There Are No Easter Eggs in Bar Exam Essays

It’s almost Easter Sunday, and maybe you’re thinking about Easter egg hunts, candy-filled baskets, or hidden surprises. In pop culture, an "Easter egg" is a hidden message, inside joke, or clever reference—often tucked away in a movie, game, or book for fans to discover. But if you’re studying for the bar exam, here’s one thing to keep in mind: There are no Easter eggs in bar exam essays.

Every. Single. Fact. Matters.

Bar examiners don’t plant hidden facts for fun. This isn’t a Marvel movie with secret callbacks or a video game with bonus content. The bar exam isn’t trying to be cute. Every fact you’re given is there on purpose—and it’s your job to figure out why.

Photo by Denisse Leon on Unsplash

You should assume that every detail is:

• Legally relevant, or

• There to test your judgment—to see if you know why it isn’t legally relevant

And yes, that means you can’t skip over anything just because it “feels like background.”

Train Yourself to Ask:

✅ Why is this fact here?

Ask yourself what purpose this fact might serve. Is it setting up a legal issue? Offering a key distinction? Providing context that influences how a rule applies? Bar examiners don’t waste ink—if it’s there, there’s usually a reason.

✅ What rule might it trigger?

Each fact should prompt you to recall relevant legal rules. If the fact relates to someone’s age, mental state, timing, or location, think about which doctrines those details could affect (e.g., capacity, mens rea, statutes of limitation).

✅ Does it help or hurt a party?

Try to frame each fact from both sides. Does it help the plaintiff or the defendant? Does it strengthen or weaken a claim or defense? This will guide how you weave it into your IRAC analysis.

✅ Does this fact seem legally significant, or can I explain why it doesn’t affect the outcome?

If you suspect a fact might not matter, don’t ignore it—address it briefly and explain why. That shows the grader you considered it and made a reasoned decision, rather than simply overlooking it.

Bottom Line: If you miss a fact, you’re not just skipping a potential point—you’re skipping an opportunity to show the grader that you know how to think like a lawyer.

So, no, bar exam essays don’t contain Easter eggs. They contain evidence, arguments, and traps—and the better you train yourself to spot them, the more points you’ll earn.

Enjoy your Easter weekend—but remember: on the bar exam, the hunt isn’t for eggs. It’s for every legally significant fact.