Florida Bar Exam - Official Thread Forum

[anonymous1905]

Yeah, not looking forward to MBE questions written by the FBBE.

[BansheeScream]

How are people changing their study plan? The extra time and the lack of an MBE makes some stuff difficult.

[Allegedly88]

I only had to take part B mbe. Now i have the pleasure of studying all florida subjects, again. Speechless.

[Allegedly88]

How are people changing their study plan? The extra time and the lack of an MBE makes some stuff difficult.

I dont even know where to start! I have been studying only the mbe since i passed part a. This is a real mess. How do we know what the multiple choice will be? 50 florida and 50 their own made up mbe questions?

[johngotti]

How are people changing their study plan? The extra time and the lack of an MBE makes some stuff difficult.

With zero info on what's gonna be tested (other than "study everything") no one has a clue. The biggest question is what will they do with the FL mc portion? Every essay question they've done is different but there's common testing areas for each subject. Creating new questions for subjects they've never tested on the mc is a total joke. They'd better provide us with some further info on mc possibilities.

[ginanacosta]

This is really killing my motivation to study. Waiting to see how Themis updates the study schedule and material.

[johngotti]

They just moved it back one more day to August 19 so it wouldn't conflict with the primary. It's hilarious how little they planned for this.

[Allegedly88]

They just moved it back one more day to August 19 so it wouldn't conflict with the primary. It's hilarious how little they planned for this.

Did they post a new order saying Aug 19?
I see in the FAQ it says the 19th now, but dont see it anywhere else. It looks like its only going to be on florida subjects? Did i read that right in the FAQ?

[Anonymous User]

I believe the examination is now being administered online, and only portion A.

Check the press release :

https://www.floridabarexam.org/splash/

So lucky examinees...

I can definitely see them writing a bunch of terrible Property, Fed Civ Pro, etc questions on the mc to just completely screw people over. Maybe if they'd planned for this months ago they could've done the whole thing online over 2 days but seems like they just figured covid would go away now it's "holy shit what do we do?"

I agree with your second statement only, the HS. But to have the test in a test center is unwise, so the announcement is a WIN, in my opinion for those taking the exam. Preparing for it being online, means to figure out how to type the issues, rules in outline format online, not using paper. The MBE practice on the most commonly used bar review prep is Adaptibar, which is online, that will help. Using the following:

NCBE release of 1992 Questions 581 questions released MBE questions from 1976-1992, includes answer key. Note: the NCBE offers these as samples of the range and format of questions not as currently tested material.
>
> http://www.ncbex.org/pdfviewer/?file=%2 ... ument%2F20
>
> Sample MBE 1991
>
> http://www.ncbex.org/pdfviewer/?file=%2 ... ument%2F22
>
> Sample MBE II 1991
>
> http://www.ncbex.org/pdfviewer/?file=%2 ... ument%2F21
>
> Sample MBE III 1998
>
> http://www.ncbex.org/pdfviewer/?file=%2 ... ument%2F18

Say you need to practice MBE's and did not sign up for Adaptibar or the NCBE or a bar review, download over 500 (although no Civ Pro) questions, then do them pretend online. Using an excel spreadsheet for your answers type a,b,c,d. Trying to simulate online environment. Applicants have time to do this. You can buy S&T the latest edition online too and simulate online environment with no hand written note taking.

[johngotti]

They just moved it back one more day to August 19 so it wouldn't conflict with the primary. It's hilarious how little they planned for this.

Did they post a new order saying Aug 19?
I see in the FAQ it says the 19th now, but dont see it anywhere else. It looks like its only going to be on florida subjects? Did i read that right in the FAQ?

I think it's gonna end up being like the usual Florida portion. I'm not sure how they'd write up a bunch of mbe-style mc questions.

[JDlaw17]

I have some questions regarding this exam. If anyone knows the answers or I've overlooked these somewhere, would you please let me know:

1. Can we use paper/pencils to write-out problems? With everything being online, we have no way of underlining issues, writing out notes, etc. I'm specifically thinking of wills, civ pro, property, & partnership distributions.

2. Are we allowed bathroom breaks? I was supposed to have special accommodations that allowed for extra breaks. What now?

3. What if our internet goes in/out? Is this an automatic fail?

4. Will they allow earplugs?

[Ksovic]

Re question 1, I sent a message to the FL Bar about the ability to have blank paper and pens or pencils to write-out problems and they advised that they are reviewing the matter and will make an announcement in the future.

Re question 2, the FL Bar posted a letter in the portal yesterday, July 7th, that in part contained the following information: "If you were granted test accommodations by the board for the July 2020 examination, you will receive the same test accommodations on the August 2020 examination unless the change to an online examination has rendered an accommodation moot. Applicants granted additional time on the examination will still receive that accommodation. The examination will be administered in the same fashion as described above with additional time being divided equally for each essay question and comfort breaks occurring after essay questions 1 and 2 followed by lunch after essay question 3. Individual testing schedules will be provided under separate cover.

