Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

If you find a judge that is willing to allow you to study under his supervision, it IS possible. Possible, but very difficult. You need to make sure you have a 4 year undergraduate degree from an accredited college first. It is very difficult. Many judges have caseloads that are extremely intense and so they don't have a lot of time to give you the nurturing you need.

Go to the calbar.ca.gov website. There is a tremendous amount of information on that website to tell you what you are up against. Most people that choose this route have already been working as paralegals for many years and know the law in some cases better than some lawyers. It is completely at the discretion of the judge. If you are a paralegal or know a very close judge, it is possible. The only problem is that most law schools use what is called the socratic method of learning. Just don't let anybody hinder your dreams. If this is what you want, go for it. Also, you might have to take the FYLSX. It stands for First Year Law Student Exam. In some circles it is called the Baby-Bar. Don't let the name fool you, it can be tough. Then, after that you have to take the BIG Bar. You also have to get a 8 month background check. Go where your heart leads you.

It doesn't have to be a judge. It can also be a licensed California attorney with sufficient experience.

With extreme difficulty. By formally 'clerking' with a judge or qualified attorney for four years in compliance with State Bar rules on your education and degrees, and the content and quality of 'clerking'. By passing the 1st Year Bar Exam like all other non-ABA approved law schools' students must take, then passing the Bar Exam upon 'graduation'. The last time I heard anything about this, something like four (4) people had been able to gain admission that way in modern times. It was common in the 1800's and into the early 1900's.