| Texas Bar Flash, P. O. Box 161345, Austin, TX 78716-1345 info@texasbarflash.com |
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QUESTION #1 OF ALL TIME:
How often do you update the material?
We review the material on a continuous basis. Utilizing online databases, printed material,
and references to current changes in the law, we make revisions to the material as we
become aware of changes in the law. Each section is reviewed at least once, sometimes
more, in a twelve to eighteen month cycle. On average, we make changes to about four or
five sections every six months.
It is important to remember that
1. The bar exam frequently does not reflect changes in the law until up to two years after
such changes have taken effect. So, even though a legislative session may revise a statute in
May, 2011, the statute may not take effect until September, 2011. It may be at in the 2013
exam cycle before that change is reflected in the bar exam.
2. The bar exam covers material that simply doesn't change that much from year to year.
Basic procedural and evidence standards have remained the same for years. Hearsay is
hearsay is hearsay and has remained so for quite some time.
Our review is intended to examine each section of the TBF at least once every twelve
months. In some cycles, there are more changes made than in others, e.g. the changes made
to the book when business organizations code changed. In most cycles, statutory changes are
relatively few.
We've been doing this now for over seven years. We'll be honest though: on average, we
receive maybe one complaint per year that a point of law is presented incorrectly. That is,
every other exam cycle, somebody will point out a minor error. BUT, overall, we are very
proud of our success rate and the vast majority of our customers are satisfied too. See our
return rate below.
QUESTION #2:
What Will I Receive?
You will receive an eighty page book, each page of which looks a great deal like the sample
pages. The book is designed to be carried with you and used. Use it to review, use it in
every spare moment that you have to study. This is how people who have written us have
told us the TBE was successful in helping them pass the bar exam. Read their letters here.
Passing the bar exam demands you spend the time needed commit basic rules to memory
and this book is designed to be used, one time, for about two months. Break it apart,
highlight it, mark it up and use it to build memory muscle.
QUESTION #3:
Is an electronic version available?
Not at this time. We are working on providing an electronic version soon. In the meantime,
remember that the book is meant to be taken with you. Take it with you into the coffee
shop, take it to the restaurant, take it to the restroom. The real value of TBF comes from
using it to reinforce--ALL THE TIME--the drills and practice questions you will encounter
with traditional study materials. When you review your answers, consider how your answer
could have been enhanced with contra-considerations, alternatives, and issues that can only
be addressed by reviewing the elements of the contention before you.
QUESTION #4:
What is the return policy?
We've never had a formal return policy because out of nearly 2,000 books shipped in the last
seven years, fewer about five customers have asked for a refund; that's less than a third of
one-percent who as for a refund. You can't please everybody.
Nonetheless, some people seem to feel better if there is a return policy; so, here it is: If you
are dissatisfied, return the book and we will refund your money.
Now, we do have to protect ourself a little bit because, after all, we are lawyers.
FIRST. You must ship the book back to us within three days of your receiving it. The
book really does look like the sample pages; there are no surprises. So, your return package
must be postmarked no later than the third day after your receipt of the book. Receive the
book on January 15; you must ship the book back to us, based on postmark, by January 18.
Yes, one person did try to return a book after a month and about a day or two before the
exam. That won't work.
SECOND. The book must be in a condition such that it could be resold as new. In
other words, don't try to tear it apart or crease the cover, copy it, and THEN try to return
the book. That wouldn't be fair. Once again, yes, a person sent us a book the cover of
which had obviously been creased as it lay under a copying machine cover.
THIRD. Shipping and handling charges are non-refundable. We don't get our money
back from the post office and you don't either.
Otherwise, we want you to be satisfied. At the end of the day, it's not worth it to us to have
any hassles.
How often do you update the material?
We review the material on a continuous basis. Utilizing online databases, printed material,
and references to current changes in the law, we make revisions to the material as we
become aware of changes in the law. Each section is reviewed at least once, sometimes
more, in a twelve to eighteen month cycle. On average, we make changes to about four or
five sections every six months.
