According to a report by beck-aktuell of 16 October 2026, Rhineland-Palatinate ran the Second State Examination in a fully digital format for the first time in October 2026. For trainee lawyers preparing for the second examination, this is a real change, because until now printed statutes and commentaries had to be brought along. This guide explains what is permitted, how the trial phase unfolded and which questions remain open.
Short answer: According to a report by beck-aktuell of 16 October 2026, Rhineland-Palatinate held its Second State Examination fully digitally for the first time in October 2026. Around 200 trainee lawyers wrote their papers on laptops in Mainz, Trier and Frankenthal. Approved statutes and commentaries are available in a digital library on a second screen. Whether the digital format will become permanent is not established. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points
- The fully digital examination of the Second State Examination took place in Rhineland-Palatinate in October 2026, after a trial phase that began in May 2025.
- A practice examination followed in May 2026. According to the report, around 200 trainee lawyers took part in the digital examination in October.
- Approved statutes and commentaries are provided through the beck-eExamensbibliothek. The report does not name the individual commentaries that are admitted.
- According to the beck-aktuell report, the examination office states that the examination application deliberately contains no AI functions.
- Whether the trial becomes a permanent part of state law is not established.
What is new about the Second State Examination in Rhineland-Palatinate?
Until now, trainee lawyers had to bring the statutes and commentaries in printed form. According to the report, the Ministry of Justice of Rhineland-Palatinate justifies the fully digital examination by saying that it reflects professional practice. The change therefore concerns not only typing on a computer but also how candidates handle sources and working tools. The timeline below shows the known stages of the process.
How did the trial phase unfold?
The development can be traced in several stages. According to the report, a trial phase began in May 2025 during the traineeship. A practice examination followed in May 2026, before the fully digital examination took place in October 2026. The report also names October 2021 as the year the e-examination was introduced in Rhineland-Palatinate.
| Date | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 2021 | Introduction of the e-examination in Rhineland-Palatinate (according to the report) | beck-aktuell, 16 Oct 2026 |
| May 2025 | Trial phase during the traineeship | beck-aktuell, 16 Oct 2026 |
| May 2026 | Practice examination | beck-aktuell, 16 Oct 2026 |
| October 2026 | Fully digital Second State Examination with around 200 participants | beck-aktuell, 16 Oct 2026 |
Which aids are permitted in the digital examination?
According to the report, the approved statutes and commentaries are available in the beck-eExamensbibliothek of the publisher C.H.BECK, displayed on a second screen next to the examination application. The report does not list the individual commentaries. The binding list is therefore the one that the examination office publishes for each examination date, not experience from earlier rounds.
For your preparation, this means that anyone who has worked with paper commentaries should become familiar with the digital library early. Search functions, links and bookmarks are practical in daily work, but they require practice. Candidates who first have to learn where a provision sits lose minutes under time pressure that are missing in the exam.
What does the trial mean for your preparation?
The change mainly affects the way you work. Plan the digital format as a separate component of your training, not as a minor point at the end of your preparation. Three steps help:
- Request in writing the examination office’s notes on devices, software and permitted aids.
- Write at least one practice paper under the same conditions, with the library on the second screen.
- Practise navigating the library until searching and jumping become automatic.
Keep in mind that the trial phase can change quickly at state level. The figures from a single report are therefore a snapshot. Before every examination date, it is worth checking the current notice of the examination office.
How should you prepare your workflow?
A digital examination rewards a clear working method. Decide in advance which commentaries you will use, which search terms you rely on, and how you structure your answer. Keep the outline of your solution independent of the research, so that the library serves as a check rather than as a source of ideas during the paper.
A simple rule helps: work with a fixed selection of commentaries that you know from your preparation. Candidates who switch between several works in the exam lose the thread. Practise the switch between screens as well, so that the second display does not become a distraction.
Does the digital examination also apply in other federal states?
The report does not allow that conclusion. Whether other states follow depends on their state law and on decisions by their justice administrations. An overview of which federal states introduce the e-examination and how is available in our article on the e-examination in law 2026. For binding information, the state examination office of your federal state is responsible.
What questions should you put to the examination office?
The answers of the examination office are the most reliable guide, because they concern your specific date. A short list of questions saves time later and prevents misunderstandings on the day of the examination. Write down the answers and keep the email.
- Which statutes and commentaries are approved for this date, and in what form are they provided?
- Which devices, operating systems and settings are required, and who provides them?
- Is there a test opportunity before the examination in which the application and the library can be tried?
- How are technical problems during the examination handled, and who can be contacted then?
How does the work with commentaries change?
In paper form, commentaries lie open on the desk. In the digital format, you work with search functions, bookmarks and a second screen. This can speed up research, because a keyword leads to the passage faster than browsing a volume. At the same time, it requires more discipline, since the temptation to open every commentary costs time when you lose yourself in detail.
Practice papers should therefore be written with the works you will actually use. Time pressure, screen changes and the search function then belong to the rehearsal, not to the real day. The Ministry’s stated aim of reflecting professional practice fits this approach: professional work also relies on digital sources, but it depends on your own judgement.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to bring my own laptop?
The report contains no information on this point. The examination office sets the requirements for devices and software, so ask there for the current position before you rely on any particular equipment.
Does the digital format also apply to the First State Examination?
The report concerns the Second State Examination. For the digital procedure of the First Examination, the overview of the federal states refers to the current status in each state. Keep the two procedures apart in your planning, because they may follow different rules.
Has the trial phase been completed?
According to the report, the fully digital examination took place in October 2026. Whether and when the trial is evaluated and permanently adopted is not established. Information is available from the Ministry of Justice of Rhineland-Palatinate or the state examination office.
Is there any AI support in the digital examination?
According to the beck-aktuell report, the examination office states that the examination application deliberately contains no AI functions. Independently of this, the examination requires your own reasoning and solution path. If you practise with AI tools, check whether the examination regulations and your training body govern their use.
What to do now
- Read the announcements of the Ministry of Justice and the examination office of Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Clarify the examination date and the list of permitted aids for your own federal state.
- Build the digital way of working into your preparation and practise it early.
Related articles
- State exam and clerkship overview: reforms, deadlines and rules
- E-examination in law 2026: which federal states introduce it
- Digital paper in the First State Examination
- Repeating the state exam
- Free attempt in the state exam
Sources: beck-aktuell: first digital commentaries in the law exam, 16 October 2026. This is a secondary source, the announcements of the Ministry of Justice and the examination office are authoritative
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
