THE Supreme Court yesterday reminded Shari’ah bar takers that smartphones and tablets are not allowed during the 2024 Shari’ah Bar Examinations set on April 28 and May 2.
The bulletin issued by 2024 Shari’ah Bar Chairperson Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh said the examinees must bring a laptop instead for the two-day examination.
“Examinees are requested to refrain from bringing and using external gadgets and computer accessories because the allotted desk space is sufficient for only one laptop.
Smartphones, tablets and the like are likewise prohibited,” the bulletin said.
It also advised them to uninstall all unnecessary software in their laptop to avoid program conflict or technical issues and to turn off automatic system updates.
The High Court also advised examinees to disable all antivirus software installed on their laptops before the exams.
It added that Exemplify, a computer-based program, will be installed on their laptops “not later than April 12” to allow them to take the exam digitally.
“If no such email is received by said date, they should report the matter via the 2024 Shari’ah Bar Helpdesk of the Office of the Bar Confidant,” the SC added.
Among the subjects to be tackled during the examinations are Persons, Family Relations and Property; and Jurisprudence, Customary Laws, Procedure in Shari’ah Courts; and Succession, Wills and Adjudication and Settlement of Estate.
The Shari’ah Bar examinations are administered to allow Muslim professionals to qualify and practice before the Shari’ah Courts in the Philippines constituted under Presidential Decree 1083, or the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines.
The Shari’ah courts are courts of justice that have original jurisdiction over cases involving violations of Presidential Decree 1083.
2024 BAR EXAMS
The SC also reminded law graduates that the application for the 2024 Bar examinations to be held in September will close on April 5.
“After this date, no applications will be accepted, and requests for extensions will not be entertained,” the SC said in an advisory.
“For those who have applied, rest assured that your application will be processed as long as you have uploaded all the mandatory documents in the BARISTA or the Bar Applicant Registration System and Tech Assistance and paid the fee in full before the deadline,” it added.
The application fee that aspiring lawyers need to pay is P12,800.
The application started last January 15.
The SC set the schedule for the 2024 Bar exams as follows:
1. September 8, 2024 (Sunday) – Political and Public International Law and Commercial and Taxation Laws
2. September 11 (Wednesday) – Civil Law, Labor Law and Social Legislation, and
3. September 15 (Sunday) – Criminal Law, Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises.
The SC earlier directed Bar applicants to select three cities ranked by order of preference among the local testing centers to be set up across Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao where they will take the exams.
The 2024 Bar exams will continue to be digitalized and regionalized, featuring a condensed schedule and multiple examiners.