It is important to remember that
1. The bar exam frequently does not reflect changes in the law until up to two years after
such changes have taken effect. So, even though a legislative session may revise a statute in
May, 2011, the statute may not take effect until September, 2011. It may be at in the 2013
exam cycle before that change is reflected in the bar exam.
2. The bar exam covers material that simply doesn't change that much from year to year.
Basic procedural and evidence standards have remained the same for years. Hearsay is
hearsay is hearsay and has remained so for quite some time.
Our review is intended to examine each section of the TBF at least once every twelve
months. In some cycles, there are more changes made than in others, e.g. the changes made
to the book when business organizations code changed. In most cycles, statutory changes are
relatively few.
We've been doing this now for over seven years. We'll be honest though: on average, we
receive maybe one complaint per year that a point of law is presented incorrectly. That is,
every other exam cycle, somebody will point out a minor error. BUT, overall, we are very
proud of our success rate and the vast majority of our customers are satisfied too. See our
return rate below.
QUESTION #2:
What Will I Receive?
You will receive an eighty page book, each page of which looks a great deal like the sample
pages. The book is designed to be carried with you and used. Use it to review, use it in
every spare moment that you have to study. This is how people who have written us have
told us the TBE was successful in helping them pass the bar exam. Read their letters here.
Passing the bar exam demands you spend the time needed commit basic rules to memory
and this book is designed to be used, one time, for about two months. Break it apart,
highlight it, mark it up and use it to build memory muscle.
QUESTION #3:
Is an electronic version available?
Not at this time. We are working on providing an electronic version soon. In the meantime,
remember that the book is meant to be taken with you. Take it with you into the coffee
shop, take it to the restaurant, take it to the restroom. The real value of TBF comes from
using it to reinforce--ALL THE TIME--the drills and practice questions you will encounter
with traditional study materials. When you review your answers, consider how your answer
could have been enhanced with contra-considerations, alternatives, and issues that can only
be addressed by reviewing the elements of the contention before you.
QUESTION #4:
What is the return policy?
We've never had a formal return policy because out of nearly 2,000 books shipped in the last
seven years, fewer about five customers have asked for a refund; that's less than a third of
one-percent who as for a refund. You can't please everybody.
Nonetheless, some people seem to feel better if there is a return policy; so, here it is: If you
are dissatisfied, return the book and we will refund your money.
Now, we do have to protect ourself a little bit because, after all, we are lawyers.
FIRST. You must ship the book back to us within three days of your receiving it. The
book really does look like the sample pages; there are no surprises. So, your return package
must be postmarked no later than the third day after your receipt of the book. Receive the
book on January 15; you must ship the book back to us, based on postmark, by January 18.
Yes, one person did try to return a book after a month and about a day or two before the
exam. That won't work.
SECOND. The book must be in a condition such that it could be resold as new. In
other words, don't try to tear it apart or crease the cover, copy it, and THEN try to return
the book. That wouldn't be fair. Once again, yes, a person sent us a book the cover of
which had obviously been creased as it lay under a copying machine cover.
THIRD. Shipping and handling charges are non-refundable. We don't get our money
back from the post office and you don't either.
Otherwise, we want you to be satisfied. At the end of the day, it's not worth it to us to have
any hassles.
| NOT SURE OF THE CONCEPT? |
Put yourself in the position of being a
grader. You are faced with a stack of exams
and not much time to grade each one. You
don't want a bunch of fluff. You want to
ensure the test taker understands the basic
concepts. Does the test taker know what law
is applicable to the facts given. You are
looking for a demonstration of knowledge, of
highlights, of concepts, key points.
Don't believe it? CLICK HERE FOR JULY,
2008 "Common Problems Observed" by
examiners grading the July, 2008 exam. The
grader's comments indicate that "the most
common problem" was one of not stretching
to include that final point of law. That extra
little bit of law that completely answers the
question. The other issue we notice was the
examiner's notation that the question "called
upon examinees to demonstrate knowledge"
of requisites applicable to the facts given.
