Online Law School Student

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The California MPRE score changes January 1, 2008, so take it this year!

Okay, I felt guilty leaving you hanging on the last post without good info, so I looked it up. California's required score for passing the MPRE will change from 79 to 86 as of January 1, 2008. Here's the link to the California Bar notice of the change (It's a PDF file): Click Here

Click Here for another PDF file from the Calbar site that contains more info for takers before Jan 1, 2008.

Click Here to view the National Conference of Bar Examiners (who give the exams) site with info on cost, etc., and Click Here for their study materials, some are free and some are not.

Click Here for the act.org site where you can register & pay online.

You only have to have finished your first year of law school in order to take it. You don't have to have already taken Professional Responsibility as a law school course.

You must be registered with the bar as a law student.

You can take it as many times as you like.

You can take it in any state - you just mark the state you want the results sent to on the answer sheet. So for NWCU students outside of California, this exam is not such an expensive stresser for you.

It only costs around $50 and is 2 hours long.

And that's my story for now...

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Oh yeah, and I passed the MPRE


I took and passed the November Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, which is a requirement before you can be admitted to the bar. I received a score of 88. I only needed a 79.

By the way, the required passing score is going to change soon, if it hasn't already. You'll have to get a higher score. Forget how high, but 86 comes to mind.

Advice: Even though the materials say not to bring a watch or earplugs inside, bring them anyway. Our proctor let people use pretty much everything we were told we couldn't use. Grrrrrrrrrr. Those of us who actually followed the rules, ended up at a disadvantage. Really big GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I sure could have used those earplugs I left at home..... Could have also used a watch or clock because the clock in the room didn't work. So, take everything, just in case they say you can use them afterall.

Also, the room was freezing. Fortunately, I dressed with lots of layers because that's the way to dress in San Francisco. I was ready to peel off layers if it was warm in the room. I didn't expect to keep every layer ON. So, I was comfortable, but many weren't.

I was surprised to see that a majority of the exam takers were still there up until the very last minute. I had just marked in the last answer when they called time. It was a tough test, and I only walked away sure that I'd answered only a handful correctly. Fortunately, I did better than I thought. Also, there were a few questions in there that weren't professional responsibility topics, which weirded me out. There were a couple on agency and partnership, which had nothing to do with ethics, and some on, I think, contracts that had nothing to do with ethics. There were questions before we started asking what year in law school we were in. Maybe they were trying to see what level we were in law school? I don't know, but I thought that was bizarre.

I just studied with the materials you can get on the examiner website. I think it cost $17. Also got a book, I think from the Finals series, with questions & answers with explanations. I also read the actual codebooks, too, which were much better reading than the Professional Responsibility blackletter book, which in my opinion is terribly written. Before you look to another resource, take a look at the actual codes. They're actually well-written.

I really think paying a lot for an exam-prep course would be a real waste of money. It's only a 2 hour test and costs around $50. You can always take it again. And you only have to pass. At least that was the way I looked at it. And, fortunately, I passed the first time, so another hurdle hurdled.

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I'm baaaaaaaaaack!


Man I can't believe how time flies. A LOT has happened since my last post.

First, I won my fight against State Fund for my $6,000 tuition voucher. That was fun! The laws for workers comp had changed quite a bit and my lawyer blew me off when I told him he was wrong in light of the new laws, so I fired him. He he.

This probably won't make sense or be of interest to many of you, but for those who are interested in workers comp law and vocational benefits for injured workers, I'll try to keep it basic.

Under the old laws you had to prove you were a "qualified injured worker" to get any vocational rehabilitation benefits. Under the new law you don't. Voc rehab benefits are gone and the new voc rehab benefit is called Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits, which allow the injured worker to get a tuition voucher which can be used for an approved educational institution (and Northwestern California University School of Law or NWCU is listed), plus materials and books that are required to take the course.

The new law focuses on whether or not the employer offers the injured worker modified work. This is intended, apparently, to keep the injured worker employed and to keep employers from drop-kicking injured workers out the door. So, basically, if the employer doesn't offer modified work to the injured employee within a certain time frame, the injured worker is entitled to the tuition voucher.

