Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[Pleasye]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

[zot1]

The Session 5 MPE PQ's for Contracts, Torts, and Property aren't assigned until mid-July, long after we start doing mixed-PQ sets. Has anyone done these sets already? Is there any benefit to waiting? I'm wondering if it's worth using these sets as practice before the mixed-PQs, since we cannot reopen the old ones.

I'm curious about this too. It feels like ages since I've done a K's one, and that's by far my worst area. I did decently on those during the milestone, but would like to continue getting practice because I'm seeing my performance in Torts and Prop improving as I'm consistently doing PQ's.

I have also been curious as to whether I'm gonna forget prior subjects. However, after dealing with Civ Pro and Con Law for several days, I was asked to review Property and do an MBE set. I did better on that than on the Civ Pro MBE set I did before that one . So perhaps the system works a bit?

I am planning to review Ks and Torts tomorrow since I only have three assignments scheduled for some reason.

[always_raining]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

Yes, advice such as "everything is correct, but it could be longer. 3/6." ??? How is that helpful?

[MrMustache]

Can anyone taking the California bar explain what's so distinct about judicial notice in California?

According to the final Evidence outline:

"CA Distinction - applies to criminal and civil proceedings." How is this different from FRE?

[collegewriter]

I feel super behind. I'm currently at 24% (New York) because I bombed my first Property MBE set and most of the Property questions on the first Milestone exam. I did well on Contracts and Torts but bombed Property. I noted that Kramer barely went in depth on Mortgages and to an extent Land Sale Contracts. So, now I'm spending my day going back over the long outline for Property (particularly Mortgages, Easements and Land Sale Contracts) and the subject matter is suddenly much clearer.

I'll say this, make sure you study the long outline for Property.

I feel your pain. I'm around the same percentage and feeling pretty hopeless...

[Nelson]

Can anyone taking the California bar explain what's so distinct about judicial notice in California?

According to the final Evidence outline:

"CA Distinction - applies to criminal and civil proceedings." How is this different from FRE?

In the FRE judicially noticed facts do not have to be accepted by the jury in a criminal case and the judge must instruct the jury to that effect.

[osheimb]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

My grader has to be the most ridiculous grader of all time. I did my last essay with the rules in front of me because I wanted a confidence boost. Despite a "strong rule statement" after each and every single rule statement, she gave me a 65/100 for legal knowledge.

If she's preparing me for how arbitrary the real graders are then I may as well just binge watch OITNB instead of studying...

[sd5289]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

My grader has to be the most ridiculous grader of all time. I did my last essay with the rules in front of me because I wanted a confidence boost. Despite a "strong rule statement" after each and every single rule statement, she gave me a 65/100 for legal knowledge.

If she's preparing me for how arbitrary the real graders are then I may as well just binge watch OITNB instead of studying...

At least your shit came in on time.

I submitted on Friday morning and STILL waiting. Let's go dude.

[Pleasye]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

My grader has to be the most ridiculous grader of all time. I did my last essay with the rules in front of me because I wanted a confidence boost. Despite a "strong rule statement" after each and every single rule statement, she gave me a 65/100 for legal knowledge.

If she's preparing me for how arbitrary the real graders are then I may as well just binge watch OITNB instead of studying...

At least your shit came in on time.

I submitted on Friday morning and STILL waiting. Let's go dude.

Pretty sure it's 2 business days...

And anyway my lady is fast but useless so I would be willing to wait a couple days for someone who gives actual advice.

[gaddockteeg]

I may attempt to reach through my screen the next time I reach the end of a tort lecture and the professor says "Good." NO IT'S NOT GOOD. YOU'RE THE POLAR OPPOSITE OF GOOD.

And I was REALLY looking forward to moving onto Torts after the disaster that is Property. It's too bad Geis and Kramer aren't doing all of the subjects!

Which state does property before torts?

CA

VA also.

Unrelated: the MBE Workshops seem totally worthless to me. I'm not getting anything out of these that wouldn't be better served by just diving into MBE practice Qs earlier.

Same; I'm skipping the MBE Workshops from now on

yep me too.

[gr8scOtt!]

