ProfessorTommy.Tips

If you're taking Evidence or preparing for the bar exam, you've probably seen two different phrases that seem to describe the same concept: “admissions by a party-opponent” and “statements of an opposing party.” They refer to the same rule. The terminology changed in 2011 when the Federal Rules of Evidence were restyled, but the substance of Rule 801(d)(2) didn't change. Still, the new wording matters because it can help you think about the rule more accurately. Photo by Mar

The National Conference of Bar Examiners is maintaining a running list of bar exam results , and so far, it has posted statistics for 19 jurisdictions from the February 2026 administration. That list is still developing. Some jurisdictions, like Indiana , have already released results but aren't yet reflected in the NCBE’s data. Even with that caveat, a clear trend is emerging: results are being released earlier. Source: https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-research/bar-exam-resu

The 2026 Masters is underway. If you’ve been watching the tournament, you may have noticed something unique. The people walking the grounds at Augusta National aren’t called spectators . They’re called patrons . That choice of words isn’t accidental. A patron isn’t just someone watching from the outside. A patron is part of the experience. A patron is someone who belongs, someone who carries themselves with a certain level of respect for the tradition and the moment. That su

April 1 is supposed to be lighthearted. It's the one day of the year when people expect practical jokes, harmless pranks, and the occasional attempt to fool a friend, classmate, or coworker. But if you're studying for the bar exam, today also presents a useful reminder that a prank can raise serious legal issues. On the bar exam, the label “joke” doesn't control. The real question is whether the facts satisfy the elements of a tort or crime. A good way to think about April Fo

When news broke yesterday that Tiger Woods was involved in a rollover crash in Florida—with reports of breathalyzer testing and refusal to submit to additional testing—it immediately raised a pair of issues that can show up on the bar exam. Before we go any further, a quick disclaimer (because that’s what we do here): I’m not weighing in on what happened, whether any testing (or refusal) was justified, or how this situation should be resolved. I’m using the headline as a cle

If you've been watching sports on television lately, you may have seen the Eli Lilly commercial centered on the scientific method . It's a memorable ad because it presents progress as a process rather than a single moment. The commercial focuses on observing, questioning, testing, analyzing, and then beginning again. Its core message is simple: Sometimes progress requires you to start over. That idea is especially useful in bar preparation. One of the biggest mistakes student

Well, that didn’t take long. Just hours after I posted about the "Final 7” jurisdictions that had yet to decide whether to adopt the NextGen bar exam, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an order adopting the Legacy Uniform Bar Examination beginning in July 2026, with a transition to the NextGen UBE in July 2028. So, yes, my earlier post (" South Carolina Is In, So What About the Final 7 ") aged quickly. But in another sense, it aged pretty well. Wisconsin was one of the juri

South Carolina is officially in. With its announcement yesterday that it will begin administering the NextGen UBE in July 2028, South Carolina becomes the 49th jurisdiction to have already committed to the new exam. That leaves just seven jurisdictions still on the sidelines. And that’s really the story now. This is no longer about whether the NextGen UBE will become the dominant bar exam. It already has. The question now is what these remaining jurisdictions are signaling

Today is World Poetry Day . You're probably thinking, “Professor Tommy, what does poetry have to do with passing the bar exam?” Stay with me. Photo by yeongkyeong lee on Unsplash Bar prep is all about structure, rhythm, and repetition. Sound familiar? That’s poetry. Just like a good essay answer follows a predictable format, a good poem does too. And when things get stressful (and they will), sometimes the best way to remember key strategies is to make them a little more … m

It is sad to learn today the passing of Chuck Norris , man whose name became bigger than movies, television, or even martial arts. For many people, he wasn't just an action star. He was a cultural icon whose toughness became the stuff of legend, and whose persona somehow managed to be both admirable and fun at the same time. That is what makes him such an interesting bar exam tie-in. The bar exam has a way of making people feel small. It can feel overwhelming, unpredictable,