Tips to Survive

First Year in Law

School
 #1
Brainwash yourself
You must have made up your mind already
that you will become a lawyer.
You MUST have a burning desire to get that
ATTY.
It must be your GOAL.
 #2
Be committed
Without commitment to the study of law, it
will be very difficult to cope up methods in
You
law school.
Law School
You would rely on your own resolve and
commitment to the path you pursued.
 #3
Make Friends
In law school, you have to make friends
with benefits
(Benefits like you could borrow references,
be shared with review materials, notes,
and gossips about exams, or on the
possible questions to be asked during
recitations)
 #4
Manage your time wisely
Law materials you are required to read will pile up
faster than the pace of your reading.

Some of our law professors would require us to

read at least eight (8) hours a day, some would
suggest five (5) and anything less would mean
walking into the class unprepared so expect choked
recitations, failed exams, and eventually, failed bar
exams.
 #5
Read, Read, Read
In law school, you are expected to spend just at
least 80 percent of your time reading your books,
codals, and cases. Every professor would advise
you to read, read, and read if you wanted to
become a lawyer.
READING WITH UNDERSTANDING. Reading
without comprehending does not count.
 #6
Study Ahead
Studying ahead gives you greater chance to
answer correctly the questions during surprised
quizzes and recitations.
This is always difficult to do considering the
volume of reading materials you have to complete
reading but it is worth the try by developing your
study habit.
 #7
Take Down Notes
Oftentimes, the matters well explained and
covered by the lectures would fade and dissipate
into thin air few days after the lecture.

SC: “the frailty of human memory is a scientific

fact.”

Read the notes every time you get home and

every time you have time to do so.
 #8
Improve English Writing and Analysis
Mostly, the type of the examination in law school is essay
case analysis.

Strengthen the skills of the students in written articulation

using the English language coupled with the skills to take
pertinent facts, spot the proper issue, construct and
logically present the arguments or answers.

Practice your grammar and improve your analytic skills.

These skills can be learned through constant practice.
 #9
Practice Your Handwriting
Bar exam answers are checked by professors or bar
examiners.
They are only human, if they cannot read you answers
because of the illegible handwriting, they won’t
bother to give you the score you deserve
notwithstanding its perfect substance.
Handwriting is just a form but it is just as important as
your substantive knowledge of laws.
 #10
Focus /Avoid Distractions

This is self-explanatory. If your boyfriend/girlfriend

is a distraction, consider the idea of being single
while you are in law school.
 #11
Buy, borrow, photocopy textbooks and Avoid
using PDF references and reviewers

Always read printed annotated textbooks

before using bar reviewers. Annotated
textbooks contain comprehensive discussion
and explanation unlike reviewers which are
abridged versions of the textbooks and cases.
 #12
Read full text cases, avoid reading digested
ones in the internet

Reading full text cases is always better than

reading digested ones in the internet.

The full text always contains the complete

details and disposition of the case from facts to
rulings.
What is a case digest?

A case digest is simply a summary /brief of a case

decided by the Supreme Court applying or
interpreting a particular provision of law
 TIPS IN DIGESTING CASES

FIRST, ask yourself the question why the case was

assigned to be digested? The answer would be
the topic of your discussion or recitation.

For example, in your PFR subject, you might be

asked to digest the case of Chi Ming Tsoi v. CA if
your topic in the subject is psychological
incapacity under Article 36 of the Family Code.
 TIPS IN DIGESTING CASES

SECOND, skip the facts first and go directly to the

ending.

Read the dispositive portion and find out if the

case was dismissed or if who is liable. THEN, go
back to the facts, issues and body of the ruling to
find the basis of the Court’s dismissal or grant of
the case.
 TIPS IN DIGESTING CASES

THIRD, make a brief and concise digest of the

case. 1. Find the pertinent facts
2. Spot the proper issue
3. Determine the ruling
(comprised of the law and reasoning of the
court.) AFTER THIS, WRITE YOUR DIGEST IN ONE
OR TWO PAGES.
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

1. Write the title of the case. While writing the title, find and
keep in your mind the questions:
-WHO filed the case?
-Against WHOM?
-WHAT is the action/case filed?
-WHAT are the reliefs sought?
-e.g Gina Lao filed a case for annulment of marriage
against Chi Ming Tsoi on the ground of psychological
incapacity.
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

The title of the case should look like this:

CHI MING TSOI V. APPEALS

G.R. No. 119190, January 16, 1997
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

2. Write the facts of the case. Include only the

relevant facts.
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

The facts of the case should look like this:

FACTS: Chi Ming Tsoi and Gina Lao Tsoi was married in 1988 in Manila Cathedral. After the celebration of their
wedding, they proceed to the house of defendant’s mother. There was no sexual intercourse between them during
their first night and same thing happened until their fourth night. In an effort to have their honeymoon in a private
place, they went to Baguio but Gina’s relatives went with them. Again, there was no sexual intercourse since the
defendant avoided by taking a long walk during siesta or sleeping on a rocking chair at the living room. Since May
1988 until March 1989 they slept together in the same bed but no attempt of sexual intercourse between them.
Because of this, they submitted themselves for medical examination to a urologist in Chinese General Hospital in
1989. The result of the physical examination of Gina was disclosed, while that of the husband was kept confidential
even the medicine prescribed. There were allegations that the reason why Chi Ming Tsoi married her is to maintain
his residency status here in the country. Gina does not want to reconcile with Chi Ming Tsoi and want their marriage
declared void on the ground of psychological incapacity. On the other hand, the latter does not want to have their
marriage annulled because he loves her very much, he has no defect on his part and is physically and psychologically
capable and since their relationship is still young, they can still overcome their differences. Chi Ming Tsoi submitted
himself to another physical examination and the result was there is not evidence of impotency and he is capable of
erection.
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

3. Write the issue resolved. Take into account only the

relevant issue.
It should read:

ISSUE: Whether or not Chin Ming Tsoi is psychologically

incapacitated to comply with the essential marital
obligations of marriage
 Simple Steps in Writing a Case Digest

4. Write the ruling (Only the ruling on the issue)

RULING: The Supreme Court held that the prolonged refusal of a

spouse to have sexual intercourse with his or her spouse is
considered a sign of psychological incapacity. If a spouse,
although physically capable but simply refuses to perform his or
her essential marriage obligations, and the refusal is senseless
and constant, Catholic marriage tribunals attribute the causes to
psychological incapacity than to stubborn refusal. Senseless and
protracted refusal is equivalent to psychological incapacity.
Start to digest these cases which you might find useful in the first
and second week of your class:

1. Tanada v. Tuvera, G.R. No. L-63915 December 29, 1986 (PFR)

2. Province of North Cotabato v Government of the Republic of
the Philippines, G.R. No. 183591, October 14, 2008 (Political Law)
3. Caltex v. Palomar, G.R. No. L-19650, September 29, 1966
(Statutory Construction)
4. US v. Ah Chong, G.R. No. L-5272, March 19, 1910 (Criminal Law
1)
 Make the most of
yourself for that is all
there is for you.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good Luck and Welcome to
Bicol College School of Law!