Thread View: ucd.king-hall
1 messages
1 total messages
Started by David Prenatt
Sat, 15 Jul 1995 00:00
The King Hall USENET FAQ [ASCII/Multipart] (Version 1.1) Part 5
Author: David Prenatt
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 1995 00:00
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 1995 00:00
525 lines
25770 bytes
25770 bytes
Archive-name: king-hall/faqpart5
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last modified: Jul. 15, 1995
The King Hall USENET FAQ [ASCII/Multipart] (Version 1.1) Part 5 of 6
Frequently Asked Questions at and About King Hall (c) Copyright 1995
by
David F. Prenatt, Jr.
King Hall, 1995 Alumnus
U.C. Davis School of Law
University of California
Davis, CA 95616-5210
dfprenatt@ucdavis.edu
The King Hall USENET FAQ may be comprised of more than one part. If it is,
please see the TABLE OF CONTENTS in Part One for a complete list of the
questions I have attempted to answer and for other important legal
information. Caveat emptor: I assume no obligation for anyone through the
publication of the King Hall USENET FAQ. Furthermore, all versions of the
King Hall USENET FAQ are my personal property and are protected by
applicable copyright laws. All rights are reserved except the following:
I hereby give my permission to anyone who has access to this version of the
King Hall USENET FAQ to reproduce the information contained herein for non-
profit purposes, provided that proper credit is given to me as the author
of this FAQ and that I am notified of any use other than personal use.
Permission to reproduce any version of this FAQ may be revoked by me at any
time.
- - - - -
The King Hall USENET FAQ [ASCII/Multipart] (Version 1.1) Part 5 of 6
Frequently Asked Questions at and About King Hall (c) Copyright 1995
by
David F. Prenatt, Jr.
5) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE AT U.C. DAVIS.
I have included general information abouts life at U.C. Davis that is
of special interest to members of the King Hall community in this
section. For more information on U.C. Davis, see the U.C. Davis
USENET FAQ. It should be available in one of the *.general newsgroups
where you obtained this FAQ. See section 1.5 for more information on
how to obtain the U.C. Davis USENET FAQ.
5.1) Where can I get something to eat on or near the U.C. Davis campus?
There are two places to eat on campus that are within walking distance
of the law school: The Silo and the Coffee House (the Silo is a
little closer to the law school than the Coffee House).
5.1.1) What kind of food can I get at the Silo?
There are several fast food restaurants at the Silo, and the Silo Pub
serves a good sit-down lunch.
5.1.2) What kind of food can I get at the Coffee House?
The Coffee House has quite a variety of foods prepared the way you
like them.
5.2) What sort of activities are there on the U.C. Davis campus?
Movies, plays, concerts, sporting events, etc. See the U.C. Davis
USENET FAQ for more information. It should be available in one of the
*.general USENET newsgroups where you obtained this FAQ. See section
1.5 for more information on how to obtain the U.C. Davis USENET FAQ.
5.3) SPECIAL EVENTS ON THE U.C. DAVIS CAMPUS.
5.3.1) Picnic Day.
Picnic Day is an annual day long festival that takes place at U.C.
Davis on a Saturday during April. Every department of the university
participates and sponsors special events. King Hall sponsors the
Neumiller competition on Picnic Day which features oral arguments
between the top two Moot Court teams from the year long Appellate
Advocacy program.
5.3.2) The Whole Earth Festival.
The Whole Earth Festival, described by one Internet commentator as the
"U.C. Davis Freak Show," is a week long event sponsored by the
Experimental College. It can best be described as a celebration of
alternate lifestyles that centers around environmental awareness (for
better or for worse).
6) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE IN DAVIS FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE
KING HALL COMMUNITY.
I have included general information about life in Davis that is of
special interest to members of the King Hall community. For more
complete information about life in Davis, see the Davis USENET FAQ
[currently under construction].
6.1) How can I find a place to live in Davis?