If you require an accommodation due to the change in testing format, you must submit a petition to the board to be received by July 10, 2020. Forms for submitting a petition with the board can be found on the board's website."

If you have an account with the FL Bar you likely can see the same letter in full. They also advised elsewhere that you may submit questions to them, which you can do through the portal, if you need answers to other questions.

I hope this helps.

[zeglo]

I read the July 3 letter as a mostly Florida-law-based exam now. I suppose the examiners could write (or simply cherry pick actual) MBE questions, which is possible.

But in my opinion, it's gonna be the same format as Part A, just with the essays being more MBE-focused.

Here is my guess on format:

Essays:
-#1 Contracts or Torts
-#2 Real Property
-#3 Florida Constitution
(Maybe a random topic thrown in, like secured transactions)

Multiple Choice:
-FL Procedure (Always tested)
-Evidence (Seems likely this year)
-Either Wills or Business Entities

Thoughts? Do you think it is likely the examiners will use MBE multiple choice questions, or stick to FL topics?

Or maybe the exam will just be a complete grab bag of random stuff.

[johngotti]

I read the July 3 letter as a mostly Florida-law-based exam now. I suppose the examiners could write (or simply cherry pick actual) MBE questions, which is possible.

But in my opinion, it's gonna be the same format as Part A, just with the essays being more MBE-focused.

Here is my guess on format:

Essays:
-#1 Contracts or Torts
-#2 Real Property
-#3 Florida Constitution
(Maybe a random topic thrown in, like secured transactions)

Multiple Choice:
-FL Procedure (Always tested)
-Evidence (Seems likely this year)
-Either Wills or Business Entities

Thoughts? Do you think it is likely the examiners will use MBE multiple choice questions, or stick to FL topics?

Or maybe the exam will just be a complete grab bag of random stuff.

Definitely possible, I'd lean Fed Con Law over Fl. I think that it's likely it'll be a usual Part A, the board had literally no plan for this and coming up with a bunch of mbe subject mc questions takes a long time. If there are mc questions on things like contracts and property this may as well be a tossup.

[asmith12345]

I read the July 3 letter as a mostly Florida-law-based exam now. I suppose the examiners could write (or simply cherry pick actual) MBE questions, which is possible.

But in my opinion, it's gonna be the same format as Part A, just with the essays being more MBE-focused.

Here is my guess on format:

Essays:
-#1 Contracts or Torts
-#2 Real Property
-#3 Florida Constitution
(Maybe a random topic thrown in, like secured transactions)

Multiple Choice:
-FL Procedure (Always tested)
-Evidence (Seems likely this year)
-Either Wills or Business Entities

Thoughts? Do you think it is likely the examiners will use MBE multiple choice questions, or stick to FL topics?

Or maybe the exam will just be a complete grab bag of random stuff.

I am pretty sure its going to be the following for the essays:

1. Trusts/Ethics
2. UCC Art. 3/9/ with Property
3. Federal Constitutional Law

Multiple Choice:

1. Evidence
2. Business Entities (since wills was just tested twice in a row)
3. FL Procedure

[zeglo]

Hmm, good point.

Contracts was just tested. And it seems they never do contracts consecutively. Same with torts.

[Allegedly88]

What type of property essay is predicted? Easements?

[johngotti]

What type of property essay is predicted? Easements?

Easements is usually part of Property essays along with things like Adverse Possession, Validity of Deeds, Tenancies, Foreclosures, etc.

[zeglo]

You all think UCC 3 and 9 will be tested?

Based on past patterns of essays, I am thinking maybe. Absolutely no idea. Could always surprise us with a secured transactions question or something.

Personally I'd prefer trusts over UCC because trusts questions are pretty straightforward.

[Lglegl04]

Does anyone know if it’s ok to use a desktop computer instead of a laptop? I can’t find anything on the bar exam website that answers this.

[zeglo]

Does anyone know if it’s ok to use a desktop computer instead of a laptop? I can’t find anything on the bar exam website that answers this.

I assume that's fine. Just so you have a microphone and webcam.

[Anonymous User]

What time is the exam? I am having trouble figuring out when on August 19 it starts.

[johngotti]

https://twitter.com/BarExamTracker/stat ... 9446021123

Same company Florida is using, Indiana ended up postponing the exam a week. Florida has like 4x as many people taking the exam. Can't wait!!!!

[Lglegl04]

They should really let those of us who are already licensed in other states waive in. That would reduce some of the people taking the exam this go round.

[zeglo]

A second delay would be ridiculous and unconscionable. I have planned my entire lease, moving schedule, work schedule, and study schedule around August 19.