No — judges in Massachusetts do not have a separate, mandatory CLE requirement apart from general attorney education norms.
Massachusetts does not impose a mandatory CLE for attorneys; judges may participate in Judicial Education programs, but those are not required under a distinct CLE mandate.
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No, CLE is not required before passing the bar. CLE requirements generally begin only after an attorney has been formally admitted to practice law.
Key Takeaway: CLE is never required before bar admission; obligations start only once an attorney is admitted, with special new-lawyer requirements in some states.
No — Georgia’s CLE rules treat all active attorneys alike; there is no special reduced requirement for part-time attorneys.
Georgia requires active members to complete 12 CLE credit hours annually, including 1 hour in ethics and 1 hour in professionalism.
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Maryland does not currently require attorneys to complete CLE, so there is no CLE reporting deadline in Maryland.
The courts’ informational pages confirm that CLE for Maryland lawyers remains voluntary.
Key Takeaway: In Maryland, you don’t need to report CLE—there is no mandatory CLE reporting deadline.
...Wisconsin attorneys must complete 30 CLE credit hours every two years. That requirement includes 3 hours in ethics, and at least 15 hours must be taken via live or interactive formats.
Key Takeaway: Wisconsin requires 30 CLE hours every two years, including 3 live ethics hours, with half the credits earned via live or interactive programming and limited carryover allowed.
Yes — Maine law (via the Bar Rules / CLE rules) provides for a number of explicit exemptions from the CLE requirement for certain categories of attorneys, and allows discretionary exemptions upon showing hardship.
In Maine, Rule 5(d) lists attorneys exempted (e.g. judges, law professors, emeritus, nonresidents, elderly non-full-time practitioners, new admittees), and the CLE Committee may grant exemptions or reductions for good cause.
South Dakota attorneys currently have no mandatory CLE requirement.
A proposal is under review that could establish a 20-hour biennial CLE requirement beginning in 2027, but it has not yet been adopted by the South Dakota Supreme Court.
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• At present, attorneys may complete CLE voluntarily, but it is not required for license renewal.
• On June 20,
Inactive attorneys in Washington are not required to report or complete MCLE while their status remains inactive.
Upon reactivation, they must meet all MCLE obligations as an active member and may incur additional reinstatement conditions depending on how long they have been inactive.
Inactive, retired, or emeritus members of the Alaska Bar are exempt from CLE reporting and credit-earning requirements.
Key Takeaway: In Alaska, inactive attorneys are exempt from CLE obligations while in inactive status — they do not need to earn or report CLE credits unless and until they resume active status.
Yes — judges in West Virginia are subject to a separate Continuing Judicial Education (CJE) requirement distinct from attorney CLE.
The CJE program is administered by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia through the Administrative Office and applies specifically to judicial officers.
Under Rule 7 of the Rules of Judicial Disciplinary Procedure, every full-time judge must complete a minimum of 50 hours of approved judicial education every two years. These hours must include instruction in judicial ethics, substantive law, and other areas essential to judicial competence. The Administrative Director of the Courts oversees compliance and may grant extensions or waivers for good cause.
| Judicial Role | Education Hours | Reporting Cycle | Administered By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time Judges | 50 |
Colorado attorneys must complete 45 CLE credit hours every three years. Of those, 7 hours must be devoted to professional responsibility, including 5 in ethics or professionalism and 2 in equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
Key Takeaway: Colorado’s reporting cycle requires 45 CLE hours every three years, including 7 professional responsibility hours (5 ethics + 2 EDI), with no carryover allowed.
Documentation for a CLE hardship waiver typically includes proof of financial hardship, medical condition, disability, or other extraordinary circumstances. States require attorneys to demonstrate the need clearly with official supporting records.
Key Takeaway: A CLE hardship waiver requires official documentation such as tax records, medical certification, or court orders to prove extraordinary circumstances, and approval rests with the state CLE authority.
No — Alabama’s CLE rules treat all attorneys the same; there is no special reduced requirement for part-time attorneys.
Alabama’s Mandatory Continuing Legal Education rules require every attorney (unless exempt) to complete 12 hours of approved CLE credit each calendar year, including 1 hour of ethics or professionalism.
Key relevant provisions:
– Rule 3 requires 12 actual hours per year for all attorneys.
– Rule 2 lists limited exemptions (e.g. year of admission; attorneys aged 65 or receiving Social Security) but does not distinguish based on full-time vs part-time status.
– CLE “live” and “on-demand” limits, credit carryover rules, deficiency plans, sanctions, and reporting apply uniformly.
Key Takeaway: Alabama’s CLE obligations do not vary based on part-time vs full-time practice — all nonexempt attorneys must
...Alaska requires 12 CLE credit hours each calendar year. At least 3 hours must be in ethics, the earning window runs January 1–December 31, and reports are due February 1.
Key Takeaway: Alaska requires 12 CLE hours annually, including 3 ethics hours, with reporting due February 1.
Maryland attorneys are not currently required to complete any CLE credits under state law. The Maryland Supreme Court is actively considering implementing a mandatory CLE requirement but has delayed a decision.
Key Takeaway: There is no CLE hour requirement in Maryland at present, but a mandatory structure may be adopted in the future.
Yes — Florida law allows certain attorneys to be exempt from CLE under specified conditions such as judicial office, inactive status, active military service, out-of-state nonpractice, or undue hardship.
Florida Bar Rule 6-10.3(c) and The Florida Bar’s CLER exemption procedures govern those exemptions.
Virginia attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours every 12 months. That includes at least 2 hours in legal ethics and at least 4 hours in live-interactive programming.
Key Takeaway: Virginia requires 12 CLE hours annually, with minimum ethics and live-interactive hours, a one-year cycle ending October 31, and limited carryover.
No — in Washington, judges are not governed by a separate CLE regime; they participate under the same MCLE rules that apply to attorneys (with some special allowances for judicial ethics).
Washington’s MCLE rules (APR 11) include judges (classified as “judicial members”) among those required to satisfy CLE, and the state separately provides Continuing Judicial Education (CJE) credit, especially in ethics, as part of judicial training.
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Indiana attorneys must complete 36 CLE credit hours every three years. That includes a per-year minimum of 6 hours and at least 3 hours of ethics.
Key Takeaway: Indiana requires 36 CLE hours every 3 years, with a requirement of 6 hours annually, at least 3 hours in ethics, and no carryover between cycles.
Inactive members of the South Carolina Bar are exempt from CLE requirements.
The CLE rule (SCACR Rule 408) explicitly lists “inactive members” as exempt from the 14-hour annual CLE duty.