The amount of the voucher depends on the percentage of disability awarded either by the judge, or in the C&R (compromise and release) settlement. In my settlement we agreed on 15%, which allows for a $6,000 voucher. Which it turns out they didn't know when they settled, which of course, meant that my roughly $6,000 settlement actually became a $12,000 settlement. Bet they had some meetings over that one :-0

State Fund (or State Compensation Insurance Fund - SCIF) first started to argue that I wasn't a qualified injured worker. I then told the judge that I didn't have to prove I am a qualified injured worker under the new law. He told me that yes, I did. I said, respectfully, that I didn't, and offered to give him a copy of that section of the new law. He said he had a copy (a little grumpily) and grabbed for his code book. He said what's the section? I started to tell him and he interrupted me and finished the code for me which was the old section. I, respectfully, told him it was a different number. He looked at me like WHAT? Opened his code book, and admitted he wasn't familiar with it, then asked SCIF if they'd offered me modified work (one of the requirements under the new law). They hadn't, but that's when the SCIF attorney asserted an original jurisdiction defense.

The new law says the parties "may" dispute the voucher by filing a form with the Administrative Director. I asserted that there are several codes that say that the Workers Comp Appeals Board always has original jurisdiction and the new law only said I "may" go the new route. But the judge wouldn't buy it, and told me I was putting a great deal of emphasis on the word "may," (true, but that was my argument which I still think is valid), but he had to take it off calendar. He tried to get SCIF to settle the matter anyway, but she wouldn't go for it. I mentioned that I'd been told by the information and assistance officer and the court clerks that I filed in the correct place and would he be kind enough to let them know they're giving out incorrect info. He said he sure would, but he'd tell the person in charge of them, as that was the proper procedure. He turned out to be really nice and I could tell he felt bad that I would be delayed probably another few months, when it was clear I should get the darn voucher.

Anyway, then I filed the new dispute form with the Administrative Director's office, and didn't receive a response in the time allocated under the new law (which apparently nobody had dealt with yet). I found out who the top dog was, and his email address and he got right on it. I received the approval of my dispute and order for SCIF to give me the voucher. They had a deadline which they didn't meet - to either dispute it or give it to me. So, I emailed the top dog again & said, "Doesn't that make them in contempt of court now?" He apparently dealt swiftly with SCIF, probably in a short but sweet telephone call, and the voucher arrived pronto. Woo hoo.

Oh, shortly after receiving the voucher, I received a notification from SCIF that a new adjuster had been assigned to my case. Hmmmmm, think the one who wasn't on top of it was asked to hit the high road?

At any rate, the voucher can either be given to the institution and then they would have to deal with getting their money out of SCIF, but I couldn't do that to NWCU, who have been wonderful to me. They even let me keep my original tuition even though I've had to take so much time off to deal with this. So, the $6,000 would cover 3L and 4L plus all my study materials - woo hoo!

So, I charged everything for the last 2 years at NWCU on the credit cards, and then submitted the voucher and documents (to the new adjuster) showing I'd paid for everything, that NWCU is an approved school, that the books I bought are required, etc., etc. Then I figured I'd have to fight with them over this too, but miracle upon miracles.....the new adjuster sent me a $6,000 check within the timeframe allowed! Yahoo! No more workers comp or voucher hassles. Ahhhhhhhh.

By the way, SCIF also argued that I'd settled my voucher in my C&R. There's a section where the injured worker & SCIF can initial a list of things that are being settled, including one for the SJDB. HOWEVER, paragraph 5 in the standard C&R says that unless the judge specifically orders settlement of any vocational benefits, the benefits are not settled. The law says that an injured worker is not legally capable of settling the voucher. There's an en banc decision on this which I think was Eric Pasqualo (sp?) v. WCAB. A judge has to explain in his order why it's a good idea for the injured worker to give up that right.

I was appalled at the fact that I knew more about the new law than a judge and a lawyer, who only dealt with workers comp law. I mentioned this to the SCIF attorney, and she said (and another SCIF attorney in the room chimed in agreement) that workers comp law is really complicated and they can't know everything. I thought, are you kidding? You only have to know one area of law, which you knew was changing, and you are whining? I told her, Jeez, I'm only a law student and I figured it out. She said that I have more time than her. Holy cow. It's her JOB! Frightening.

By the way, I was in the wrong original jurisdiction because the information and assistance officer, as well as a clerk in the WCAB offices (I got two opinions just in case) told me that's where I was supposed to file. I even read from their own website that it looked like I was supposed to file something with the Administrative Director, and they both told me that was incorrect. Wow.

So, I wonder how many injured workers think they've signed away their tuition voucher rights, who are entitled to thousands of dollars for education, relying on the attorneys, judges and clerks to know what's going on. Or paid their defense attorneys unnecessary additional money to fight to prove they're a qualified injured worker when they didn't have to. Scary.

At any rate, that's over. 3L & 4L are completely paid for & I'm starting to study civil procedure. I posted my first answer to a question posted by Professor George on summary judgment & got my first Socratic response. Ahhhhh, it's good to be home! I've decided to embrace the Socratic method this year, which I'm sure I'll have to be reminded of....many times....

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Funny for the day


I received this in an email because I'm interested in practicing immigration law if I ever get through law school & pass the bar:

We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located among the
millions and millions of cows in America but we haven't got a clue as to
where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are located. Maybe we
should put the Department of Agriculture in charge of immigration.

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Long Time No Spew & My New Website: HookedOnLaw.com


Wow, how the time flies...

First, I finished 2L through NWCU and now have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law. Yahoo! I haven't been able to spring for the $100 to get my actual diploma yet. I think I'll buy it for myself for Christmas :-)

Secondly, I finally settled my workers comp case, but am now fighting the insurance company for the tuition voucher I'm entitled to under the new laws, which will pay for the rest of my law school at NWCU. I'm in the dispute process now & representing myself. I went to one hearing already, and presented my case well. I anticipated all of the arguments, which was exciting, and the judge would have ruled in my favor - except - the State Fund attorney asserted the right to original jurisdiction, so the judge's hands were tied. He tried to get them to settle anyway, but she said no. Grrrr.

So, I learned what original jurisdiction is. It's the first place you're supposed to start. I was at the appeals board, which was the wrong place to start, although the clerk's office and the information and assistant officers all assured me that was the right place, and there are 3 codes on the books that say that the appeals board always has original jurisdiction. But, since the new laws do provide for a specific dispute process, the judge wasn't going to let me argue that the codes say he had original jurisdiction. C'est la vie.

I'll likely end up right back in Judge Lauerman's hearing room at the appeals board again after we go around through the new all-through-the-mail process with the Administrator, but you don't need to know all those details. The insurance company can keep arguing until we end up finally...back where we started. The judge was nice & said I may see him again in a few months. I said, "You know I will" (because State Fund is all about delaying). C'est la vie. Frustrating & delays 3L even longer.

But, I've gone ahead and signed up to take the November Professional Responsibility exam in San Francisco & can at least get that out of the way.

So, I've had a little more time to work on my law school practice exams again and have decided to just put them up for free on a new website:


Hooked On Law.com

I put a bunch of Google ads on the site that will hopefully pay for the hosting by luring you with irresistible ads to click on...

Enjoy the free practice quizzes & let me know what you think of them.

Cheers!

Karen
Hooked On Law.com

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Getting my rythm down...they're not through with me yet!


Howdy pals,

Wow, look what happens when I leave you all alone. You start arguing in the comments section like naughty children about online law schools.

1) Thanks for the kind words from those of you who left them.

2) Who ARE you people who are blathering on criticizing online law schools? Why are you being annonymous? And if you hate online law schools, why are you reading my blog? Are you a law student at a brick & mortar school? If so, why aren't you too busy studying? Why do you care? Sheesh. I don't get you. Go write your own success story. Oh yeah, you're too busy dinking around leaving nasty-grams on the blogs of people who are actually trying to succeed at something.....to actually succeed at something yourself...

Ahhhhh. Yes, I do feel better now.

Okay...Here's an update for those of you who are keeping tabs on me. Turns out there are more of you than I had ever guessed.

If the post is for real, I may be interviewed by MP Dunleavey, a writer for MSN Money. Perhaps she wants to use me as an example of how NOT to run your life financially, LOL! I just read several of her articles & they're right on the money...so to speak. Lots of good info on how women do, and more often don't, handle their finances.

Doctor update: Went to the workers comp doctor for a second eval. My partially frozen left shoulder is much better. Looks like I'm just going to be living with neck & low back pain. Oh well, I've always been a bit of an Irish pain in the neck anyway.... I see another new doctor (how many so far, I think he's the 6th or 7th one?) tomorrow. Filled out yet another manifesto on my work and medical history. Why they can't actually share the same forms beats me. So, twice this week I get to deal with the "Does it hurt when I do THIS????" I swear they like it. So, bring on the ice packs. Aye aye aye.

Law School Update: Okay, this is the good stuff. I have figured out a routine that is working for me & I've wrapped my brain around not giving up again. Just had to get those brain cells on my side again. My daughter was also a great help. "Mom, you've come this far. You're almost there!" God bless her.

So, I get up around 7:30 a.m. I do NOT turn on the computer until 9:30. That's the kiss of death for studying for me. I get the coffee going, make the bed, feed the fish, stare at the fish while drinking the first half cup of coffee, then open up my Criminal Procedure "Examples & Explanations" book. GREAT books. My new favorite study guide. I read & highlight & make flash cards, say, "huh!" a lot.

Super interesting learning about 4th amendment stuff. Search & seizures, warrants, when can an officer stop someone, pat them down, when do they need a warrant. It's really making watching CSI less fun. They aren't following search & seizure 4th amendment rules! You can't just demand someone to open wide without a warrant & take their DNA! It was so much more fun to watch before I started yelling at the TV, "NO Catherine, get a warrant!"

So, at 9:30, my brain is not absorbing any more law, and on goes the computer. Then I check my jeans sales on eBay, print out labels, package jeans in time for the postman. Then, deal with the gajillion emails I now get asking questions like, "What is the inseam on this pair of jeans," which is bigger than Dallas in the eBay description in a bright yellow chart, but do they look? C'est la vie. Then I put more stuff up for sale, deal with eBay stuff, try and keep my expenses input as I go, sine I hate bookkeeping.

Oh, on that note, I'm seeing a CPA on Friday to help me figure out when/if I make a profit on the jeans biz. I need to know that so there's no fraud with my workers comp case. It will be a relief to have an "official" answer to give my lawyer & the judge.

Then, we have our online chats on Tues, Wed & Thurs evenings for NWCU law school. Tonight's was on remedies. My professor went off on a tangent about the movie The French Connection, and I didn't know what was going on, but he was making a point about how our legal arguments must be based on facts. I know, it doesn't seem to "connect," arr arr...but it did. You had to be there.

So, I'm not down yet. Have some serious catching up to do to pass my finals in March, but I can do it. I just have to pass. That's my new mantra.

I just have to pass.

Then someday, in the foggy future...I may actually have a life again...

KK

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Not giving up yet...


Howdy pals. Aye aye aye! Thanks for the kick in the butt for a quick update: Jeans are selling nicely. Not making a profit yet, but looks like I will eventually (after buying some equipment, shelving, supplies, blah, blah). My lawyer says I need to let him know when I make a profit so there's no fraud issue with workers comp.

So, I'm trying to get into a rythm here, get organized, ordered shelves, filing cabinet, etc. Then, promised myself I'd get back to studying as of October 1st. Then, I have until March to complete...and pass 2L.

It's been sooooooo tempting to give up. Truthfully. My back hurts constantly, and it's been so much fun to figure out a way to make a living anyway. The jeans show up by the UPS driver, they're taken away by the postman...and everything is done online. Got myself a tall table to package my jeans at, since it hurts least when I'm reclining or just standing up.

I've been spending more time with my daughter, too. And honestly, I could just be happy as a clam selling jeans & spending time with my daughter. I'm so tired of working & studying...working & studying...and having no life!!! I've been doing this since January 2001. I'm soooo ready to be done. But, my daughter is haranguing me to continue. When I complete 2L I get a bachelors degree in law.

I also have to get back to finishing my lawjunkie questions...but that will also help me study, so that's okay. I think I'll resist turning on the computer until noon or early afternoon....and study in the morning. Then, for my treat for being a good girl, I get to turn on my computer & play on eBay :-)

Thanks for caring. Send me the force to help me make it through 2L. I'm only looking that far for now.

Hope you all are doing great. Take time to play. Too much work & study makes for no life!

Karen :-)
jeans galore in my eBay store...A1Jeans.com

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Slow but sure


Hi friends,

The good new is, it looks like I may be able to make a living with my A1Jeans.com part-time business, and won't have to move into my 1987 Toyota Camry.... LOL!

The bad news, if you want to call it that, is that lawjunkie.com is a tad behind schedule, but not to worry, I'll be getting on it shortly.

:-) Karen

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128 Contracts Questions and Counting


Update: There are now 128 contracts quiz questions written. I should be finished in a few days, and then they go to Molly for editing.

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Plan C...or am I at Plan D or even F...


Ever worrying about how to pay the bills in my new and exciting herniated disk ridden bod....I'm trying to make some money on eBay again, to keep me afloat until lawjunkie gets rolling. If you need a new pair of jeans, check out my new A-1 Jeans Only Store on eBay.

Just ordered a batch of the hot new girls Abercrombie jeans & will put those up for sale next week.

So, back to contracts questions this weekend....I may not hit the August 1st deadline for all of the contracts questions, but I shouldn't be over by more than a week.

One of the new lawjunkies, who is also a new NWCU student has a blog. You can read it here. This student is also an older student and shares how he made the decision to go to law school at NWCU. Check it out.