Sample Republic Bar Exam
With February around the corner, I know there are plenty of people out there sweating through bar review courses. For those set to sit for the bar in a galaxy far, far away, I thought I’d pass along these sample questions from a previous exam on Coruscant (already translated from Aurebesh — you’re welcome).
FYI: Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the model answers and have had some trouble reaching anyone at the Hosnian Prime office since about mid-December. If you’re scheduled to take the exam there, you might want to double-check the location before making any twelve parsec trips.
NEW REPUBLIC BAR EXAM — SPRING 13 ABY
Day 2 — Morning Session
SHORT ESSAY QUESTIONS I-VI (2.5 hours)
QUESTION I
Anakin (Husband) is a junior civil servant in the Jedi Council for the Old Republic. Padmé (Wife) is an elected member of the Galactic Senate. They marry in a secret ceremony on the planet Naboo despite Anakin’s sometimes sad devotion to his ancient religion that expressly prohibits marriage. Though officiated by a local holy man, the ceremony’s only witnesses were a perpetually neurotic protocol droid and an R2 series astromech droid. Following the wedding, Anakin and Padmé made their residence on Coruscant, still hiding their relationship.
Is the marriage considered valid on Coruscant? Discuss.
QUESTION II
Approximately three years later, Padmé is pregnant and Anakin has been promoted to the title of full Jedi Knight. Anakin is also becoming increasingly mentally unstable and paranoid, attributed primarily to workplaces stresses from reporting to too many managers. Without consulting or informing Padmé, Anakin accepts an executive position with an upstart political division despite a clear conflict of interest as a government employee. Padmé is initially alerted to Anakin’s career move by Ben, Anakin’s former supervisor, after he discovers that Anakin unilaterally cut the Jedi Council’s internship program.
With regard to Anakin, please discuss whether he is:
(a) subject to civil liability for any breach of an implied restrictive covenant in his employment?
(b) still entitled to an administrative review of his eligibility for civil service disability benefits for his mental health issues?
QUESTION III
Padmé follows Anakin on an alleged business trip to Mustafar and inquires about his current employment status. Anakin accuses her of interfering with his career and becomes physically abusive. Ben, who had covertly accompanied Padmé, intervenes. The ensuing altercation escalates quickly and results in a partially dismembered and badly burned Anakin being left for dead. Ben brings the gravely-injured Padmé to the asteroid Polis Massa where an emergency birth produces twins Luke (Son) and Leia (Daughter). Padmé dies intestate shortly after giving birth. Despite a diagnosis of being completely medically healthy, medical droids note Padmé’s actual cause of death as having lost the will to live.
What criminal charges, if any, may be brought against Anakin for his attack on Padmé or for contributing to her death? Discuss.
QUESTION IV
The Grand Master of Anakin and Ben’s religious sect, Yoda, decides coram non judice that the twins should be raised separately and secretly: Luke with Anakin’s estranged half-brother on Tatooine and Leia with the family of a respected public official on Alderaan. Neither adoptive family has or will have children of their own. Ben escorts Luke to Tatooine, then takes up residence nearby as a local recluse.
Meanwhile, Anakin has, in fact, survived the battle with Ben. Through employer-sponsored massive reconstructive surgery, Anakin is outfitted with bionic limbs and portable life-support armor. Unable to independently verify Padmé’s condition, Anakin’s new boss, Sidious, tells him Padmé is dead. Sidious, citing no specific proof and with the intended purpose of manipulating Anakin’s fragile mental state, claims it was Anakin who killed her. He makes no mention of the children. Anakin expresses measured disbelief, but accepts Sidious at his word. Over the next approximately 19 years, Anakin devotes himself to his leadership role with the Galactic Empire in its new place as the official government of the galaxy. As Anakin’s official responsibilities expanded under Sidious’ increasingly intemperate dictatorship, his executive orders result in the deaths of both children’s guardians among others including approximately 2 billion inhabitants of Alderaan.
(1) What legal rights were established among all parties by Yoda’s extrajudicial decision regarding Luke and Leia’s respective guardianships?
(2) Had a support order been entered before the children reached majority age and Anakin was found to be in arrears, who, if anyone, could seek to enforce the order?
QUESTION V
Luke and Leia are unaware of their relationship to Anakin or to each other. Anakin still has no knowledge of either child, though he previously crossed paths with Leia in her official capacity as an Imperial Senator from Alderaan. In addition to her official duties, Leia also recently accepted a consultant role with an insurgent political faction engaged in active rebellion against the Empire. While under the guise of a diplomatic mission, Leia is traveling to Tatooine to secretly make contact with Ben and recruit his help in the insurrection. Her ship is intercepted by government agents and she is detained indefinitely by Anakin. Leia is interrogated, but no formal charges are filed.
Does Leia’s detention violate her due process and, if so, would she be entitled to a writ of habeus corpus? Discuss.
QUESTION VI
Two of Leia’s associate droids proceed to Tatooine and make contact with Luke, now a post-pubescent womp-rat eradication enthusiast. He then finds Ben and the two learn of Leia’s detention. They charter the Millennium Falcon for the journey to find Leia. Before departing Tatooine, they ignore Imperial troopers’ repeated commands to remain in the Mos Eisley hangar.
Upon arrival at Anakin’s fully armed and operational battle station, the Millennium Falcon is ushered into a spacecraft reception area. Once inside, Luke and his companions attack official inspectors, then use their armor to impersonate troopers to gain access to restricted areas, including Leia’s holding facility. A boring conversation alerts support staff to the deception and blaster battles ensue. Luke’s party refuses to comply with official commands, resulting in the deaths of several guards and extensive damage to fixtures, as well as the unauthorized release of Leia. As Luke and company return to the Millennium Falcon with Leia, Ben consents to a lightsaber duel with Anakin wherein he is struck down, yet becomes powerful beyond imagination.
Pursued by TIE/LN fighters while en route to Yavin 4, a cocky Luke and the Millennium Falcon’s captain destroy several government vehicles. Shortly thereafter, Luke returns to Anakin’s battle station — approximately the size of a small moon — and incinerates it with disproportionately minor weaponry and seemingly impossible accuracy.
Please discuss the criminal liability or defenses, if any, for Luke and his companions regarding:
• resisting arrest
• trespass
• breaking and entering
• assault
• robbery
• conversion
• vandalism
• obstructing governmental administration
• arson
• use of excessive Force
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PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR EXAMINEE NUMBER IS WRITTEN ON THE FRONT OF EACH BLUE HARVEST BOOK
