Basic Bar Studies
Western State University College of Law
Fall 2007 Course Schedule and Assignments
If the Law School is able to obtain approval to use the materials of a bar review provider regarding the areas of law noted
listed in the “Reading Assignments” column of the following table, you will be assigned reading from those sources as part of
your preparation for an ensuing class session.
CLASS
Week 01
Aug., 25
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
Sep. 01
Essay Bar Exam Questions
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Tonsing: “About Bar Exams,” pp.
141 – 143
OTHER TASKS
1st Student Self-Assessment of Exam
Writing Strengths and Weaknesses.
Tonsing: “Creating Your Study
Environment,” pp. 160 – 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
Sep. 08
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
Using reference material of your
choosing, review the elements of
the torts of Battery, Negligence,
and Products Liability.
Using reference material of your
choosing, review defenses to
intentional torts.
Week 04
Sep. 15
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.”
Using reference material of your
choosing, review the crimes of
Murder, Felony Murder, and
Arson. Also review Accomplice
Liability, Defenses to Crimes, and
Pre-Trial Issues including the
Right to a Speedy Trial.
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Torts
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Torts Essay Exam Answers for
Grading
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
Sep. 22
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Civil Procedure
OBJECTIVES
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Using reference material of your
choosing, review 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
Sep 29
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Evidence
Effective Organization
of Essay Answers
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Evidence,” pp. 225 – 233
Uses of Introductory
Paragraphs and
Effective Use of IRAC
Using reference material of your
In Class Quiz #4 – Evidence
choosing, review Form Objections,
Opinion Testimony, and Hearsay
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Evidence
Return and review of Civil Procedure
Essay Exam Answers
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Evidence Essay Exam Answers
for Grading
3
CLASS
Week 07
Oct 06
Week 08
Oct 13
Week 9
Oct 20
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Contracts
Essay Bar Exam
Questions: Property
MBE Questions
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
Using reference material of your
choosing and postings to the
course web site by Prof.
Warkentine, review: Offer,
Acceptance, 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
Using reference material of your
choosing and postings to the
course web site by Prof. Sheppard
re Property, review: Easements,
Recording Acts, Warranty Deeds
(Present Warranties), and Deeds of
Trust
In Class Quiz #6 – Property
Walton: “About the MBE,” pp. vii
– xxxviii
Return and review of Property Essay
Exam Answers
Understanding the
MBE
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Contracts
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Contracts Essay Exam Answers
for Grading
In Class Essay Exam Writing
Exercises – Property
Submissions of Written and Exam
Soft Property Essay Exam Answers for
Grading
In Class Quiz #6 – Multiple-Choice
Questions “About the MBE”
4
CLASS
Week 10
Oct 27
TOPIC
Essay “Cross Over” Bar
Exam Questions and MBE
Questions: Torts and
Professional Responsibility
OBJECTIVES
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Torts,” pp. 347 – 356
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.
Using reference material of your
choosing, review Defamation and
the defense of Privilege.
Week 11
Nov 03
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
Using reference material of your
choosing and postings to the
course web site by Prof.
Warkentine, review: Formation of
UCC contract, 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
OTHER TASKS
Review of Results of Quiz #6
In Class Essay Exam Writing Exercise
– Torts and Professional Responsibility
In Class MBE Questions 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 Questions 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 12
Nov 10
Week 13
Nov 17
TOPIC
Essay Bar Exam Questions
(including “Cross Over”
essay exam questions) and
MBE Questions: Evidence
Final Exam:
50 MBE type questions
(allotted time: 2 hours)
OBJECTIVES
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Walton: “Strategies and Tactics:
Evidence,” pp. 225 – 233
Using reference material of your
choosing, review Relevance,
Proper Foundation and Reliability,
Best Evidence Rule, Hearsay
Effective Analyses of
Essay Questions and
MBE Questions
OTHER TASKS
Return and review Contracts Essay
Exam Answers and MBE scores re
Contracts
In Class MBE Questions re Evidence
In Class Essay Exam Writing Exercise
– Evidence
Analyses of the final exam
questions will require application
of principles of law assigned for
review during the semester.
Three one-hour essay
questions (allotted time: 3
hours)
6