Practice tests Flashcards
When a defamatory statement involves a matter of public concern, damages are ______________ absent a showing of knowledge of falsity/reckless disregard of truth.
NOT PRESUMED. Plaintiff must provide competent evidence of actual injury.
Can learned treatises be used as IMPEACHMENT ONLY, as SUBSTANTIVE EVIDENCE, or BOTH?
BOTH. But they can only be read in rather than actually introduced into evidence (different in MA).
Which P&I clause, if either, applies to the federal government?
NEITHER!
14th A P&I Clause bars states from denying citizens the privileges and immunities of national citizenship. Art. IV bars states from denying citizens of other states the privileges and immunities of STATE citizenship.
A misdemeanor committed outside the presence of an officer DOES/DOES NOT serve as grounds for arrest
DOES violate state law in practically all states. (Thus, a SIA performed pursuant to the arrest is invalid.)
Does prior jury service in a case involving a party to current case make a witness incompetent in the current case?
NO. Virtually all witnesses with personal knowledge are competent to testify under the FRE.
A decision to compromise with a breaching party in a K DOES/DOES NOT provide adequate consideration for modification of the K?
It DOES provide adequate consideration. Giving up the right to sue qualifies as valid consideration.
Can contracts for services be orally modified despite the existence of a clause in the K saying “no oral modifications”?
YES, as long as there’s consideration for the modification.
What kinds of third-party beneficiaries to a K can sue the promisor to enforce the K?
When she is an INTENDED third-party beneficiary.
Creditor vs. donee third-party beneficiaries: why does this difference matter?
Because only a creditor beneficiary may sue the promisee (i.e. Epstein) for non-performance of the promisor (though only for the amount of the preexisting debt).
A tenant’s transfer of his leasehold interest that’s on the same terms as the original leasehold except that the transferring tenant reserves a right of reentry for breach of terms of original lease – is this a sublease or an assignment?
ASSIGNMENT
At common law, a tenant’s duty to pay rent is considered an obligation INDEPENDENT/NOT INDEPENDENT of the landlord’s performance of his obligations?
INDEPENDENT. This means that T must pay rent even if L breaches some other part of the lease, like that T will be the exclusive vendor in the building.
Where D doesn’t take the stand, 10-year limit on convictions DOES/DOES NOT apply.
Why?
It does NOT apply. Where D doesn’t take the stand, he cannot be impeached – 10 year limit applies only to convictions introduced to impeach a witness. Convictions introduced for MIMIC purposes may be introduced regardless of their age.
Will devises: “to my trustee to pay educational expenses of my children, but if any of them do not graduate by age 30, then to the state university’s scholarship fund.”
Valid charitable trust created?
YES, despite the initial bequest to the children.
Double jeopardy clause prohibits retrial for a ______ offense once jeopardy has attached for a _____ offense.
GREATER; LESSER INCLUDED.
D who pleads guilty to a lesser included offense MAY/MAY NOT still be prosecuted for a greater charged offense.
MAY. D doesn’t get to use Double Jeopardy Clause as a “sword” to prevent prosecution from continuing to pursue greater charge.
Buyer places order for 50 cases of X good. Seller ships 50 cases of Y good. K formed?
YES, K is formed by seller’s act of shipping the goods. But buyer has no obligation to accept the nonconforming goods – can accept all, accept some, or reject all. If she keeps, can sue for damages, but only if she notifies seller of nonconformity within a reasonable time after she discovers or should discover breach.
If the K is found to be a complete agreement, does the parol evidence rule bar statements made before the K when cause of action is for misrepresentation?
NO. When the challenge attacks the validity of the agreement, parol evidence may be introduced – whether or not the agreement is complete.
In what contexts are statements made as part of a judicial proceeding privileged, such that they cannot be used as the basis for a future lawsuit?
In all instances of potential civil liability – most often defamation, but also in IIED or another tort. Can’t use what someone says in court (e.g. as witness) as basis for a tort suit later.
A commercial manufacturer of a product owes duty of care to _______.
ANY FORESEEABLE PLAINTIFF.
A retailer’s negligence WILL/WILL NOT excuse a manufacturer from negligence-based liability.
Why?
WILL NOT; because an intermediary’s negligent failure to discover a defect is foreseeable negligence and so not a superseding cause.
A contract for the sale of land is not enforceable unless it is evidenced by a writing signed by ________.
THE PARTY SOUGHT TO BE BOUND (i.e. sued).
A public nuisance exists when _____________________.
A property owner is using his property in such a manner that it creates an unreasonable risk to the public in general.
True or false: one must be violating a specific statute or acting without a required ordinance to be causing a public nuisance.
FALSE.
Prior consistent statements are admissible only _______________.
TO REBUT A CHARGE THAT THE WITNESS IS LYING OR EXAGGERATING BECAUSE OF SOME MOTIVE.
i.e. only as rehabilitation evidence