There is no shortage of housing in Davis whatsoever. Just pick up a
newspaper.
6.2) Where can I get something to eat in Davis?
It depends upon what kind of food you want. Davis has a few zillion
pizza restaurants, quite a few Chinese restaurants, a handful of fast
food restaurants, and a smattering of just about any type of cuisine
you might want to sample.
6.3) What sort of entertainment is there in Davis?
Quite a bit for such a small town. Everything from pool halls/night
clubs to live theatre. See the Davis USENET FAQ [currently under
construction] for more information.
6.4) What sort of transportation services are available in Davis?
The most popular form of transportation in Davis is the bicycle.
There are also two public bus services with several routes in Davis
(one of the bus services is provided by U.C. Davis); the few taxi
services that do exist are almost always unavailable when you need
them. If you are going out of town, you can take your own car (or
rent one) or use Greyhound, Amtrak, or the nearby airport.
6.4.1) How far is the airport from Davis and how do I get there?
The Sacramento Metropolitan Airport is about 20 miles from downtown
Davis. From Davis, head north until you reach I-5. Take I-5 towards
Sacramento. You can't miss the airport.
6.4.1.1) Where should I park at the Sacramento Metropolitan Airport?
Short term parking is usually available near the terminal of your
airline for a reasonable price. Circle around the airport once before
parking to make sure that you know where you are going once you find a
place to park.
6.4.1.2) Is there a shuttle service from Davis to the Sacramento
Metropolitan Airport?
Yes. The Davis Airporter provides 24 hour service to the Sacramento
Airport (reservations are required) at a discount for U.C. Davis
students (proof of registration is required). Check with the Davis
Airporter at (916)756-6715 for more information.
6.5) LOCAL DAVIS BUSINESSES.
6.5.1) Is there an honest mechanic in Davis?
No comment.
6.5.2) What banks serve the Davis area?
In alphabetical order: Bank of America, Business & Professional Bank,
First Northern Bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Sacramento Savings Bank,
University & State Employees Credit Union, Union Bank, U.S. Bank,
Wells Fargo Bank, and World Savings and Loan Association.
6.5.3) Where can I find a bike shop in Davis?
It is hard to avoid a bike shop in Davis. There are over 2.1 bikes
per person in Davis, and a corresponding number of bike shops.
6.6) LOCAL POLITICS.
6.6.1) Davis, California = No smoking zone.
There is no smoking in Davis by city ordinance. Not in any business
establishment or within 50 feet of any business establishment. The
only place you can smoke is in your own home.
6.6.2) Davis, California = No snoring zone.
There is no noise pollution in Davis by city ordinance. This law was
meant to prevent people from having a loud party, but the Davis Police
department also enforced it against a woman whose neighbor complained
that she snored too loud. The case made national headlines.
6.6.3) Davis, California = No malling zone.
For years, citizens of Davis have resisted efforts by developers to
build a shopping mall. As a result, most people must travel to
Woodland, Dixon, or Sacramento to find a department store.
6.7) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SMALL COMMUNITIES NEIGHBORING
DAVIS FROM MEMBERS OF THE KING HALL COMMUNITY.
6.7.1) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIXON FROM MEMBERS OF THE KING
HALL COMMUNITY.
6.7.1.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have to
visit Dixon?
Many members of the King Hall community live in Dixon (which is about
five miles west of Davis) and/or patronize the restaurants and
shopping centers there.
6.7.1.2) How do I reach Dixon from Davis?
Take Interstate 80 West towards San Franciso. You can't miss Dixon,
but get directions or use a map to find your destination.
6.7.2) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WOODLAND FROM MEMBERS OF THE KING
HALL COMMUNITY.
6.7.2.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have to
visit Woodland?
Some members of the King Hall comunity live in Woodland, which is
about eight miles North of Davis. In addition, since Davis has no
department stores, people go to the shopping centers in Woodland,
which are much closer and more convenient than any other shopping
centers.
6.7.2.2) How do I reach Woodland from Davis?
Take the 113 North. You can't miss Woodland, but get directions or
use a map to find your destination.
7) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GREATER SACRAMENTO AREA FROM
MEMBERS OF THE KING HALL COMMUNITY.
I have provided general information in this section about the Greater
Sacramento Area that is of special interest to the members of the King
Hall community in the section below. For more complete information,
see the Sacramento USENET FAQ [currently under construction].
7.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have to visit
the Greater Sacramento Area?
Many members of the King Hall community live, work, shop, and play in
Sacramento, the state capital, which is approximately 20 miles East of
Davis on Interstate 80 (I-80).
7.2) How do I get to Sacramento from U.C. Davis?
Take I-80 East. You will see the Sacramento skyline from miles away,
but the freeway interchanges are somewhat confusing. If you are going
to downtown Sacramento, take Route 50/Business 80. There will be a
long transition road that goes over the Sacramento drawbridge into
downtown Sacramento.
8) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FROM MEMBERS OF
THE KING HALL COMMUNITY.
I have included general information in this section about Northern
California that is of special interest to members of the King Hall
community. For more complete information about Northern California,
please see the California USENET FAQ [currently under construction] or
one of the FAQs mentioned in the subsections below.
8.1) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WINE COUNTRY FROM MEMBERS OF THE
KING HALL COMMUNITY.
8.1.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have to
visit Wine Country?
At least one member of the King Hall community lives in Wine Country,
which is approximately 30 miles west of Davis. It is a popular
destination for weekend excursions (i.e., for shopping, wine tasting,
etc.) because of its worldwide reputation as the most fertile ground
for viticulture (i.e., the cultivation of grapes).
8.1.2) How do I get to Wine Country from Davis?
Go West on I-80; exit at Route 12 West.
8.2) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO AND THE BAY AREA FROM
MEMBERS OF THE KING HALL COMMUNITY.
I have provided information about San Francisco and the Bay Area that
is of special interest to the members of the King Hall community in
this section. For more complete information on San Francisco and the
Bay Area, see the Bay Area USENET FAQ [currently under construction].
8.2.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have to vist
San Francisco and the Bay Area?
A large cross-section of the King Hall community lives and works in
San Francisco and the Bay Area, which is approximately 80 miles
southwest of Davis. Unlike the small town of Davis, San Francisco and
the Bay Area are the most well established metropolitan area on the
West Coast. Smaller in size and population to the Los Angeles
metropolitan area and Southern California, San Francisco and the Bay
Area have a worldwide reputation in fine arts and culture.
8.2.2) How do I get to San Francisco and the Bay Area from U.C. Davis?
Take I-80 West. It will take you to downtown San Francisco. Be sure
to bring along a few dollars to pay for tolls, and get good directions
on how to reach your ultimate destination in San Francisco or the Bay
Area.
8.3) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LAKE TAHOE FROM MEMBERS OF THE KING
HALL COMMUNITY.
8.3.1) What reasons would a member of the King Hall community have for
visiting Lake Tahoe?
Lake Tahoe, which is situated on the border of California and Nevada
about 100 miles east of Davis, is one of the most popular recreational
spots for King Hall students.
8.3.2) How do I get to Lake Tahoe from U.C. Davis?
Take I-80 East. You can't miss it.
8.4) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MISCELLANEOUS LOCATIONS IN THE
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA BY MEMBERS OF THE KING HALL COMMUNITY.
8.4.1) Are there any other places of interest in Northern California
besided the ones you have listed?
Yes. Northern California has many educational, commercial, and
recreational centers that members of the King Hall community
frequently visit. For instance, California State University, Chico to
the North and the Redwood Coast to the East.
8.4.2) How can I get more information on these other places of interest?
See the California USENET FAQ [currently under construction].
9) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE IN CALIFORNIA BY MEMBERS OF THE
KING HALL COMMUNITY.
I have included general information in this section about California
that is of special interest to the members of the King Hall community.
For more complete information, please see the California USENET FAQ
[currently under construction].
9.1) How do I become a California resident?
See the current U.C. Davis General Catalog for information on
California residency. California residents enjoy a cheaper education
at U.C. Davis than out of state residents, and most of the students at
Davis are California residents.
9.2) What places of interest are there in California?
See the California USENET FAQ [currently under construction] for more
information on places of interest in California.
10) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE AFTER KING HALL.
Hard on the heels of the King Hall graduation ceremony is the
beginning of the various bar review courses. But before that time,
students must make preparations for admission to the California State
Bar or other post-graduation plans.
10.1) ADMISSION TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE BAR.
Admission to the California State Bar for King Hall graduates requires
a positive moral character evaluation from the California Committee of
Bar Examiners, a passing grade on the Multistate Professional
Responsibility Exam (MPRE), and a passing grade on the California Bar
Exam.
10.1.1) THE CALIFORNIA BAR EXAM.
The California Bar Exam (Bar Exam) is a three day exam. The first and
third days are essay exams in the morning, and "performance tests" in
the afternoon. The second day is comprised entirely of the multiple
choice Multistate Bar Examination (MBE).
The MBE is the key to passing the Bar Exam, but I won't go into
the details. Suffice it to say that the scores on the rest of the
exam are unpredictable except in that they gravitate towards the mean,
regardless of the quality of individual essays/performance tests. In
striking contrast, the answers to MBE questions are either right or
wrong, and you receive full credit or none at all. In addition, MBE
questions tend to focus on obscure rules of law that mislead even the
best and brightest law students.
More often than not, a good MBE score will make up for mediocre
performances on Bar Exam essay questions and a mediocre MBE score will
prevent otherwise qualified students from passing the Bar Exam. Many
law students do not even complete the MBE portion of the Bar Exam.
10.1.1.1) Qualifying for the Bar Exam.
Graduates of King Hall are qualified to take the Bar Exam based on
their graduation from King Hall, an ABA approved law school.
10.1.1.2) Submitting an Application to Take the Bar Exam.
You must submit an application towards the end of your last semester
of law school to take the Bar Exam. The application is very easy to
complete, but their is a very small window for when you can apply.
Obtain a passport photo in advance and keep it on hand.
10.1.1.3) Preparing for the Bar Exam.
Preparing for the Bar Exam is much like taking another semester of law
school, only you have tests every single day. After about the first
week of preparing for the Bar Exam, I stopped attending the
substantive lectures altogether. I did this because of general apathy
and my past experience with test preparation. I felt that the best
way to prepare for tests was to practice taking tests. Thus, I
practiced essay questions from previous years and MBE questions until
they were both coming out my ears.
Contrary to popular belief, your law school alma mater has no
statistical relevance to whether you pass the Bar Exam. Because of
the weight given to the MBE, your ability to pass the Bar Exam Your
ability to pass the Bar Exam was determined by the time you applied to
law school. depends primarily upon your ability to perform well on
standardized tests. The good news is that this ability can be
acquired through rigorous study if you do not come by it naturally.
Even if you do come by this skill naturally, the substance and format
of the MBE questions is sui generis, so even the best test taker
should practice thousands of MBE questions.
10.1.1.4) Taking the Bar Exam.
I've yet to take the Bar Exam, but it has blown away every person whom
I've ever known who has taken it. Some of the brightest people whom I
know have had to take it more than once. Contrary to popular belief,
your chances of passing the Bar actually go up on your second attempt.
Many people (including me) do not know what to expect from the actual
exam. However, after taking the actual exam, people know what to
expect and how to prepare for it; if you fail the Bar Exam twice, you
are quite likely to keep failing it.
10.1.1.5) Waiting for Your Results from the Bar Exam.
