Maya Kensington
Arkansas Official Arrested
Over Alleged Bar Exam Score Tampering
Published
Key facts: Nancie Givens, a former Arkansas official, was charged with 65 counts of tampering with public records over alleged changes to bar exam scores. Investigators said the inquiry covered exams administered from July 2020 to July 2025 and approximately 11,400 electronic files.
KATV in Little Rock reported that Nancie Givens was charged with 65 counts of tampering with a public record. Givens previously served as executive director of the Arkansas Office of Professional Programs, which is responsible for protecting the accuracy of bar exam records.
Arkansas State Police investigated irregularities in bar exams administered to aspiring lawyers between July 2020 and July 2025. The investigation examined conduct across that five-year period.
Investigators said Givens allegedly altered or deleted about 11,400 electronic files involving Arkansas Bar applicants, including records, profiles, and score sheets. The Office of Professional Programs is required by law to retain those records for 25 years.
The reason for the alleged changes has not been publicly established. Givens had not commented on the allegations at the time of the report.
Givens resigned in February, after investigators discovered the alleged irregularities in January. The allegations concern the integrity of Arkansas bar exams administered during the five-year period, but the reported information does not establish how many applicants or exam results were affected.
Sixth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones did not say how many bar exams were affected, whether applicants were impacted, or whether the alleged conduct changed any bar admissions outcomes.
Tessa Everly
David Bridges
