Georgetown Law is accredited by the American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. The Section's Council is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as the national accrediting agency for programs leading to the J.D. In this function, the Council and the Section are independent of the ABA, as required by DOE regulations. All state supreme courts recognize ABA-approved law schools as meeting the legal education requirements to qualify for the bar examination; forty-six states limit eligibility for bar admission to graduates of ABA-approved schools. Georgetown Law has been accredited by ABA since 1924.