An apparatus for raising a dispensing pipette, the apparatus comprising: a dispensing pipette, the dispensing pipette being supported by a support member; a raise-lower drive motor; a sensor for detecting the home position of the dispensing pipette by detecting the support member, wherein the raise-lower drive motor is stopped when the support member is detected by the sensor; and a CPU arranged to: determine whether an operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended; count, when the CPU has determined that the operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended, a number of pulses of the raise-lower drive motor when the dispensing pipette was raised by the raise-lower drive motor; determine whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a normal condition; determine, when the number of pulses is less than the first threshold or greater than or equal to the second threshold, whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the third threshold or less than the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a warning condition; and determine, when the number of pulses is less than the third threshold or greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette operation is in an abnormal condition. a dispensing pipette, the dispensing pipette being supported by a support member; a raise-lower drive motor; a sensor for detecting the home position of the dispensing pipette by detecting the support member, wherein the raise-lower drive motor is stopped when the support member is detected by the sensor; and a CPU arranged to: determine whether an operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended; count, when the CPU has determined that the operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended, a number of pulses of the raise-lower drive motor when the dispensing pipette was raised by the raise-lower drive motor; determine whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a normal condition; determine, when the number of pulses is less than the first threshold or greater than or equal to the second threshold, whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the third threshold or less than the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a warning condition; and determine, when the number of pulses is less than the third threshold or greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette operation is in an abnormal condition. determine whether an operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended; count, when the CPU has determined that the operation of raising the dispensing pipette has ended, a number of pulses of the raise-lower drive motor when the dispensing pipette was raised by the raise-lower drive motor; determine whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a normal condition; determine, when the number of pulses is less than the first threshold or greater than or equal to the second threshold, whether the number of pulses is greater than or equal to a third threshold and less than a fourth threshold; determine, when the number of pulses is greater than or equal to the third threshold or less than the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette raising operation is in a warning condition; and determine, when the number of pulses is less than the third threshold or greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, that the dispensing pipette operation is in an abnormal condition.