Federal Income Tax

Today I studied Federal Income Tax.  What I found was that I really, really enjoyed studying this subject. I did not take it in law school.  I thought about it for a moment, but the teacher got such horrible reviews from students I talked to that took him, that I decided not too.  I can say after studying it in Barbri and Ameribar, that I don't think a whole semester is needed.  They are just testing basic concepts that I already knew and understood.  The differences tax wise, briefly, of S and C corps, alimony is taxable to the recipient, but a deduction to the payor, child support has no tax consequences, those kinds of things.  Anyone that has ever filed a personal tax return, or worked in a business on tax issues, probably possesses the knowledge needed.

The Bar Investigation.......

No, I so have not forgotten about my readers.  Right now I am in the midst of studying for the bar exam.  There is no doubt that it is a crazy, exhausting, time consuming endeavor. 

So, I have received notification back from the state bar.  My application apparently caused there to be an investigation into financial fitness - why?  Because I was honest about a few late accounts that happened during law school.  And true to lawyer form, I now much fill out a huge financial affadavit and provide a credit report.  -- All this to say that they do read every little item that you place on your bar application.  Sigh.  I am not really worried about the outcome... but it is aggravating that it is just one more hoop that needs to be jumped through.

Plugging away......

Bar study is really intersting, because you have to be able to condense 3000 points of law into a short, short outline.  For instance, take criminal law.  Burglary is the breaking and entering of the dwelling place of another at night with the intent to commit a felony within.  [Thanks to Professor Appleman, I know this one in and out].  So my outline looks like this:  Burglaray = Breaking + Entering + dwelling place of another + night + intent to commit felony.

Now that is not good enough to know...because you have to know how each of those "elements" work.  Breaking does not mean force....it simply means to open a door, window, or create another opening.

Entering means that the person must place his body, some part of his body, or an instrument into the dwelling.

Dwelling is the residence [not business] of a person.

At common law, burglary only occurs at night.

Must have an intent at the time of entering to commit a felony [meaning stealing].  The person does not actually have to take a thing..... just have the intent.

So for this one point of law, there are tons of rules you have to know.  And break down into a sentence.  Tough challenge!

Bar Study......

So I finally started studying for the bar.  After an extremely upsetting week with the death of a friend and then becoming ill, I was really, really behind.  Or so I thought.  I am not taking the Barbri course that about 90% of students taking the Oregon Bar take.  I, as a single mom, wanted a home study program.  And quite frankly, I did not have the 3000 to spend on Barbri.  So I went with Ameribar.  The first day is spent listening to lectures on how to study effectively and a good strategy for planning  your study course.  The way they put it made so much sense.

Also the program has you make your own schedule.  This is nice.  There are a few points of law that I did not take in law school that will be covered by the bar.  So, the closer I study these areas to when I will be tested, the better off I will be.  I have a huge expansive knowledge of criminal law, torts, and constitutional law, so it makes sense to study those first.  And to study any Oregon specific points tested next, then move on to the newer stuff, leaving property and contracts [the hardest portions for me] for last.

I know have a plan of attack and have padded some free time in too.  I will update as I go.  But so far so good because I made it through my first day.

Oh, one interesting factoid.......there are close to 3000 points of law to learn for the Oregon Bar Exam.....let that one sink in.