World Poetry Day Special: Bar Prep Limericks
Today is World Poetry Day, and while most folks celebrate with sonnets or haikus, I’m here to honor the unsung hero of legal mnemonics: the limerick.
There’s something magical about a limerick—just five lines of rhythmic wit that make complex ideas easier to recall. If you’re studying for the bar exam, you already know how valuable a memory hook can be. That’s why I love limericks. They pack a legal punch with a twist of humor, making doctrine feel less daunting and way more fun.
So, in honor of World Poetry Day, here are five limericks that double as bar exam study aids.
⚖️ 1. Dying Declaration (Evidence – Hearsay Exception)
He spoke with his last breath to say,
“It was Jack who shot me today!”
Though hearsay, it’s fine—
He thought he’d flatline,
And the case is for murder? Okay!
💡 Why it matters: A dying declaration is a hearsay exception that applies in homicide or civil cases, if the declarant believed death was imminent and the statement relates to the cause or circumstances of death.
🏛️ 2. Equal Protection – Standards of Review
Race and suspect class? Be precise:
Strict scrutiny must suffice.
For gender or sex,
Intermediate checks—
But mere age? Rational will suffice.
💡 Why it matters: Understanding the levels of scrutiny—strict, intermediate, and rational basis—is crucial in Equal Protection analysis. The level of scrutiny determines how tough the test is for government action.
📚 3. Miller Test – Obscenity (First Amendment)
If the work’s prurient in flair,
And lacks value found anywhere,
Offends norms of locale,
And has sex acts that wow—
Then obscenity’s likely declared!
💡 Why it matters: The Miller test (from Miller v. California) is the Supreme Court’s standard for determining whether speech is obscene and thus not protected by the First Amendment.
📬 4. Mailbox Rule (Contracts – Acceptance)
If I mail an acceptance today,
It’s effective right then—hooray!
Even if lost in the air,
As long as it’s fair,
The offeror still has to pay.
💡 Why it matters: The Mailbox Rule says that acceptance is effective upon dispatch, not receipt—unless the offer says otherwise. That one moment could mean a binding contract.
🏠 5. Common Law Burglary (Criminal Law)
At night, with intent in his soul,
He broke in through chimney or hole.
A dwelling, of course—
Not barn, shed, or horse—
And that’s burglary’s classic old goal.
💡 Why it matters: The common law definition of burglary requires a breaking and entering of a dwelling at night with the intent to commit a felony inside. Modern statutes may vary—but the bar exam loves the classic elements.
Bar prep doesn’t have to be a slog. When your brain is tired of rules and repetition, try a rhyme. A little legal levity can go a long way in making that next rule stick.
So on this World Poetry Day, don’t just memorize—memorhyme.