See Answer 11 under Criminal Procedure: "A
common problem for most examinees was
not knowing the time limit within which a
search warrant must be executed." [See p.
11 of TBF]
THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE A HIGH-
LEVEL INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE;
THIS IS A SIMPLE FACT OF LAW. THAT
IS WHAT TBF DOES, IT CONDENSES ALL
THESE FACTS INTO ONE MANAGEABLE
CONTAINER.
Need another example? CLICK HERE FOR
JULY 2007 COMMENTS by the BLE
examiners. The General Recommendations tell
you, first, to "carefully read the question and the
'call of the question.'" The last sentence,
however, instructs you to "avoid lengthy or
unnecessary discussion of general or extraneous
matters." In other words, "demonstrate
knowledge" of the law; nothing else. Look at
Question 2 of the Consumer Rights section.
"Problems in less successful answers" included
"recognizing that the facts presented . . . violated
the Texas DCPA without explaining why such
acts were in violation of the DCPA." In other
words, the examinee could not list the elements of
DCPA violation. (See TBF p. 51)
TBF is one more tool in your belt. One more
way to build memory. Don't lose points because
your are one of the examinees who "did not
recognize the rule concerning the disposal of
community property when intestate spouses die
within 120 hours of each other. (TBF p. 43)
We don't use more recent examples of comments
because the Board of Legal Examiners doesn't
provide them.
"Starting with the February 2009 exam, the Texas
Board of Law Examiners began publishing
selected examinee answers for essay questions 1
through 12 (in lieu of commenting on common
problems or errors for these items)."
grader. You are faced with a stack of exams
and not much time to grade each one. You
don't want a bunch of fluff. You want to
ensure the test taker understands the basic
concepts. Does the test taker know what law
is applicable to the facts given. You are
looking for a demonstration of knowledge, of
highlights, of concepts, key points.
Don't believe it? CLICK HERE FOR JULY,
2008 "Common Problems Observed" by
examiners grading the July, 2008 exam. The
grader's comments indicate that "the most
common problem" was one of not stretching
to include that final point of law. That extra
little bit of law that completely answers the
question. The other issue we notice was the
examiner's notation that the question "called
upon examinees to demonstrate knowledge"
of requisites applicable to the facts given.
See Answer 11 under Criminal Procedure: "A
common problem for most examinees was
not knowing the time limit within which a
search warrant must be executed." [See p.
11 of TBF]
THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE A HIGH-
LEVEL INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE;
THIS IS A SIMPLE FACT OF LAW. THAT
IS WHAT TBF DOES, IT CONDENSES ALL
THESE FACTS INTO ONE MANAGEABLE
CONTAINER.
Need another example? CLICK HERE FOR
JULY 2007 COMMENTS by the BLE
examiners. The General Recommendations tell
you, first, to "carefully read the question and the
'call of the question.'" The last sentence,
however, instructs you to "avoid lengthy or
unnecessary discussion of general or extraneous
matters." In other words, "demonstrate
knowledge" of the law; nothing else. Look at
Question 2 of the Consumer Rights section.
"Problems in less successful answers" included
"recognizing that the facts presented . . . violated
the Texas DCPA without explaining why such
acts were in violation of the DCPA." In other
words, the examinee could not list the elements of
DCPA violation. (See TBF p. 51)
TBF is one more tool in your belt. One more
way to build memory. Don't lose points because
your are one of the examinees who "did not
recognize the rule concerning the disposal of
community property when intestate spouses die
within 120 hours of each other. (TBF p. 43)
We don't use more recent examples of comments
because the Board of Legal Examiners doesn't
provide them.
"Starting with the February 2009 exam, the Texas
Board of Law Examiners began publishing
selected examinee answers for essay questions 1
through 12 (in lieu of commenting on common
problems or errors for these items)."