The worst part about passing the Bar Exam has got to be waiting for
the results. Even if you could be sure that you had passed, your
career is on hold for several months. If you already have a job lined
up, this is not as much of a problem, but at least one person whom I
know has lost his or her job as an attorney when he or she failed the
Bar Exam. Prepare yourself for a long wait after you take the Bar
Exam and make plans for what you will do if you do not pass it the
first time that you take it.
If you fail the California Bar Exam, your colleagues will most
certainly find out. A small group of unemployed individuals will
cross reference the published list of those people who passed the exam
with those who were known to have taken it. They will also use this
information to determine your class ranking. If you pass the exam,
you will simply become a face in the crowd.
10.1.2) THE MULTISTATE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY EXAM (MPRE).
The MPRE is a multiple choice exam, and the course offered at King
Hall in Professional Responsibility (PR) should cover the substance of
the MPRE. The King Hall PR course (as opposed to the MPRE) is a
requirement for graduation. It is usually a good idea to take both
the King Hall PR course and the MPRE at about the same time so that
you can use the PR course to help you prepare for the MPRE.
10.1.2.1) Submitting an Application for the MPRE.
Submit your application on time. There are very stiff fees for late
applications.
10.1.2.2) Preparing for the MPRE.
If you spend more than 40 hours preparing for the MPRE, you will be
overprepared. Review your materials for the King Hall PR course and
practice multiple choice questions for the MPRE.
10.1.2.3) Taking the MPRE.
The MPRE is just like any other standardized multiple choice exam, and
a mediocre performance is still a passing grade. If you don't pass
the MPRE, you can take it over again as many times as you like.
10.1.3) THE MORAL CHARACTER EVALUATION.
The Moral Character Evaluation is the most invasive experience you
will probably ever have, barring an application for a top secret
security clearance, but very little will prevent you from becoming a
member of the bar, certainly nothing of which you are unaware. If you
are behind in child support or alimony, you cannot qualify, but most
other people without felony criminal records do qualify. Just make
sure that you fully disclose all of the blemishes that appear on your
record.
10.2) EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AFTER LAW SCHOOL.
The nice thing about being an attorney is that you can always find
work. However, you can't always find a job with a law firm, or a job
that you want, or a job that pays you what you are worth. In many
instances, an attorney must work for him or herself. Don't be afraid
to contact your local bar association for referral business.
10.3) LIFE AS AN ATTORNEY.
Lawyers are hated and feared because most people associate lawyers
with the problems of divorce and personal injury. Indeed, this is how
most people first encounter lawyers. But most lawyers have nothing to
do with divorce or personal injury. They work for rich people who pay
well for advice on matters such as wills, contracts, and other legal
instruments. When a lawyer does his or her job well, it's simply not
newsworthy.
However, when a lawyer does his or her job well, he or she will
usually get paid well. Many law school graduates are instanteously
transformed from being poor to being upper middle class. These people
will often make more money after law school than they or anyone else
in their families has ever made in their entire lives.
I often hear stories about the disappearing middle class (i.e.,
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer). Higher education
explains this statistical anomaly, particularly with professional
programs like law school. Along with the money, law school graduates
obtain respect and personal prestige. However, a legal education does
not make you a better person. In some instances, it does exactly the
opposite. But that's a topic that is beyond the scope of this FAQ.
- - - - -
End of document:
The King Hall USENET FAQ [ASCII/Multipart] (Version 1.1) Part 5 of 6
Frequently Asked Questions at and About King Hall (c) Copyright 1995
by
David F. Prenatt, Jr.
King Hall, 1995 Alumnus
U.C. Davis School of Law
University of California
Davis, CA 95616-5210
dfprenatt@ucdavis.edu
- - - - -
Thread Navigation
This is a paginated view of messages in the thread with full content displayed inline.
Messages are displayed in chronological order, with the original post highlighted in green.
Use pagination controls to navigate through all messages in large threads.
Back to All Threads