six 30-minute MEE essays and two 90-minute MPT tasks; Day 2 (MBE, 50% of score) is 200 multiple-choice questions in two 3-hour sessions. The MBE covers seven equally weighted subjects: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. Applicants must also pass the MPRE (85+) before applying and complete the Massachusetts Law Component (MLC) covering Massachusetts-specific distinctions. The petition fee is $815 (plus a $175 laptop fee). Effective July 2026, the MEE no longer separately tests Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, or Secured Transactions.

Sample MA Bar Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MA Bar exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A plaintiff from Massachusetts sues a defendant from New York in federal district court in Massachusetts, asserting a state-law negligence claim for $90,000. The defendant moves to dismiss for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. How should the court rule?
A.Deny the motion, because the parties are completely diverse and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000
B.Grant the motion, because state-law claims may never be heard in federal court
C.Deny the motion only if the defendant consents to federal jurisdiction
D.Grant the motion, because diversity jurisdiction requires the amount in controversy to exceed $75,000 and it does here, but the parties are not diverse
Explanation: Under 28 U.S.C. § 1332, federal diversity jurisdiction requires complete diversity of citizenship and an amount in controversy exceeding $75,000. A Massachusetts plaintiff and a New York defendant are completely diverse, and $90,000 exceeds the threshold, so jurisdiction exists.
2A defendant is served with a complaint and summons in a Massachusetts Superior Court action. Under the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure, within how many days must the defendant serve an answer, absent an extension?
A.14 days after service of the summons
B.20 days after service of the summons
C.21 days after service of the summons
D.30 days after service of the summons
Explanation: Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1) requires a defendant to serve an answer within 20 days after service of the summons and complaint. This is a key Massachusetts distinction from the Federal Rules, where Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1) sets a 21-day deadline.
3A plaintiff files a complaint in Massachusetts Superior Court but is unable to serve the defendant. Under Mass. R. Civ. P. 4(j), within what period must service generally be made before the action is subject to dismissal?
A.30 days after filing the complaint
B.120 days after filing the complaint
C.90 days after filing the complaint
D.60 days after filing the complaint
Explanation: Mass. R. Civ. P. 4(j) requires that service of the summons and complaint be made within 90 days after the filing of the complaint; otherwise the action shall be dismissed without prejudice unless the plaintiff shows good cause. This mirrors the current 90-day federal period under Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m).
4A nonresident defendant transacts business in Massachusetts and causes injury there. The plaintiff seeks to assert personal jurisdiction in a Massachusetts court. Which statute provides the basis for long-arm jurisdiction over the nonresident?
A.G.L. c. 231, § 6F
B.G.L. c. 186, § 15B
C.G.L. c. 93A
D.G.L. c. 223A, §§ 1-8 (the Massachusetts long-arm statute)
Explanation: The Massachusetts long-arm statute, G.L. c. 223A, § 3, authorizes personal jurisdiction over a nonresident who, among other things, transacts business or causes tortious injury in the Commonwealth, subject to the constitutional limits of International Shoe and minimum contacts.
5A defendant moves to dismiss a federal action for lack of personal jurisdiction, arguing he has no contacts with the forum state. Under International Shoe Co. v. Washington, what is the constitutional standard for personal jurisdiction over a nonresident?
A.The defendant must have minimum contacts with the forum such that suit does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice
B.The defendant must be a citizen of the forum state
C.The defendant must own real property within the forum state
D.The defendant must be physically present in the forum when served
Explanation: International Shoe Co. v. Washington (1945) established that due process requires a nonresident defendant to have certain minimum contacts with the forum such that maintaining the suit does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. This is the foundational standard for specific and general personal jurisdiction.
6In a diversity action in federal court in Massachusetts, a conflict arises between a state substantive rule and a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure governing the same issue. Under the Erie doctrine and Hanna v. Plumer, which law generally governs procedure?
A.State procedural law always governs in diversity cases
B.A valid Federal Rule of Civil Procedure on point governs, even if it differs from state practice
C.The court must apply whichever rule produces the outcome the plaintiff prefers
D.Federal common law governs all procedural questions
Explanation: Under Hanna v. Plumer (1965), when a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure is on point and valid under the Rules Enabling Act and the Constitution, it governs in a diversity case even if it conflicts with state practice. Erie's outcome-determinative concerns apply only where no federal rule directly addresses the issue.
7A plaintiff moves for summary judgment under Mass. R. Civ. P. 56. When should the court grant the motion?
A.Only if the defendant fails to appear at the hearing
B.Whenever the plaintiff's evidence is more persuasive than the defendant's
C.When there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law
D.Only after a full trial on the merits
Explanation: Mass. R. Civ. P. 56(c), like its federal counterpart, provides that summary judgment is proper when the pleadings and supporting materials show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The court views the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.
8Two parties from the same state are involved in a federal-question case. The plaintiff later adds a related state-law claim against the same defendant that arises from the same set of facts. What is the basis for the federal court to hear the added state claim?
A.Removal jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1441
B.Admiralty jurisdiction
C.Diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332
D.Supplemental jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1367
Explanation: Under 28 U.S.C. § 1367, a federal court with original jurisdiction may exercise supplemental jurisdiction over related claims that form part of the same case or controversy (sharing a common nucleus of operative fact). Diversity is unavailable because the parties are nondiverse, so supplemental jurisdiction is the proper basis.
9A defendant served in a Massachusetts state-court action wishes to challenge personal jurisdiction. Under Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(b), how must the defense of lack of personal jurisdiction be raised to avoid waiver?
A.It must be raised in the first responsive pleading or pre-answer motion, or it is waived
B.It can only be raised by a separate plenary action
C.It is automatically preserved if the defendant denies the complaint's allegations
D.It may be raised at any time, even on appeal
Explanation: Under Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(b) and 12(h), the defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction, improper venue, insufficiency of process, and insufficiency of service of process are waived if not asserted in a pre-answer Rule 12 motion or in the first responsive pleading. This mirrors the federal waiver rule.
10A federal plaintiff brings a claim, loses on the merits after a full trial, and the judgment becomes final. The plaintiff then files a second suit against the same defendant asserting the same claim. What doctrine bars the second suit?
A.Collateral estoppel (issue preclusion)
B.Res judicata (claim preclusion)
C.The law of the case doctrine
D.The mootness doctrine
Explanation: Res judicata (claim preclusion) bars relitigation of the same claim between the same parties after a final judgment on the merits. It extends to all matters that were or could have been litigated in the first action, promoting finality and judicial economy.

