A federal magistrate judge has largely upheld a set of procedures intended to make it easier for people with disabilities to qualify for accommodations when taking the Law School Admission Test.

Judge Joseph Spero of the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California on Friday issued a 44-page opinion validating nearly all of an expert panel's recommended changes to the way the Law School Admission Council weighs requests for accommodations.

They include:

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  • Automatic review by an outside expert when the council denies requests.
  • Allowing submission of medical documentation dating to when the test taker was 13 years old, in certain cases.
  • Requiring different levels of supporting documentation depending on the accommodations sought.

For example, applicants often ask for 50 percent or more additional time to take the test, but the panel recommended requiring less supporting evidence for test takers seeking some other accommodation, such as extra breaks between test sections or a separate testing room.