Texas state court rules against bar association accreditation

(The Center Square) – The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that law schools in the state will no longer be required to obtain accreditation from the American Bar Association.

During a ruling on Jan. 6, the court stated its approval alone is sufficient for law school accreditation.

In an earlier opinion issued during its review of the issue, the justices explained their reasoning more directly, stating their preliminary view that the ABA “should no longer have the final say on whether a law school’s graduates are eligible to sit for the Texas bar exam and become licensed to practice law in Texas.”

The decision comes amid broader concerns raised by the Trump administration regarding the bar association’s objectivity.

In February 2025, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the organization “[h]as subjected law faculties and law students to unlawful race and sex discrimination under the guise of ‘diversity’ mandates” by ...