MBE · No-Fluff bar prep
MBE prep, in bites.
For people who get bored or overwhelmed by bar prep. Every rule in plain English, broken into small pieces, with the traps the MBE actually sets.
Pick a subject
- Contracts A–H
Offers, defenses, breach and remedies
- Civil Procedure A–H
Jurisdiction, Erie, pleadings and preclusion
- Constitutional Law A–J
Powers, rights, speech and religion
- Criminal Law A–I
Homicide, theft crimes and defenses
- Criminal Procedure A–H
Searches, confessions and trial rights
- Evidence Soon
Relevance, character and hearsay
- Real Property A–K
Estates, landlord-tenant and recording
- Torts A–K
Negligence, strict liability and defamation
What's inside
- NNo-Fluff Notes · every tested rule, broken into small pieces
- QQuick Explainers · short videos on the most confusing concepts
- RRule Cards · just the rules, no full hypos
- LLastLook · rules plus the MBE traps, for the final stretch
Try a bite: Defeasible Fees
High-yieldThe grant's wording decides how the estate ends. Durational words like “so long as” end it automatically; conditional words like “but if” end it only if the grantor acts.
Two estates that can be cut short
- Fee simple determinable: “so long as,” “while,” “until.” Ends automatically when the condition breaks; the grantor holds a possibility of reverter.
- Fee simple subject to condition subsequent: “but if,” “provided that.” Ends only when the grantor exercises a right of entry.
“To Ann so long as the land is farmed.” Ann opens a car wash. Who owns the land the next morning?
The grantor, automaticallyWhy“So long as” is durational, so Ann's estate ended the moment farming stopped.
“To Ben, but if the land is not farmed, grantor may re-enter.” Ben opens a car wash. Who owns it the next morning?
Still Ben, until the grantor actsWhy“But if” is conditional, so Ben keeps the land until the grantor exercises the right of entry.
Trap
Answer choices swap the two. Find the trigger words in the grant before you read the choices.