Law degrees in the United States are referred to as JDs or Juris Doctors. Students enroll in law school after earning a four-year undergraduate degree. After spending about three years in law school, graduates earn a JD. Once they pass a state bar exam and meet certain legal requirements, they are eligible to practice law.

The American Bar Association has been slower than other professional societies to endorse correspondence study. In fact, the organization’s general policy is that law schools should not grant credit for correspondence schooling. However, there are exceptions for distance education that includes ample interaction with the instructor and meets other criteria. Even in these cases, however, there are normally limitations to how many credits can be earned toward a JD online. Since differences are state-dependent, prospective online law students should research the issue with their state bar examiner’s office.

Two California universities offering online law degrees (J.D.s) include:

1)      The California Southern University School of Law, a traditional correspondence school established in 1978. Although the university is unaccredited, California’s Committee of Bar Examiners has authorized registration of the School of Law, so graduates are qualified to sit for the California Bar Exam.

2)      Concord Law School, a subsidiary of Kaplan University. As part of Kaplan, Concord Law School is part of an accredited school. However, Concord Law School itself is not accredited. Students must therefore pass the “baby bar” after their first year of law school. After that, they are eligible to earn a JD, take the California Bar Exam, and practice law in California.