StudentIdentifier:______________
TortsPracticeExam
Prof.Duncan
Monday,April11,2016
6:00p.m.
Thisisaclosedbookpracticeexam.Youarenotpermittedtouseanymaterials
otherthanyourbraininansweringtheattachedquestions.
Thispracticeexamiscomprisedoftwoparts:PartIcontainsfourmultiplechoice
questionsandisdesignedtobecompletedin10minutes;PartIIcontainsoneessay
questionandisdesignedtobecompletedin50minutes.Thispracticeexamisdesignedto
becompletedin60minutes.Youmayuseyour60minutesinanywayyouwish.
Youaretocomposeyouranswers(includingyourmultiplechoiceresponses)ina
Worddocumenttobesenttome.Pleaseplaceyournameoranyidentifyingnumber(that
youwillremember)atthebeginningofyourWorddocumentcontainingyourpractice
examanswers.DoNOTuseyouractualanonymousexamnumberthatyouwillbe
usingonyourfinalexam.
YourWorddocumentcontainingyouranswersmustbeattachedtoanemailand
senttomeatmduncan@uh.eduimmediatelyuponcompletionofthispracticeexam.
Answersthatarenotimmediatelyemailedtomewillnotbegraded.
Donotbreakthesealbelowuntilyouareinstructedtodosoby
theproctor.
1
StudentIdentifier:______________
PartI–
MultipleChoiceQuestions
(SuggestedTimeLimit–10minutes)
1.
2.
3.
HomeownerandNeighborownunfenced,adjoiningclosesofland.Confusedabout
theboundarylinebetweentheirproperties,Homeownermistakenlybeginsparking
hiscaronNeighbor’sproperty.Neighborhasrequestedseveraltimesfor
HomeownertoremovehiscarfromNeighbor’sproperty.Homeownerhasfailedto
doso.Afterafewdaysofthisnonsense,NeighbordragsHomeowner’scarback
ontoHomeowner’spropertyandunintentionallyruinsthetransmissionashedoes
so.HomeownersuesNeighborfortrespasstochattel.Whatresult?
A. Homeownerwillprevailbecauseheneverintendedtotrespassonneighbor’s
land.
B. Neighborwillprevailifheusedreasonableforceinmovingthecar.
C. Neighborwilllosebecausehecauseddamagetohomeowner’scar.
D. Homeownerwilllosebecausethedamagetohomeowner’scarwas
unintentional.
Toddler,atwo-year-oldchildsufferingfromabacterialinfection,receivedaroutine
childhoodvaccinationwithavaccinemanufacturedbyVaco.Shortlyafterreceiving
thevaccine,Toddlerspikedaveryhighfever,wentintorespiratoryarrest,anddied.
Toddler’sestatesuesVacoinnegligence.Attrial,Toddler’sestateprovides
competentevidencethatToddlerdiedduetoacombinationoftheinfectionandthe
vaccineand,ifeithertoddlerhadnothadaninfectionorifToddlerhadnotbeen
vaccinated,deathwouldnothaveensued.Regardingthecause-in-factelementof
thenegligenceaction,hasToddler’sestatesatisfieditsburdenofproductionto
provethatthevaccinewasacause-in-factofToddler’sdeath?
A. Toddler’sestatehasnotsatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthe
vaccinewascause-in-factofToddler’sdeath.
B. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccine
wasacause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectioncontributedto
Toddler’sdeath.
C. Toddler’sestatehassatisfieditsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthe
vaccinewasacause-in-factcauseofToddler’sdeath.
D. Toddler’sestatecannotsatisfyitsburdenofproductiontoshowthatthevaccine
wasacause-in-factofToddler’sdeathbecausetheinfectionwasthesolecausein-factcauseofToddler’sdeath.
Lateonenight,Peteplaceshisloadedpistolonthecoffeetableinthefamilyroomof
hishomethatheshareswithhiswifeandtwoyoungchildren.Thenextafternoon
Pete’s10-year-oldson,Nolan,isspendingtimeinthefamilyroomwithhisfriend,
2
StudentIdentifier:______________
Buddy.Nolanpicksupthegunandplayswithit,accidentallycausingittodischarge.
