10-Minute Bar Prep

Welcome back to the BarPass™ Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

In today’s episode, we’ll walk through the key motions tested on the bar exam — including Judgment as a Matter of Law (JMOL), Renewed Judgment as a Matter of Law (RJMOL), and Motions for a New Trial.

In the next few minutes, we’ll cover:

• What JMOL is and when a judge can take the case away from the jury
• When a party can bring a RJMOL after the verdict - and the crucial prerequisite

• When a court may grant a motion for a new trial

• And the difference between remittitur and additur

These motions are some of tHE frequently tested Civil Procedure issues on the bar exam.

Let’s break them down.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass™ Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

In the last episode, we looked at bench trials, where the judge decides the facts.But what happens when a case goes to a jury trial?

In today’s episode, we’ll walk through the right to a jury in federal civil cases and how jury trials actually work in practice.

In the next few minutes, we’ll cover:

• How and when a party must demand a jury trial — and how easily that right can be waived

• The jury selection process (voir dire) and the difference between challenges for cause and peremptory challenges

• How judges provide jury instructions, and how to make objections to instructions

• The different types of verdicts
• And when juror misconduct can justify a new trial

Understanding how juries are selected, instructed, and how they return verdicts will help you quickly recognize these issues on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language and issue patterns - so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass™ Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

In today’s episode, we’ll walk through Trial Procedures and Bench Trials, focusing on how federal courts manage cases as they move from discovery toward trial.

In the next few minutes, we’ll cover:

• The Rule 26(f) conference, where parties meet and develop the discovery plan
• The court’s scheduling order, which sets the roadmap for the entire case
• The the final pretrial order that defines what will actually be tried

• How a bench trial works, when the judge — not a jury — decides the facts

If you understand how cases move from litigation into trial, you’ll be able to quickly recognize these procedural steps on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass™ Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

In today’s episode, we cover Default Judgment and Summary Judgment — two powerful ways courts can resolve a case without ever going to trial.

In the next few minutes, we’ll break down:

• What happens when a defendant fails to respond to a complaint and how a default and a default judgement is entered

• How a defendant can set aside a default by showing good cause and a viable defense
• How a summary judgment is entered — resolving cases where there is no genuine dispute of material fact

If you understand how courts can end cases early, you’ll be able to quickly identify these issues on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

Today we’re covering Injunctions and Voluntary Dismissal.

We’ll go through:

• How courts can issue temporary restraining orders (TROs) to preserve the status quo before a hearing
• The requirements for obtaining a preliminary injunction

• When these orders can be appealed
• How a plaintiff can voluntarily dismiss a case, including the important two-dismissal rule

If you understand how courts can resolve or control a case before trial even happens, you’ll be able to quickly spot these issues on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

Today we’re covering Scope of Discovery.

We’ll go through:

• The standard of relevance and proportionality in discovery
• The protection under privilege and work product doctrine

If you understand the scope and limits of discovery, you’ll be able to quickly spot discovery disputes on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Today we’re covering Discovery Tools and Enforcement.

We’ll go through:

• How requests to produce work
• When courts can order physical or mental examinations

• How requests for admission help narrow the issues before trial

• The duty to supplement discovery responses when information changes

• And how courts enforce discovery rules, including protective orders, motions to compel, and sanctions

If you understand how discovery tools gather evidence and how courts enforce compliance, you’ll be able to identify these issues quickly on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Today we’re covering the powerful discovery tools - Depositions and Interrogatories.

We’ll go through:

• How depositions work, including notice, subpoenas, and key limits

• How interrogatories work and the key rules on timing, scope, and strategic use of both tools

If you understand how these two discovery tools are used to gather and test evidence, you’ll pick up easy points on the exam.

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

Welcome back to the BarPass Podcast — the 10-Minute Bar Prep Podcast.

Today we’re covering Discovery — Required Disclosures and Expert Witnesses.

We’ll go through:

• What must be disclosed automatically at the start of litigation

• How expert witnesses are disclosed and what their reports must include; and

• Pre-trial disclosures

If you understand how mandatory disclosure works, you’ll pick up easy points on the exam!

Let’s get started.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.

In today’s episode, we’re covering Class Actions.

We’ll walk through:

• The four requirements for class certification — numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequate representation

• The three types of class actions tested on the bar exam

• How class certification works and when courts approve a class

• Notice and opt-out rights, especially in damages class actions

• How subject matter jurisdiction works in class actions.

If you understand how one plaintiff can represent an entire group, you’ll be able to spot class action issues quickly on both the MBE and Civil Procedure essays.

Let’s get into it.

ABOUT US

Welcome to the BarPass Podcast.

Each episode of this podcast delivers a high-yield bar rule in 10 minutes, making it easy to fit bar prep into your day.

This podcast is built around how people actually retain information: repetition, exposure, and familiarity over time.

By listening to bar rules while driving, walking, or doing chores, you train your brain to recognize legal language andissue patterns — so when you see them on the exam, they don’t feel new.

Use this podcast alongside your outlines and practice questions, and let short, focused listening sessions do the reinforcement.