BarBri Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[kykiske]

I've been relaxing hard and recommend you do the same gaud

We're all gonna make it (no matter what we do this weekend)

I don't know jack shit about wills and trusts, really.

But hey, would rather relax then force myself to learn it now.

[musicfor18]

So I'm taking Themis but gonna ask Barbri people here because Themis may be wrong. Civ pro question.

According to themis, a crossclaim asserted by 1 defendant against another must relate to the original claim that was asserted by the plaintiff against both defendants. So far so good. The question becomes then what happens if additional cross claims are asserted. Themis suggests, and I have long understood to be the case, that ANY cross claim needs to relate to the original claim

But I came across a model answer prepared by a group of VA law profs for an old VA exam question that asserted that only the first cross claim needs to be related, and as long as it is, any additional cross claims can be independent and not at all related to the original claim.

Now I know FRCP 13(g) seems pretty clear that crossclaims need to relate to the original claim, but the profs justify their answer on the basis of FRCP 18(a)...arguing that "A party asserting a claim, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim may join, as independent or alternative claims, as many claims as it has against an opposing party."

Thus, according to them, only the first crossclaim needs to relate, and if it is, any other cross claim can be independent. This blows my mind so wondering what you barbri guys think of this.

The first cross claim has to arise from the same T/O as the P's claim. After that, the party can assert additional cross claims against the same party even if they're completely unrelated to any other claim. But remember: (1) court has discretion to sever and (2) every claim has to have a basis for SMJ. So if the additional claim is unrelated to the underlying action, supplemental jurisdiction won't be possible. This means there would have to be FQ or diversity jurisdiction over it.

[Killingly]

Today: MPQ 3; Lean Sheets review; Try to go through essays in weak areas I haven't completed just to see what's out there; drink beer and relax

Tomorrow: MPQ 4; watch BarBri Mini Review Lectures; drink beer and relax

Monday: buy a watch

Oh, your state lets you have a watch? Fancy.

Get this, the place where the test is held doesn't actually have its own clock. It's up to the proctors to find/bring a clock. My friends who took it last July said they forgot and had to scramble to find one.

[Danger Zone]

The NYC location does not have a clock. You're allowed to bring an analog watch but NOT allowed to wear it.

Hooray for arbitrary rules

[BVest]

I've been relaxing hard and recommend you do the same gaud

We're all gonna make it (no matter what we do this weekend)

I don't know jack shit about wills and trusts family law, really.

This is me.

That said, with the exam looming, I start to get nervous and overwhelmed if I'm not doing something related, so doing additional MPQ and reading essay questions, identifying issues, and then reading answers is more relaxing to me right now than traditional relaxing

[ladylawyer1221]

The NYC location does not have a clock. You're allowed to bring an analog watch but NOT allowed to wear it.

Hooray for arbitrary rules

TX doesn't even allow analog watches. Supposedly a clock will be visible from every seat in the room.......

[Kage3212]

The NYC location does not have a clock. You're allowed to bring an analog watch but NOT allowed to wear it.

Hooray for arbitrary rules

TX doesn't even allow analog watches. Supposedly a clock will be visible from every seat in the room.......

Same here in PA. Cant wait to show up and find no clock, or a malfunctioning clock.

[Good Guy Gaud]

No studying for me then. Thanks guys.

Time to start drinking. Woo!

[thewaterlanding]

I went 37/50 on Mixed Set 5 and got 50 NCBEX questions and went 35/50. I feel good about that, I think.

[Kage3212]

I went 37/50 on Mixed Set 5 and got 50 NCBEX questions and went 35/50. I feel good about that, I think.

Yep, should be pretty happy with that if you can replicate on test day.

[DesperadoOfColumbia]

For those who did the MBE 100 question refresher and did the mixed MPQ sets 5, 6 or 7 - which of them is the easiest/most resembles what to expect on the actual MBE?

I probably have only 100 questions left in me for MBE prep. I don't want to spend it on ridiculously challenging/narrow exception questions. I would rather spend it on likely questions and get a confidence booster before Wednesday.

Feels like all the MPQs are still trying to fuck with you. I did ok (60-70% as usual) but I feel like I've spent 2 months figuring out how to do Barbri questions instead of MBE questions.

[kyle010723]

Rofl, after a near-genius performance on Set 5 yesterday, got a record mixed set low on Set 6. Oh well.

[jwe-houston]

Pulled 4-5 random pages from the retired MBE Question sets to form a 54Q mixed set. *Much* easier than Barbri. Very clear on what they were asking. I ended up rage-quitting 2 study smart mbe sets yesterday.

42/54

Even on a per topic breakdown it was better. Not going to sweat it too much.