Buddyisinjuredbythegunshot.InanegligenceactionagainstPetebroughton
behalfofBuddy,canPetebeheldliablefornegligence?
A. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecausePetenever
intendedforBuddyoranyoneelsetobeinjured.
B. PetecannotbeheldliableinnegligenceforinjuriestoBuddybecauseNolanis
thepersonwhoactuallydischargedthegunandisthereforethesoleproximate
causeofBuddy’sinjuries.
C. Petemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecauseparentsareliableforinjuries
causedbytheirchildren.
D. PetemaybeheldliableinnegligencebecausePetecarelesslyprovided
Nolanaccesstothegunincircumstancesinwhichitwasforeseeablethat
Nolanmightuseitimproperly.
4.
ShopperispickingupafewitemsatGroceryStoreonherwayhomefromwork.As
sheenterstheproducesectionofGroceryStore,sheseesPlaintifflyingonthefloor,
holdingherobviouslyinjuredhip.RightnexttoPlaintiff,Shopperobservesadry,
gritty,almostentirelyblack,much-trampled-uponsquishybananalyingonthefloor.
InPlaintiff’snegligenceactionagainstGroceryStore,Shoppertestifiestothe
conditionofthebananawhenshesawitlayingnexttotheinjuredPlaintiff.Whatis
thebestcharacterizationofShopper’stestimonyaboutthebanana’sconditioninthe
trialbroughtbyPlaintiffagainstGroceryStoreforitsallegednegligence?
A. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceofGroceryStore’s
negligenceandrequiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregarding
GroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
B. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceand
requiresthefactfindertodrawaninferenceregardingGroceryStore’sbreachof
thestandardofcare.
C. Shopper’stestimonyiscircumstantialevidenceandcannotbeusedtoestablish
GroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
D. Shopper’stestimonyisdirectevidenceofGroceryStore’snegligenceandcannot
beusedtoestablishGroceryStore’sbreachofthestandardofcare.
3
StudentIdentifier:______________
PartII–
EssayQuestion
(SuggestedTimeLimit–50minutes)
Driver,whoisvisitinghissisterinStatewhileonvacation,isdrivinghisbelovedtwoseaterconvertiblecarwiththetopdown.Itisanoldermodel,smallconvertiblethatDriver
treatsashisbaby.Heloveshiscarsomuchthathenamedher“Connie.”Driverisenjoying
lifeashetravelsdownthestreetonthewaytohissister’shome:thesunisbeamingonhis
face;whatlittlehairhehasleftiswhippingthroughthewind;andheissingingalongtohis
favoritecountrysongsplayingontheradio.Driverisnotwearingaseatbelt,whichisa
misdemeanorinState.AlthoughDriverisnotawareoftheseatbeltlaw,hewouldhonestly
gowithoutaseatbelt,evenifhewereawareofitsexistence.Driverisinsuchagoodmood
thathehappilywavesatabunchofchildreninabigyellowschoolbustravelingacoupleof
lanestotheleftbesidehim.
Atanearbyintersection,Pedestrianiswalkingquicklydownthestreetatalmostajog,
apparentlyinarush.Afterabsent-mindedlylookingbothwaysfortraffic,shehustles
acrossthestreet.ShedoessowithoutevennoticingthatshehassteppedrightinDriver’s
path;DriverseesPedestrianjustintimetoswervetoavoidhittingher.
AtthesamemomentFather,whoisdrivinghislargeSUVtopickuphiskidsfrom
school,seesDriverveeringhisconvertibleintoFather’slane.Withtheschoolbustohis
left,theconvertiblecomingtowardhimfromhisright,andnootheroptions,Fathermakes
thequickdecisiontodirecthisSUVstraightatDriver’sbelovedConnieratherthantoward
thebussoastoavoidinjuringanykids.Ashedoesso,Fatheralsotriestostopthehuge
SUV,butisunabletoavoidsmashingintothedriver’ssideoftheconvertible.TheSUV
collidesviolentlywiththesmallcar.Driverisinjuredwhenhisdoorgiveswaytotheforce
oftheSUVandheisstruckbythemetaloftheframeofhisbelovedconvertible’scardoor.
