The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that law school graduates must pass the state’s bar exam to practice law, refusing a request to waive that requirement in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 50 members of the Florida bar filed a petition last month requesting the court to adopt emergency rules to allow admission to the bar without examination. The emergency rules would apply to law school graduates who signed up to take the July bar exam. Under the proposal, bar applicants would be admitted after six months of supervision by a Florida attorney who has been a member of the Florida bar for at least five years.

The court on Thursday declined to allow this kind of admission.  The majority reasoned “it is essential” to ensure that applicants “possess ‘knowledge of the fundamental principals of law and their application,’ an ‘ability to reason logically,’ and the preparedness ‘to accurately analyze legal problems’ before they are allowed to offer their services to the public.” The court further emphasized that “extreme harm” has been caused by lawyers who do not meet these essential requirements.

The justices noted that the petitioners’ suggestion of six months of supervised practice is not a sufficient substitute for passing the bar exam.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Alan Lawson agreed with the majority’s decision and defended the Florida Board of Bar Examiners’ attempts to provide applicants an opportunity to take the exam amid COVID-19 concerns.

After delays due to COVID-19 and technical problems, the Florida bar exam is now scheduled to take place online on October 13.