Was the third con law MBE set easier? Or is a subject finally clicking for me? I just got an 80% and I'm hoping it's not a fluke

[zor]

Are the full practice MPTs not graded? I have been putting it off because I didn't want to sit for 90 minutes to do that stupid thing, but I'm looking at the assignment... and it doesn't say it's graded.

[aladdinismyprince]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

Yes, advice such as "everything is correct, but it could be longer. 3/6." ??? How is that helpful?

My turn to complain about my essay grader.

Got a 34/100 on my graded essay.
These are literally my only two comments:
"Great job on a hard essay! Good IRAC" and
"Look at sample answer"

How is that helpful?!

I only got 5/100 on structure. Why don't you tell me what is wrong with my structure then?

This is ridiculous.

[smalogna]

Are the full practice MPTs not graded? I have been putting it off because I didn't want to sit for 90 minutes to do that stupid thing, but I'm looking at the assignment... and it doesn't say it's graded.

Practice MPTs are not graded. There is one Friday though that we have an MPT as our graded essay. Mine is a week from this Friday.

[misterjames]

My essay grader is useless. I just emailed to ask for a new one.

We must have the same one.

Does she needlessly shit on you and fail to give any constructive advice? If so, yup.

Yes, advice such as "everything is correct, but it could be longer. 3/6." ??? How is that helpful?

My turn to complain about my essay grader.

Got a 34/100 on my graded essay.
These are literally my only two comments:
"Great job on a hard essay! Good IRAC" and
"Look at sample answer"

How is that helpful?!

I only got 5/100 on structure. Why don't you tell me what is wrong with my structure then?

This is ridiculous.

yeah they are really really big on their TRAC system. my first essay i hadn't watched the TRAC lecture yet so I got like a 65 on structure. the second essay I followed it pretty much exactly how they had it and got a 93 on structure. i don't think it's as important as they're making it out to be but for some reason it's a big sticking point for Themis

[zot1]

This evidence guy . . .

[Nelson]

This evidence guy . . .

He gets worse as it goes. He starts off manic and becomes deranged.

[Mad Hatter]

lol why would a tenured SLS professor (and now high-level DoJ official) do Themis? How much are they paying these people?

[GULCPerson]

Just ranting about crim pro MBE questions now (administrative warrants)

[+] Spoiler

Apparently gathering evidence which shows that "the homeowner deliberately set the fire" is outside the scope of an administrative warrant that allows the investigator to "search for the cause of the fire." That makes no sense to me.

The cause of the fire is the homeowner's deliberate action. I could kind of see this making sense if the question hinted at multiple arson suspects, in which case the evidence goes to *who* and not *what/why,* since who arguably not the "cause," but that wasn't the case here, it was either homeowner arson or nothing.

Not sure whether I should just be happy that I do actually know the rule and move on, or even more upset because sometimes even knowing the rule isn't enough to get a question correct.

[smalogna]

Anyone else having a terrible time trying to finish a working outline following Themis' method for the MPT? I'm getting my stuff together and I look at the clock and I have 30 mins or less left to write. I'm becoming very anxious.

[kateebee]

Not sure whether I should just be happy that I do actually know the rule and move on, or even more upset because sometimes even knowing the rule isn't enough to get a question correct.[/spoiler]

Feeling this way constantly... I am constantly between two answers and picking the wrong one because I interpret something just a little differently than they expect. Hoping practice will fix this eventually. I would say that the essays will solve this problem because at least I can explain my reasoning, but I am failing pretty miserably on those also.

Super frustrated with this whole process.

[Confused7]

Ugh, just did my 3rd Evidence MBE and started off with just 3 wrong mid-way...only to do substantially worse on the second portion and end up with a 68%.

[eloise16]

Ugh, just did my 3rd Evidence MBE and started off with just 3 wrong mid-way...only to do substantially worse on the second portion and end up with a 68%.

I'm concerned (for myself) that you are upset with a 68%.... some of the scores y'all are posting on here and acting upset about are the scores I'm proud of or pretty content with at this point in the game....

[VicariouslySuperior]

How's everyone doing on their course progress? I am at 29%.

[misterjames]

How's everyone doing on their course progress? I am at 29%.

currently at 32.8%