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Bar considers adding Indian
law to exam
By NewsStar.com
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma Bar Association is considering a change in its bar
exam to add a section on Indian law.
The state Board of Bar Examiners in November discussed and then tabled a proposal to add
Indian law to the two-day exam. Board chairman Richard Fogg said he thinks it is more a
question of when than if Oklahoma will join New Mexico and Washington by adding Indian law
to the bar exam.
"Whenever you add a subject to the Oklahoma bar, it takes a lot of lead time because every
law school must have the ability to staff and the ability to get people into that curriculum," he
said.
"So I think it's more a question of timing," Fogg said. "We're not quite ready to do that. That
doesn't mean there won't be a time."
The Oklahoma Bar Association's Indian Law section advocates the change but has not yet
formally requested it, chairman Colline Meek said.
"We didn't really think we were at the point to ask them right now," Meek said. "What we
haven't done is laid the groundwork with the law school deans, the Supreme Court -- the kinds of
people you need support from."
Meek said Oklahoma eventually will make the change because Indian legal issues are so
prevalent here.
"The applicability of Indian law to life in Oklahoma is far greater than in any other state," she
said.
The Board of Bar Examiners discussed the proposal with law deans from the University of
Oklahoma, the University of Tulsa and Oklahoma City University at its Nov. 10 meeting, said
director Charlotte Nelson. "They weren't really that much in favor of it, and they said if we do
test, they have to have a transition period."
OU Dean Andrew Coats said adding Indian law to the bar exam might be a good idea
considering the impact Indian law has in Oklahoma.
"I think the need may be there," Coats said. "My only request was that they give us some lag
time so we can work it into the curriculum."
All three universities already offer classes in Indian law.
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