Driversustainsabrokenleftarmandbrokenribsontheleftsideofhisbodyfromtheforce
oftheSUVstrikinghisvehicle.Thedamagetothecarasaresultoftheaccidentismore
thanitsvalue,soConnieistotaled.Fatherisabitshakenup,butuninjured.Pedestrianis
unharmedandunfazedbytheentireevent;shecontinuestohurrydownthestreet,never
tobeseenagain.
Drivervisitsyou(anexpertintortlaw)foradviceonwhetherDriverhasaviablecause
ofactionagainstanyoneforhisinjuriesandthelossofhisbelovedconvertibleConnie.This
incidentoccurredinajurisdictionthatfollowscurrentmajoritylawwiththeexceptionthat
ithasadoptedapurecomparativefaultscheme.
Pleasewriteanessayadvisingofanypotentiallyviabletortactionsandavailable
defenses,ifany.Inyouranswer,donotdiscusstherecoveryofdamagesunlessessential
totheplaintiff’sprimafaciecaseoranyapplicabledefense(s).
4
StudentIdentifier:______________
Issue-Spotting Essay Question
Sample Grading Rubric
Unsatisfactory
--would not be
useful to a
supervisor
Satisfactory –
acceptable work for
a law student
Proficient –
very good work for
a law student
Highly Proficient –
excellent work for a
student (on par
with a novice
attorney)
Format and
Organization
Doesn’t follow
an organized
format; analysis
is confusingly
presented
Somewhat follows
an organized format
Mostly follows an
organized format
Follows an
organized format;
provides clear
statement of law,
analyzes the facts by
legal element, and
states a conclusion;
analyzes elements
individually
Law
Inaccurate law;
elements
missing
Includes applicable
law but may have
areas where law is
not clearly stated or
is inaccurate
Includes applicable
law; may include
slight vagueness
Accurately provides
a clear statement of
the relevant law and
lists all elements and
relevant factors
Facts are given
in narrative at
times or facts
not connected
to legal
elements or
very few facts
given or makes
up facts or
misstates facts
Thinly applies facts
to relevant ethical
principles
Adequately use facts
to show reader how
legal elements apply;
notes some nuances
or gray areas, if any
Clearly analyzes
facts by legal
element; notes most
nuances or gray
areas; identifies
assumptions;
identifies and
addresses competing
arguments; reaches
conclusion;
demonstrates
mastery of tort law
(somewhat point-worthy,
e.g., 2 points per issue)
Analysis
(application of
law to acts
presented)
(most point-worthy,
e.g., 8 points per issue)
All elements and factors
should be analyzed;
weight accorded element
or analysis depends on
complexity of the issue
5
StudentIdentifier:______________
Legend:
+–goodjob!
√–acceptablework
— –needsimprovement
(pleasecomeseemefortips!)
PracticeEssayExam
Point-worthyIssues
Driverv.Father
•
TrespasstoChattelorBattery–definition(s)
o elements
§ intent
• specific
• general
• transferredintentdoctrine
§ voluntaryact
§ causation
§ harm
o Necessity
§ privateorpublic?
Driverv.Pedestrian
•
Negligence–definition
o elements
§ duty–RPP
§ breach
§ causation
• cause-in-fact
• proximate/legalcause
o dependent,interveningcause?
§ actualinjury
o comparativefault–
§ elements
§ duty
• noapplicabilityofstatute
§ breach
§ causation
• cause-in-fact
• proximatecause
§ actualinjury
§ purecomparativefaultscheme--reducedbyfaultattributable
toDriver
o unavailabilityofPedestrian
EssayFeedback—__________