Basic Bar Studies §228A
Western State University College of Law
Spring 2008 Course Schedule and Assignments
CLASS
Week 01
Jan. 19
TOPIC
Introduction to Course and
Course Material
Essay Bar Exam Questions
in General
OBJECTIVES
Review of Basic
Methods of Preparing
for Essay Bar Exam
Questions
Student Assessment of
His or Her Current
Levels of Strengths
and Weaknesses re
Exam Prep and
Writing
Week 02
Jan. 26
Essay Bar Exam Questions
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Tonsing: “About Bar Exams,” pp.
141 – 143
OTHER TASKS
1 Student Self-Assessment of Exam
Writing Strengths and Weaknesses.
st
Tonsing: “Creating Your Study
Environment,” pp. 161 – 163
Tonsing: “Tips from the Pros,” pp.
169 - 178
Calleros: Ch. 9 “Essay
Examinations,” pp. 149 – 166
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
Calleros: Ch. 6 “Deductive
Reasoning and IRAC,” pp. 69 – 95
Effective Uses of
Introductory Paragraphs and Effective
Use of IRAC Format
Tonsing: “Practice Answering
Hypotheticals in Writing
(Rehearse)” – pp. 90 – 105
In Class Essay Exam Organization
Exercises
1
CLASS
Week 03
Feb. 2
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Torts
OBJECTIVES
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Torts,” pp. 347 – 356
OTHER TASKS
Review of Week 02 Writing Exercises
In Class Quiz #1 – Torts
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Work Book, pp. 1 -2 and 5 – 26:
review Battery, Negligence, and
Products Liability.
Work Book, pp. 3 – 4: Defenses to
intentional torts
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Torts
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Torts Essay Exam Answers for
Grading
Work Book, pp. 27 – 38: Torts
Exam Templates
Week 04
Feb. 9
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Criminal Law
and Procedure
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Criminal Law and Procedure,” pp.
159 – 167
Prof. Frakt’s “Mini-Outline re
Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure posted to the course web
site, “Course Documents,” item 21
Work Book, pp. 39 – 65: Murder,
Felony Murder, Arson,
Accomplice Liability, Defenses to
Crimes, and Pre-Trial Issues
including the Right to a Speedy
Trial.
Return and review of Graded Torts
Essay Exam Answers
In Class Quiz #2 – Criminal Law and
Procedure
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Criminal Law and
Procedure
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Criminal Law and Criminal
Procedure Essay Exam Answers for
Grading
2
CLASS
Week 05
Feb. 16
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Civil Procedure
OBJECTIVES
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Work Book, pp. 67 – 83:
Jurisdiction and Joinder
OTHER TASKS
Return and review of Criminal Law
and Procedure Essay Exam Answers
In Class Quiz #3 – Civil Procedure
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Civil Procedure
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Civil Procedure Essay Exam
Answers for Grading
Week 06
Feb. 23
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Evidence
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Evidence,” pp. 225 – 233
Return and review of Civil Procedure
Essay Exam Answers
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Work Book, pp. 85 – 102: Form
Objections, Opinion Testimony,
and Hearsay
In Class Quiz #4 – Evidence
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Evidence
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Evidence Essay Exam Answers
for Grading
3
CLASS
Week 07
March 1
Week 08
March 8
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Contracts
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Property
OBJECTIVES
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Contracts,” pp. 71 – 84
OTHER TASKS
Return and review of Evidence Essay
Exam Answers
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Postings to the course web site by
Prof. Warkentine and Work Book
pp. 105 - 120: Offer and
Acceptance (Mutual Assent),
Consideration, Promissory
Estoppel, Statute of Frauds,
Damages
In Class Quiz #5 – Contracts
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Property,” pp. 287 – 296
Return and review of Contracts Essay
Exam Answers
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Postings to the course web site by
Prof. Sheppard and Work Book,
pp. 121 – 134: Easements,
Recording Acts, Warranty Deeds,
and Mortgages and Deeds of Trust
2nd Student Self-Assessment
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Contracts
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Contracts Essay Exam Answers
for Grading
In Class Quiz #6 and In Class Essay
Exam Writing Exercises – Property
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Property Essay Exam Answers for
Grading
Week 9
MBE Questions
March 15
Understanding the
MBE
Walton: “About the MBE,” pp. vii
– xxxviii
Return and review of Property Quiz
and Property Essay Exam Answers
In Class MBE Quiz #1 – MultipleChoice Questions “About the MBE”
4
CLASS
TOPIC
Week 10 None.
March 22
Week 11 Essay “Cross Over” Bar
March 29 Exam Questions and MBE
Questions: Torts and
Professional Responsibility
OBJECTIVES
None.
READING ASSIGNMENTS
None.
OTHER TASKS
No Class – Spring Break
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Torts,” pp. 347 – 356
Review of Results of MBE Quiz #1
Prof. Mohr’s PR Outline posted to
the course documents section of
the web course re: Conflict of
Interest, Duties of Loyalty and
Competency, and Fees and Fee
Agreements.
Work Book, pp. 17 – 26: Products
Liability
Week 12
April 5
Essay “Cross Over” Bar
Exam Questions and MBE
Questions: Contracts and
Professional Responsibility
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Contracts,” pp. 71 – 84
Postings to the course web site by
Prof. Warkentine and Work Book,
pp. 105 – 120: Formation of UCC
contracts, Statute of Frauds, and
Damages.
Prof. Mohr’s PR Outline posted to
the course web site re Financial
Arrangements and Business Relationships between Attorney and
Client, and Duty to the Public
In Class Essay Exam Writing Exercise
– Torts and Professional Responsibility
In Class MBE Quiz #2 re Torts
Submissions of Written and Exam Soft
Torts and PR Essay Exam Answers
and submissions of MBE scantron
cards re Torts for Grading
Return and review of Torts/PR Essay
Exam Answers and MBE scores re
Torts
In Class MBE Quiz #3 re Contracts
In Class Essay Exam Writing Exercise
– Contracts and Professional Responsibility
Submissions of Written and Exam Soft
Contracts and PR Essay Exam
Answers and submissions of MBE
scantron cards re Contracts for Grading
5
CLASS
Week 13
April 12
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam Questions
and MBE Questions:
Evidence
OBJECTIVES
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Evidence,” pp. 225 – 233
Work Book, pp. 85 – 104:
Relevance, Proper Foundation and
Reliability, Best Evidence Rule,
Hearsay
OTHER TASKS
Return and review Contracts Essay
Exam Answers and MBE scores re
Contracts
3rd Student Self-Assessment re exam
preparation and writing strengths and
weaknesses
In Class MBE Quiz #4 re Evidence
In Class Essay Exam Writing Exercise
– Evidence
Week 14
April 19
Final Exam:
50 MBE type questions
(allotted time: 2 hours)
Three one-hour essay
questions (allotted time: 3
hours)
Effective Analyses of
MBE Questions and
Essay Questions
Analyses of the final exam
questions will require application
of principles of law assigned for
review during the semester.
Final Exam:
50 MBE type questions (allotted time:
2 hours)
Three one-hour essay questions
(allotted time: 3 hours)
6