The Supreme Court on Sunday announced that it will release the results of the 2023 Bar Examinations before Christmas this year while the oath-taking of the new lawyers will be held before New Year.

This, as the three-day Bar exams kicked off on Sunday at 14 local testing centers nationwide and the last two days of the examinations will be on 20 and 24 September 2023.

"For the longest time, Bar examinees have had to endure several months of perceived agony of waiting before the results of the professional licensure exams for future lawyers are released," said Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, chairperson of the 2023 Bar exams committee.

"This year, however, following the examples of my recent predecessors as Bar Chair, the time spent by the examinees waiting in agony for the results of the exams will be cut short: My team and I are eyeing the release of the results of the 2023 Bar Examinations in early December before Christmas day," he added.

"There will be simultaneous oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys in December also before Christmas Day so that we will have our new batch of full-fledged lawyers before the year ends. It will be an additional reason for those who will hurdle the Bar Exams to celebrate the Holiday Season," Hernando said.

He disclosed that as of 17 September, a total of 10,791, instead of 10,816 as earlier announced, will take the subject of the six-subject examinations spread in three days.