About the MA Bar Exam

The Massachusetts Bar Examination is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which Massachusetts adopted beginning in July 2018. It is administered over two days: Day 1 consists of six Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) essays and two Multistate Performance Tests (MPTs); Day 2 is the 200-question Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). A combined scaled score of 270 out of 400 is required to pass, with the MBE weighted 50%, MEE 30%, and MPT 20%. Massachusetts is scheduled to transition to the NextGen UBE in July 2028.

Questions

200 scored questions

Time Limit

2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)

Passing Score

270/400 (UBE total scaled score)

Exam Fee

$815 (Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners)

MA Bar Exam Content Outline

50%

MBE Multiple Choice

200 questions covering the seven MBE subjects weighted equally (~25 each): Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts; 175 scored plus 25 unscored pretest items

30%

MEE Essays

Six 30-minute essays on MBE subjects plus Business Associations (Agency, Partnership, Corporations, LLCs); from July 2026 Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts & Estates, and Secured Transactions are no longer separately listed as MEE subjects

20%

MPT Performance Tests

Two 90-minute closed-universe tasks supplying a file and library; tests lawyering skills such as drafting memos, briefs, letters, and contracts rather than memorized substantive law

MLC

Massachusetts Law Component

Online multiple-choice assessment on Massachusetts distinctions: Access to Justice, Anti-Discrimination, Business Organizations, Civil Procedure, Consumer Protection (G.L. c. 93A), Criminal Law & Procedure, Domestic Relations, Estates & Wills, and Evidence

