Cleveland woman files court complaint over failed Mississippi bar exam

Jimmie E. Gates | Mississippi Clarion Ledger

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A Cleveland woman is trying to overturn the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions ruling that she failed her July 2015 bar exam.

Zundria Crawford filed a complaint in Hinds County Chancery Court seeking permission to file a lawsuit against the board and others alleging her bar exam was misgraded.

State law and rules require approval from a court to file such a lawsuit against a state entity.

On Thursday, Crawford was in court arguing she has the right to file a lawsuit over what she says was failure of the Board of Bar Admissions to properly grade her exam based on model answers.

But Assistant Attorney General Harold Pizzetta argued Crawford cannot sue the board because it has judicial immunity.

More: Mississippi Bar passage rate heading downward

The merits of the lawsuit are being argued at a time when the number of those passing the Mississippi Bar exam are declining. In February, 27 of the approximately 87 people who took the exam passed.

Crawford is arguing the board’s decision to affirm its decision that she failed the exam was flawed. She argues the board misgraded her Multistate Performance Test, which accounted for 15 percent of her final score.

The board didn’t use the required model answer, or grading summary and grading guidelines in reviewing her answers on that part of the test, she said..

Crawford said she was given only two points correctly of 30 on the section. Pizzetta said Thursday in court that Crawford was generously given 16 points.

When asked after Thursday's hearing why she didn't just retake the bar exam, Crawford replied, it's not about her but will affect all applicants for the Mississippi Bar. She said she was deprived of her rights.

Crawford said the board’s decision isn’t supported by nor based on evidence since there are no meeting minutes in the record about the board’s determination that she failed the exam or any other decision it made against her.

Pizzetta said the Board of Bar Admissions provided Crawford with a detailed explanation of her scores and afforded her the opportunity to request copies of the examination questions, her answers, model answers and analyses.

Crawford appealed the grades she received on the Mississippi State Essay questions 1.2, 1.3, 5.1, and 5.2 to the full board. She also appealed to the board the grade she received on the Multistate Performance Test. The board appointed a three-member committee to review Crawford’s petition and amended petition.

The committee "determined that her answers to MSE questions …had “not been substantially misgraded to an extent that the result of the examination was affected, and her appeal was denied,” Pizzetta said in a court document.

The board filed a motion in court seeking to affirm its decision that Crawford failed the exam. Last week, Crawford filed her response asking that the state’s motion be denied. She called it a frivolous motion that will cause undue burdens and delays.

Chancery Judge Denise Owens said Thursday she will review arguments and court records in making a decision. She gave no timetable for when she will issue her ruling.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at 601-961-7212 or jgates@gannett.com. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter