One in the Morning and All is Well

Its one A.M. and here I am working on law school outlines.  Couldn't sleep, so got up to work a bit.

Really exciting (yawn) topic of Domestic Relations.  Learning what marriage is and isn't from a legal perspective.  Think I'll chase that down with a dose of Law and Economics.  That should bring sleep on fairly quickly.

Start Monday

School starts tomorrow (Monday the 20th of August).  Boy, what an exciting schedule I signed up for....  Domestic relations, employment law, federal income taxation of the individual, advanced research, and law and economics.

Now of course, advanced research is using the same book as we used last year in legal writing and research, but the newer edition.  And the teachers make a big point of telling us how they really don't care if we have the old edition, the new edition is changed enough to make it completely different.  The teacher is testing specifically on the new edition.

Random Musings

Con law is done and passed.  Whew.  I don't ever want that teacher again, but I may have to for 1st Amendment.

Surgery is done and recovery is well underway.  Sitting up still bothers me, and my classes are arranged 3 hours in a row on Monday.

More on Surgery

Finally agreed to do a one level fusion via lateral access (XLIF).  Supposed to be scheduled on the 1st of August.  That gives me 20 days to recover enough to limp to classes this fall.

Constitutional Law

Took Constitutional Law in the 2nd half of the summer.  Nothing like cramming a 15 week course into 5 weeks.  Final is tomorrow, so I probably should not be spending time writing this....

I now have an understanding of the basic framework of the Constitution, Due Process, and Equal Protection.  It really is amazing how much this "simple" document keeps the government from doing to us.

Surgery

While not a law school topic, it does affect law school.

I was supposed to have my back fused in mid-May.  But, the insurance denied the surgery the day before.  Now I am in a waiting game with the insurance company to get it done in time to get back to classes in the 2nd sumer term.

Changes for the better

The changes I made in my study habits are paying off so far.  I've made at least 1 A for the spring 2012 semester.

I think the only change I will make on top of the other changes is to read the chapter of the Examples and Explanations (E&E) before reading the material in the case book.  The E&E boils down everything to the black and white.  Get the summary first, then read the details.

Spring 2012 Finals

Finals time.  If I'm not asleep, I am studying.  Two down, two more to go, Civil Procedure and Contracts.  Property and Torts down.

It Does Get Easier

All of the sudden I realize that I'm reading case law with much more ease and with much more analysis. I tell people that reading cases is like reading the Bible.  It takes time to figure out the language even though its all in English.

Three weeks of classes remaining.  Finals coming up soon like the first 2 weeks of May.  Oral arguments due on the 19th.  Last Civ Pro assignment due on the 15th.  Starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Yesterday, the Property Professor gave the same lecture he had given on Tuesday.  Nothing like listening to the same dry material for a 2nd time. 

Law School Sucks

Law school sucks.  If the practice of law is anything like this, I don't want to be an attorney

Not Much

Just back in the grind of school.  Thank goodness the load in the writing class is up front this semester.

8th Circuit Court of Appeals is taking oral arguments at the school next week.  Exciting.

Back for 2nd Semester

Time to start the 2nd semester.  Trade out criminal law for torts.  Reduce writing to a 2 hour class.