July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread Forum

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ymmv88

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by ymmv88 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:15 am

uncleharry wrote:Bad in the sense that, if you hit the average on the MBE and it's low - as in, below 140 - and you do equally well (average) on the essays (which are scaled to the MBE) you fail.

Good in the sense that, we have a damn good idea of what at least 4-5 of the essay subjects will be.
What 4-5 do you mean/how do we know that?
kandi007 wrote:Does anyone know of a place where I can get short answer questions to work on?

My materials had some, but I worked through all of the real property ones (all 5 of them, 3 out of 5 correct) and I am a repetition type of person. The more I answer the better I will feel, especially since I didn't take classes like Wills and Trusts and I went to school out of state.
shaynislegend wrote:What are the essay topics that are most likely other than civil procedure? I've read something like Ks, property, professional responsibility, wills, crim, and family law.
The Barbri essay workshop basically said those that you pointed out I think. I had it printed out but left it in my office - I can check tomorrow and update you with the exact answer if no one else has by then.
Is it these?

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:25 am

If I had to guess five I would say:
(1) VA Civ Pro
(2) Fed Civ Pro
(3) Real Property
(4) Contracts
(5) Wills

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kandi007

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by kandi007 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:11 am

This evidence essay thing is messing with my because my tutor (through Barbri) specifically told me there would be no essay on evidence. Now seeing there was one in Feb I feel like I need to change my entire strategy for studying for the essays

Also I don't like this contract guys outline. I was getting it while he was teaching it but now that I am trying to go over my notes...nah.

philippian413

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by philippian413 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:14 am

Do you think a tutor would help for VA?

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:31 am

kandi007 wrote:This evidence essay thing is messing with my because my tutor (through Barbri) specifically told me there would be no essay on evidence. Now seeing there was one in Feb I feel like I need to change my entire strategy for studying for the essays

Also I don't like this contract guys outline. I was getting it while he was teaching it but now that I am trying to go over my notes...nah.
I feel like winging evidence on an essay wouldn't be too difficult. Its either going to be something about privilege, confrontation, or relevance/hearsay. It has to be extremely difficult to write an essay testing relevance or hearsay given that you can basically argue that a piece of evidence can always get in (e.g., not offered to prove truth, just circumstantial evidence of the state of mind). Plus, you could always just BS the policy behind admission of evidence.

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Law Dude

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Thu Jun 08, 2017 11:29 pm

Evidence is like other topics if you get one on the essay portion it's all about whether you know the rules or not. When they have appeared they normally have been a part of a criminal procedure /law or va civil procedure question.

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:39 am

In one of the themis lectures a guy mentioned that criminal procedure is frequently tested on the "short answer" portion of the VA bar exam. I went to school OOS, is there really a "short answer" section?

Law Dude

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:05 am

Yes generally 10 short answer questions that count the same as an essay. In the past they have all been multiple choice and can be from any subject that is subject to be tested on the essay portion. Va Civil Procedure gets tested heavy there too at times but it's really a crap shoot what will appear.

barkschool

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by barkschool » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:07 pm

Law Dude wrote:Yes generally 10 short answer questions that count the same as an essay. In the past they have all been multiple choice and can be from any subject that is subject to be tested on the essay portion. Va Civil Procedure gets tested heavy there too at times but it's really a crap shoot what will appear.
I'm going to guess they are glaring time-line filing type stuff/ major distinctions that get tested for short answer.

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jasper09

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by jasper09 » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:48 pm

Taking the July 2017 test and using Themis to prep. Good luck everyone!

Also, random, but is the VBBE like a week behind in posting the instruction letter re: laptop registration? I was fairly certain that starts up this coming week...

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:32 am

I hear the short answer can be all over the place. No real way to prepare for it

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kandi007

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by kandi007 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:48 pm

jasper09 wrote:Taking the July 2017 test and using Themis to prep. Good luck everyone!

Also, random, but is the VBBE like a week behind in posting the instruction letter re: laptop registration? I was fairly certain that starts up this coming week...

This?

http://barexam.virginia.gov/bar/laptop/barltprg.html

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jasper09

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by jasper09 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 2:20 pm

kandi007 wrote:
jasper09 wrote:Taking the July 2017 test and using Themis to prep. Good luck everyone!

Also, random, but is the VBBE like a week behind in posting the instruction letter re: laptop registration? I was fairly certain that starts up this coming week...

This?

http://barexam.virginia.gov/bar/laptop/barltprg.html
I was talking about this, actually: http://barexam.virginia.gov/bar/laptop/barltletter.html, which appears to have been uploaded today since it wasn't up yesterday. Same difference though. Glad they've posted it.

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Law Dude

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Sat Jun 10, 2017 3:33 pm

The Virginia exam is a bear! So many possible essay topics and worth 60%.

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Sat Jun 10, 2017 8:58 pm

Law Dude wrote:The Virginia exam is a bear! So many possible essay topics and worth 60%.
Yeah, that is what is killing me. MBE does seem too bad, but all of these essay topics... and most of the essays I've done haven't exactly been on the most predictable topics.

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:11 pm

Yes it seems the topics within topics are not always what I consider mainstream. Plus Virginia nomenclature is so different especially in procedure. How many people had a Virginia Civil Procedure course in law school?

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by elleyes17 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 8:02 am

Law Dude wrote:Yes it seems the topics within topics are not always what I consider mainstream. Plus Virginia nomenclature is so different especially in procedure. How many people had a Virginia Civil Procedure course in law school?
I am coming from an out of state law school-definitely no Virginia Civil Procedure course...

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Law Dude

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Sun Jun 11, 2017 7:15 pm

Va Civil Procedure is so different. Going to have to put in extra time there and I still don't understand it.

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:16 am

Law Dude wrote:Va Civil Procedure is so different. Going to have to put in extra time there and I still don't understand it.
Ugh, I start it this week. Seems like every time I've mentioned taking the VA bar to someone who has taken it they've said "its not horrible, well except for VA civil procedure."

barkschool

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by barkschool » Mon Jun 12, 2017 12:05 pm

shaynislegend wrote:
Law Dude wrote:Va Civil Procedure is so different. Going to have to put in extra time there and I still don't understand it.
Ugh, I start it this week. Seems like every time I've mentioned taking the VA bar to someone who has taken it they've said "its not horrible, well except for VA civil procedure."
Bahbri doesn't have us taking till next week. But two days worth

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:53 pm

From what I know about Virginia Civil Procedure from other bar takers and Virginia attorneys Barbri needs a week on it.

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:47 am

Law Dude wrote:From what I know about Virginia Civil Procedure from other bar takers and Virginia attorneys Barbri needs a week on it.
About an hour in, talk about a Preferred Class-A, pain in the ass.

va civ pro venue joke – check

barkschool

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by barkschool » Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:08 am


Law Dude

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by Law Dude » Wed Jun 14, 2017 1:28 pm

I'm not sure I can type or handwrite Virginia Civil Procedure. Do the Virginia law schools teach this stuff?

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shaynislegend

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Re: July 2017 Virginia Bar Thread

Post by shaynislegend » Wed Jun 14, 2017 2:05 pm

Joinder of parties, causes of action, and counter-claims makes zero sense to me.

If defendant wants to bring a counter-claim it doesn't have to arise out of the same conduct, transaction, or occurrence as plaintiff's claim . . . but the counterclaim must be alleged against ALL plaintiffs or else it cannot be brought? what sense does that make?

So what happens if P1 sues D1, D1 counterclaims against P1, P2 is joined as a necessary party, but D1 has no claim against P2? fml.

EDIT: va civ pro

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