Former high Arkansas official arrested for allegedly tampering with bar examination scores

Crime

By Linda Ikeji
7 November 2026, 12:41 am

A former official in US state of Arkansas, answerable for overseeing bar examination information has been arrested and charged with 65 felony counts of tampering with a public report following an investigation into alleged rating manipulation.

Nancie Givens, the previous govt director of the Arkansas Office of Professional Programs, is accused of altering information linked to examinations administered between July 2020 and July 2025, in line with Little Rock broadcaster KATV.

An Arkansas State Police investigation recognized alleged irregularities involving information maintained by the workplace, which is answerable for safeguarding the accuracy of bar examination info.

Investigators allege that Givens altered or deleted roughly 11,400 digital information referring to candidates’ information, profiles and rating sheets. The workplace is legally required to retain these information for 25 years.

The alleged irregularities had been found in January, and Givens resigned from her place in February. The report didn’t set up a motive for the alleged tampering, and Givens has not publicly addressed the accusations.

The case has raised issues concerning the integrity of bar examination information in the course of the five-year interval. However, Sixth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones declined to reveal what number of examinations had been affected, whether or not particular person candidates had been impacted or whether or not the alleged alterations modified any admission choices.