Just from the 5 pages pulled at random from Evidence, it looks like they teased out the civ pro questions from evidence and added pleadings. Saw a couple about jury questions, privilege, and discovery production. At this late date if you wanted to buy a 50Q set from the makers, the old evidence may give insight to civ pro.

[kyle010723]

Pulled 4-5 random pages from the retired MBE Question sets to form a 54Q mixed set. *Much* easier than Barbri. Very clear on what they were asking. I ended up rage-quitting 2 study smart mbe sets yesterday.

42/54

Even on a per topic breakdown it was better. Not going to sweat it too much.

Just from the 5 pages pulled at random from Evidence, it looks like they teased out the civ pro questions from evidence and added pleadings. Saw a couple about jury questions, privilege, and discovery production. At this late date if you wanted to buy a 50Q set from the makers, the old evidence may give insight to civ pro.

Encouraging, but the retired questions are supposedly easier. Though I do hope you're right.

[Ludacrispat26]

Anyone know what the schedule is like for NY test day? Like do we do MC first, then 3 essays? All at once? MPT? So confused

[musicfor18]

Anyone know what the schedule is like for NY test day? Like do we do MC first, then 3 essays? All at once? MPT? So confused

During the morning block, it will be up to you to allocate your time between the materials tested in that block. During the afternoon block, same deal. Morning = 3 essays and 50 MC questions. Afternoon = 2 essays and 1 MPT. You have to do these in the blocks assigned, i.e., you can't choose to do the MC in the afternoon or the MPT in the morning, or switch the essays around.

[victortsoi]

im getting a little freaked out reading essay answers. Honestly some of what is written just seems so obvious to me (when I actually am familiar with the topic)that I might forget to put it down in order to get to the more complex points. Which would be a mistake. I guess I have to pretend im explaining to a kindergartener on game day. (this includes leaving out obvious elements of rules).

[victortsoi]

Anyone know what the schedule is like for NY test day? Like do we do MC first, then 3 essays? All at once? MPT? So confused

During the morning block, it will be up to you to allocate your time between the materials tested in that block. During the afternoon block, same deal. Morning = 3 essays and 50 MC questions. Afternoon = 2 essays and 1 MPT. You have to do these in the blocks assigned, i.e., you can't choose to do the MC in the afternoon or the MPT in the morning, or switch the essays around.

is it worth it to try and power through the essays just a little faster to spend say about 20 minutes more on the mpt?

[Ludacrispat26]

Anyone know what the schedule is like for NY test day? Like do we do MC first, then 3 essays? All at once? MPT? So confused

During the morning block, it will be up to you to allocate your time between the materials tested in that block. During the afternoon block, same deal. Morning = 3 essays and 50 MC questions. Afternoon = 2 essays and 1 MPT. You have to do these in the blocks assigned, i.e., you can't choose to do the MC in the afternoon or the MPT in the morning, or switch the essays around.

is it worth it to try and power through the essays just a little faster to spend say about 20 minutes more on the mpt?

Jesus, that sucks. Is it 3 hours and 3 hours for each?

[Kage3212]

Anyone know what the schedule is like for NY test day? Like do we do MC first, then 3 essays? All at once? MPT? So confused

During the morning block, it will be up to you to allocate your time between the materials tested in that block. During the afternoon block, same deal. Morning = 3 essays and 50 MC questions. Afternoon = 2 essays and 1 MPT. You have to do these in the blocks assigned, i.e., you can't choose to do the MC in the afternoon or the MPT in the morning, or switch the essays around.

is it worth it to try and power through the essays just a little faster to spend say about 20 minutes more on the mpt?

Depends on the weight of the MPT in your jx. In PA, the MPT is worth 20% of the entire bar exam. Each essay is only worth 5.8%. Thus, getting some extra time on the MPT would be something worth pursuing in my opinion.

[Good Guy Gaud]

Today: MPQ 3; Lean Sheets review; Try to go through essays in weak areas I haven't completed just to see what's out there; drink beer and relax

Tomorrow: MPQ 4; watch BarBri Mini Review Lectures; drink beer and relax

Monday: buy a watch

Oh, your state lets you have a watch? Fancy.

Get this, the place where the test is held doesn't actually have its own clock. It's up to the proctors to find/bring a clock. My friends who took it last July said they forgot and had to scramble to find one.

I can't imagine having to rely on a proctor lol

[3|ink]

Oh f me. Guess I need to buy a cheap watch tomorrow.

[robinhoodOO]

Oh f me. Guess I need to buy a cheap watch tomorrow.

Really only need it for MBE day if you use a laptop for essays/pt's.

[Good Guy Gaud]

LISTEN HERE BARZAM:

[gmail]

anyone know how to mix questions on study smart mbe? i can't get the little app to include more than 18, or to mix topics.