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So I'm starting my 3rd week of school and man..still adjusting to the workload. Anyway, I have a few questions.

1.) My civ pro professor hasn't touched any major topics such as personal jurisdiction, subject matter, diversity etc. I only know a little about these because I'm going through Glannon. The past 6 class periods have been... reading, he calls on and grills some poor soul about the rules of civil procedure and how we don't know them. Everyone I've spoken to says go through the glannon according to your syllabus. However, our syllabus is all over the place without any major headings that indicate what we're going to cover in class. The TOC lays it all out, but so far we aren't going over major topics so I can read the glannon for that particular case, the hornbook, and then the case. So.... was this the norm for you all the first few weeks? or am I just screwed lol

--Should I just spend most of my time memorizing the rules of civ pro? at least for now anyway? I'm motivated to work hard, but I also don't like to waste time reading/studying things that aren't going to help me on the exam. Suggestions?

2.) What are some solid daily study schedules I can look at? I know each detail won't work for me, but right now I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels a bit.

3)Other classes are pretty straight forward ie torts talked about battery, assault, false imprisonment etc..so I have no problem in there. I just don't know what my civ pro professor wants for us because he (get this) doesn't have office hours, take questions in class, or responds to emails. Everything goes through his TA and she's...well, less than helpful lol

I'm still trying to hunt down some 2L and 3Ls who had the same prof.., but until then..you all have any suggestions?

I know this post is all over the place--so hopefully it makes a little sense
Much Thanks!

Find past exams from your civil proc professor. Sometimes the library can actually get these for you (they do at my school)

Think torts is easy? So will everyone else b/c Torts is easy. The curve is there to take care of easiness.

Gorki wrote:Find past exams from your civil proc professor. Sometimes the library can actually get these for you (they do at my school)

Think torts is easy? So will everyone else b/c Torts is easy. The curve is there to take care of easiness.

Ok, i look into that.

Yeah, by "easy" I mean the class is straight forward as to what we're going to be tested on. It isn't ambiguous like civ pro.

Thanks!

Find out if your test is open-book - if it is, there's no point at all in memorizing the rules (get familiar with them, obviously, but actual memorization would just be wasted effort). Even a lot of otherwise closed-book exams will let you bring your rule book.

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everyone who didn't have every single rule memorized = below median.

ymmv, but hth.

Got an A and didn't have rules memorised. I just flow charted a bunch of the things, had each topic in easy to find sections, knew what the professor liked to hit based on past exams and then ran through all the analyses.

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Jsa725 wrote:knowing the rulz is pointless unless you know how to use them. See e.g., Freer Barbri Lectures

edit: you MUST know what the prof wants to read on the exam if you want to do well.

I heard about the Barbri lectures, but the site only has like $3000 bar prep. I thought there was something for 1Ls for around $50 or so..no?

This is probably a stupid Q but when you say "what the prof wants" Do you mean strict black letter law, policy, FRCP etc or?
I found one of his exams online and one of sections said to "draft a memo to your judge as to how you think they should rule--cite authorities" So it looks like it's going to be rule heavy.

It sucks because he doesn't take questions during class, no office hours, and doesn't take emails ...I don't know what his problem is but it's sort of ridiculous lol

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys.

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Learning the rules is absolutely the foundation. And then make sure you go through fact patterns (from past exams, or from supplements) that allow you to determine whether you are applying the rules properly to hypothetical facts. In applying the rules you'll further solidify your understanding of the rule itself, but the combination of knowing the rule (so that you're able to state it accurately on an exam) and practicing applying the rule (so that you're both able to apply it on an exam, and draw a logical conclusion from the analysis and the rule of law) is the key to success on all law school exams, and on the bar exam.