If you’re preparing for the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), understanding which subjects are tested is a crucial first step towards effective study. Knowing the exam’s subject matter allows you to focus your efforts on the most relevant areas, maximizing your study efficiency. This guide breaks down the subjects you can expect to encounter on both the multiple-choice and essay portions of the UBE, helping you strategize your preparation.
Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) Subjects
The Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice examination, a key component of the UBE. It evaluates your understanding of seven core subjects, each carrying equal weight in your score. Mastering these subjects is paramount as they not only form the basis of the MBE but also frequently appear in the essay section. The MBE subjects are:
- Contracts and Sales: Focuses on the principles of contract law, including formation, performance, breach, and remedies, as well as Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code governing the sale of goods.
- Constitutional Law: Examines the fundamental principles of the U.S. Constitution, including the powers of the federal government, the rights of individuals, and constitutional limitations on state and federal action.
- Criminal Law and Procedure: Covers the general principles of criminal law, defenses, and the constitutional rights of the accused throughout the criminal process, from investigation to trial and beyond.
- Civil Procedure: Tests your knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, governing the conduct of civil cases in U.S. District Courts, including jurisdiction, pleadings, discovery, trial, and appeals.
- Evidence: Focuses on the Federal Rules of Evidence, covering topics such as relevance, hearsay, witness examination, expert testimony, and privileges in federal court proceedings.
- Real Property: Covers the law of real property, including ownership interests, rights and duties of landowners, conveyancing, mortgages, and landlord-tenant law.
- Torts: Examines civil wrongs resulting in injury or harm, focusing on negligence, intentional torts, strict liability, and various defenses.
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It’s important to note that while the MBE contains 200 questions, only 175 are scored; the remaining 25 are unscored pretest questions used for future exams. This doesn’t diminish the importance of any subject area, as you won’t know which questions are scored and which are not during the exam.
Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) Subjects
The essay portion of the UBE utilizes the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), which requires you to answer six essay questions in three hours (30 minutes per essay). The MEE can draw from a broader range of subjects compared to the MBE. The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) outlines the potential subject areas for the MEE as follows:
- Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies)
- Civil Procedure
- Conflict of Laws
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Real Property
- Torts
- Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)
- Uniform Commercial Code (Secured Transactions)
While the NCBE lists these subjects as potential areas, not all are tested with the same frequency. To strategically allocate your study time, understanding which subjects appear more often is key.
Highly Tested vs. Lesser-Tested MEE Subjects
Analyzing historical data from past Uniform Bar Exams reveals a clear hierarchy in the frequency of MEE subjects. Subjects can be categorized into tiers based on how often they appear as essay questions.
Tier One: Highly Tested MEE Subjects (Most to Least Frequent)
These subjects have consistently appeared more frequently on the MEE. Prioritizing these in your study plan can significantly increase your preparedness.
- Civil Procedure: By far the most frequently tested essay subject, often appearing as a standalone question or combined with another subject.
- Agency and Partnership: Frequently tested, either independently or in conjunction with other Business Associations topics.
- Contracts: A staple subject on the MEE, appearing consistently over the years.
- Real Property: Another highly tested area, making regular appearances on the essay portion.
- Secured Transactions (UCC Article 9): A significant subject within the UCC, frequently tested on the MEE.
- Corporations and LLCs: Often tested, sometimes combined with Agency and Partnership under the umbrella of Business Associations.
- Evidence: While also tested on the MBE, Evidence frequently appears as an essay question as well.
- Decedents’ Estates (Wills): A core component of Trusts and Estates, consistently tested.
- Trusts and Future Interests: The other major component of Trusts and Estates, also frequently tested.
- Constitutional Law: In addition to its MBE presence, Constitutional Law is a recurring essay subject.
- Torts: Another subject tested on both MBE and MEE, making it a high-priority area.
- Family Law: While appearing slightly less often than the top subjects, Family Law is still a significant and regularly tested area.
Tier Two: Lesser-Tested MEE Subjects (Most to Least Frequent)
These subjects appear less frequently as standalone essays but can still appear, sometimes combined with other topics. While important to understand, they might warrant slightly less focus compared to Tier One subjects in your initial study strategy.
- Criminal Procedure: Appears less frequently than Criminal Law, but still tested.
- Criminal Law: Less frequent than other subjects, but still a potential essay topic.
- Conflict of Laws: Notably, Conflict of Laws is rarely, if ever, tested as a standalone essay. It typically appears combined with subjects like Decedents’ Estates, Family Law, Civil Procedure, or Corporations/LLCs.
Key Takeaways for UBE Subject Preparation
- MBE Core Seven: Master the seven MBE subjects as they are fundamental to both the multiple-choice and essay portions of the UBE.
- MEE Focus: Prioritize Tier One MEE subjects in your essay preparation, especially Civil Procedure, Agency and Partnership, Contracts, and Real Property.
- Understand Subject Combinations: Be aware that subjects, particularly in the essay portion, can be combined. For example, Business Associations often tests Agency & Partnership together with Corporations & LLCs.
- Utilize Resources: Leverage resources like frequency charts and study guides to further refine your understanding of subject testing patterns.
By understanding the landscape of Uniform Bar Exam Subjects and their testing frequency, you can create a more targeted and effective study plan, increasing your chances of success on the UBE.
