PENNSYLVANIA BAR EXAM DISTINCTIONS — ONE-PAGE CHEAT SHEET
Condensed companion to the Pennsylvania Bar Exam Distinctions long outline.
1. EXAM FORMAT
UBE state since July 2022 · MBE/MEE/MPT weighted 50/30/20 · passing score 270 (Feb 2024+); was 272 for July 2022–2023 · score transferable · plus MPRE + character/fitness · no separate state-law essay · essays graded on national majority law.
2. CIVIL PROCEDURE
Tort SOL 2 years, contract 4 years, defamation 1 year (42 Pa.C.S. §§5523–5525) · OWN Pa. Rules of Civil Procedure—FACT pleading, not notice pleading · writ of summons commences an action and tolls the SOL before the complaint · preliminary objections (in place of Rule 12), praecipe, certificates of merit · Courts of Common Pleas → Superior/Commonwealth → Pa. Supreme Court.
3. EVIDENCE
Own Pennsylvania Rules of Evidence, FRE-patterned · FRYE general-acceptance standard, NOT Daubert, for novel scientific evidence (Pa.R.E. 702; Grady v. Frito-Lay)—THE key evidence flag · statutory privileges (attorney-client, spousal, limited physician-patient, clergy) with hearsay/competency variations.
4. FAMILY LAW
No-fault: mutual consent (90-day wait) OR irretrievable breakdown after 1-year separation, PLUS retained fault grounds (23 Pa.C.S. §3301) · common-law marriage abolished prospectively after Jan 1, 2005 (pre-2005 valid) · equitable distribution (not community property) · APL / spousal support / alimony taxonomy · FILIAL SUPPORT actively enforced (23 Pa.C.S. §4603; Pittas)—adult children liable for an indigent parent's care costs.
5. WILLS / TRUSTS / ESTATES
Non-UPC · will must be SIGNED AT THE END (20 Pa.C.S. §2502)—matter after the signature is ineffective · NO attesting witnesses required for VALIDITY (witnesses only PROVE the will at probate)—so handwritten signed-at-end wills can be valid · fixed ONE-THIRD elective share (20 Pa.C.S. §2203), NOT a UPC sliding scale · distinctive intestacy (20 Pa.C.S. §2102): spouse takes first $30,000 + ½ if all issue are also the spouse's or if no issue but surviving parent; ½ only (no $30K) if issue are not the spouse's · modest $3,500 family exemption—no broad homestead.
6. REAL PROPERTY
Race-notice recording act (21 P.S. §351)—later BFP must take without notice AND record first · adverse possession 21 years (one of the longest), with a limited 10-year option for small residential parcels (54 Pa.C.S. §4501) · JUDICIAL foreclosure only, with mandatory Act 6 / Act 91 pre-foreclosure notices for residential mortgages.
7. TORTS
Modified comparative negligence — 51% bar (42 Pa.C.S. §7102): recovers if fault NOT GREATER than defendants' combined—recovers at 50%, barred at 51% · FAIR SHARE ACT (§7102(a.1)): several liability for each defendant's own percentage; joint-and-several only if a defendant is 60%+ at fault or in enumerated cases (intentional torts, hazardous releases) · CHOICE no-fault auto (75 Pa.C.S. §1705): limited tort (no pain-and-suffering absent serious injury) vs. full tort—confirm the client's election · dram shop for serving the visibly intoxicated or a minor (47 P.S. §4-493).
8. CONTRACTS / UCC
UCC adopted (13 Pa.C.S.)—Article 2, negotiable instruments, Article 9 uniform · standard Statute of Frauds · 4-year contract SOL · confession-of-judgment (cognovit) clauses enforceable in commercial instruments—rare nationally · otherwise national/Restatement rules.
9. BUSINESS ENTITIES
Pennsylvania Associations Code (15 Pa.C.S.)—Business Corporation Law + LLC/partnership · strong constituency statutes (directors may weigh non-shareholder interests) and anti-takeover provisions · otherwise MBCA/RUPA/RULLCA-style analysis · confirm Department of State filings.
10. PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Pennsylvania RPC based on the ABA Model Rules with state variations · enforced by the Disciplinary Board / Office of Disciplinary Counsel · MPRE tests ABA Model Rules · strict IOLTA/trust-accounting enforcement.
11. CRIMINAL
MPC-influenced Crimes Code (18 Pa.C.S.; intentionally/knowingly/recklessly/negligently) with its own grading; murder by degrees · death penalty on the books (gubernatorial moratorium) · preliminary hearing (prima facie case) rather than grand-jury indictment in most cases · Pa. Const. Art. I, §8 may exceed federal Fourth Amendment protection—argue the state ground · MBE tests common-law/MPC and the federal floor.
KEY FLAGS
⚑ UBE since 2022 — write national law on essays · ⚑ 270 (was 272) · ⚑ FACT pleading + writ of summons tolls SOL + preliminary objections · ⚑ FRYE not Daubert · ⚑ will SIGNED AT THE END, no witnesses for validity · ⚑ fixed ⅓ elective share · ⚑ intestacy $30K + ½ · ⚑ FILIAL SUPPORT enforced · ⚑ race-notice · ⚑ 21-yr adverse possession · ⚑ judicial foreclosure + Act 6/91 · ⚑ modified 51% + FAIR SHARE ACT (60% joint threshold) · ⚑ limited-tort vs. full-tort auto · ⚑ confession-of-judgment enforceable · ⚑ Art. I §8 privacy.