The University of Texas at Austin

Final Exams – Policies and Guidelines

Below are some guidelines you should follow when taking your law school exams. This list is not intended to be all inclusive, but it does highlight the most common areas of concern.

  1. All students will be required to read and sign a Student Certification of Examination Performance Agreement for each exam.
  2. No electronic devices of any kind (including iPods, cell phones, blackberrys, etc.) will be allowed in exam rooms during exams with the exception of computers in Extegrity rooms. A zero tolerance policy will be in effect.
  3. Read and follow the exam directions carefully. Failure to comply with all the directions is an honor code violation and will subject you to disciplinary action.
  4. When the proctor says, "stop," you must stop instantly. This means that you cannot finish dotting an "i" or crossing a "t". Stop means stop. Failure to stop writing when "stop" is called is an honor code violation.
  5. Some professors allow the students to take the exam questions with you after the completion of the exam. Some do not. Please read and follow each professor's instructions. If you must return the questions and you, inadvertently or otherwise, take the questions with you, it is an honor code violation.
  6. If part of or all of your exam is objective and is to be answered on a Scantron form, please bring a #2 pencil with you. You must also bubble in all of your answers during the allotted time. Allow yourself sufficient time to finish prior to time being called.
  7. If you observe anyone not following instructions, using unauthorized materials, writing beyond the allotted time, you are to report the incident to the proctor and to Dean Ramos immediately. While it is difficult to report an alleged violation, you must do so to maintain the integrity of the exam process. If you lose exam time while reporting a violation and need it, you will be allowed to make it up.
  8. Students leaving the room during the administration of an exam (for use of the bathroom facilities, etc.) will have to sign in and out.
  9. If you are typing a floating or take-home exam, please be sure to save your document every 5 minutes. This will ensure that any computer problems will cause only a minimal loss. Please allow sufficient time to print exams. The printing time, including printer problems, is included in the allotted exam time.
  10. For exams that are administered in a classroom, non-floating and non-take-home, a laptop cannot be used to access notes or an outline. Make sure that you print such materials prior to exam time if you are allowed to use them and want to do so.
  11. Laptops checked out from the library may not be used to take in-room exams since the software cannot be loaded to these computers. The exam software can be loaded only to personally owned laptops.

Effective Fall 2007, the following exam policies will also take effect:

  1. Any student arriving after an exam has commenced will be penalized on a minute-by-minute basis.
  2. All students (both typists and writers) will be combined in exam rooms.

Additional rules regarding exams are found on page 51 of the Law School Catalog, 2006–2008, and the Honor Code is on pages 47–48. Chapter 11 of the Institutional Rules in the General Information Bulletin also governs scholastic dishonesty.