MA

Massachusetts Civil Procedure & Property

Mass. R. Civ. P. distinctions (20-day answer, 90-day service under Rule 4(j), long-arm G.L. c. 223A), the Massachusetts Trial Court departments, security deposits (c. 186, § 15B), summary process (c. 239), and 20-year adverse possession (c. 260, § 21)

MA

Massachusetts Family & Criminal Distinctions

Equitable distribution (c. 208, § 34), best-interests custody, antenuptial agreements (DeMatteo), duty-to-retreat self-defense, OUI per se 0.08% (c. 90, § 24), and larceny (c. 266, § 30)

How to Pass the MA Bar Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 270/400 (UBE total scaled score)
  • Exam length: 200 questions
  • Time limit: 2 days (Day 1: 6 MEE essays + 2 MPTs; Day 2: 200 MBE)
  • Exam fee: $815

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MA Bar Study Tips from Top Performers

1The MBE is 50% of your score, so prioritize it: the seven subjects (Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, Torts) are weighted roughly equally at ~25 questions each, so do not neglect any subject
2Pass the MPRE with an 85+ BEFORE you apply — Massachusetts is unusual in requiring a passing MPRE score before it will accept your bar petition, so schedule the MPRE early
3For the MEE, build strong Business Associations outlines (agency, partnership, corporations, LLCs); from July 2026 the separately tested list shrank, but MBE subjects and Business Associations remain high-yield essay topics
4Study Massachusetts distinctions for the MLC and MA-specific essays: the 20-day answer deadline (Mass. R. Civ. P. 12(a)), 90-day service (Rule 4(j)), c. 186 § 15B security deposits, c. 239 summary process eviction, and modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar (c. 231, § 85)
5Practice the two MPTs under strict 90-minute timing — they test lawyering skills using a closed universe of provided materials, so technique and organization matter more than memorized law
6On the MBE, remember 25 of 200 questions are unscored pretests; keep a steady pace of about 1.8 minutes per question and do not let an unusual item rattle you

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for the Massachusetts Bar Exam?

Massachusetts requires a total scaled UBE score of 270 out of 400 to pass. The score combines the MBE (weighted 50%), MEE (30%), and MPT (20%). Because the UBE produces a portable score, a 270+ earned in another UBE jurisdiction can be transferred to Massachusetts within three years of the administration.

How is the Massachusetts Bar Exam structured?

Massachusetts administers the Uniform Bar Examination over two days. Day 1 consists of six 30-minute Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) essays and two 90-minute Multistate Performance Tests (MPTs). Day 2 is the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE): 200 multiple-choice questions split into two 3-hour sessions of 100 questions each. The exam is offered each February and July.

How much does the Massachusetts Bar Exam cost?

The Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners petition fee is $815, the same amount for first-time takers, attorneys, and repeaters. Applicants who use a laptop for the written portion pay an additional $175 laptop fee. Commercial bar prep courses (BARBRI, Themis, Kaplan) are a separate expense of roughly $2,000-$4,000.

Is Massachusetts a UBE state, and is it adopting the NextGen bar exam?

Yes. Massachusetts adopted the Uniform Bar Examination beginning with the July 2018 exam, so its scores are portable to other UBE jurisdictions. Massachusetts is scheduled to transition to the NextGen UBE in July 2028; until then it administers the legacy UBE (MBE + MEE + MPT).

What is the Massachusetts Law Component (MLC)?

The MLC is a separate online, open-book multiple-choice assessment based on outlines covering Massachusetts-specific law. Petitioners filing for admission after March 1, 2018 must complete it. It covers nine areas, including Massachusetts civil procedure, business organizations, domestic relations, consumer protection under G.L. c. 93A, and estates and wills. There is no separate Massachusetts essay exam because the state uses the UBE.

How should I prepare for the Massachusetts Bar Exam?

Plan 8-10 weeks of full-time study (350-500 hours). Because the MBE is 50% of the score, drill at least 1,500-2,000 MBE questions across the seven subjects. Master MEE essay writing with IRAC, including Business Associations. Practice both MPT tasks under timed conditions. Pass the MPRE (85+) before you apply, and complete the Massachusetts Law Component focusing on MA distinctions such as the 20-day answer deadline, c. 186 security deposits, and equitable distribution.