GENERAL OVERVIEW of the SECOND SEMESTER:

- This sem is slightly/significantly worse in terms of workload. But given that you guys had a
serious crim 1 class, it might not be as heavy for you. The bulk of it would be the three major
subjects: CONSTI, OBLICON, and CRIM. They are heavy in terms of the daily grind life, plus
there’s the added challenge of getting Dean Mel (oblicon) at 8:30 in the morning. Yes, you read it
right. 8:30 IN THE MORNING. Most of your time will be dedicated to consti, but remember that
oblicon is a 5-unit subject too, and there is also crim alongside it. And, the other minor subjects
(legtech, legwrit, theo) are there to help your grades, so do not take them for granted. J LAW
SCHOOL DOES NOT GET EASIER, YOU ONLY GET TOUGHER.

Subject: CONSTITUTIONAL LAW II

Professor: Atty. Arpee Santiago

Teaching Style: - Cases and the bernas green book/primer will be your best friends. On an
average two-hour class, Sir Arpee can finish about 15-20 cases. He never rushes, but closer to
midterms and finals, he may give a lecture or two to finish up the coverage. Always memorize the
provision for the case. He is part of the Dean Cande-trio with Atty. Wilwayco. As Sir had said, he
is the storm trooper of Darth Vader.

-How to prepare for their class: Read the originals and make short bullet point notes that will help
you remember case details. An hour or so before class, use case digests as a review. In class,
use your notes as a quick review for the upcoming cases up for recit based on the case
list/syllabus you will be given.

-How to get on their good side: Know cases details and be able to analyse the issues in case he
asks you any follow up questions.

- Recommended Books/Reviewers: - Codal, Bernas Green Book, Block A 2015 case digests,
Sandy Crab, Crombonds (depends on your preference)

- Grade Range: 70s to 81. #laban #dasal

- Grade breakdown: 10% class digests (automatic 85, as long as you comply), 40% recits, 20%
midterms, 30% finals

Preparation for: Recitations:

- Be ready with at least 15-20 cases a day. It’s good to have more than necessary
because any left over cases, means less time spent on consti during the week.

- Pay close attention to the facts of the case, and always analyse the issues.

- Rounds siya. But there are few exceptions na hindi. And he might stop the rounds after
midterms.

Midterms:

- Completely essay (joint exam with dean cande classes, each teacher contributes
questions)

- Brush up on current events

 - Review samplexes to get an idea of how Dean asks questions, he does not repeat
questions because they are usually based on important current events going on at the
time, but the principles he asks for are the same

- Memorise the different “tests” you took in the case law (i.e. Miller test for obscenity),
they are crucial in answering the essay questions

- Manage your time well in the exam. It’s medyo long.

Finals:

- Same preparation as midterms

- The final is comprehensive, so manage your time well

Subject: OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS

Professor: Dean Melencio Sta. Maria

Teaching Style:

- overall teaching style: purely recit, “big lectures” at the end

- We have a 2 1⁄2 hour class but he teaches for only about an hour and a half.

- About 15-25 recits per session. Atty.Mel does recits by rounds but he shuffles every beginning
of the round.

- How to prepare for his class: Bible method - read his book as many times as you can!!

- Atty.Mel gives his reading assignment at the end of every session. Make sure to finish the
assigned reading because he jumps during recitations

- his questions are not always chronological according to the article number.

- “Seek and you will find”

- All the answers to his questions are found in the book but sometimes they are tiny details to be
even noticed.

- Atty.Mel doesn’t like students who use big words. Answer straight to the point.

- There’s a case recitation at the end of semester.

- During recitations, he points out to specific doctrines and enumerations. Take note of these.

- He didn’t fail anyone ata.

Recommended Books/Reviewers:

- Obligations and Contracts by Mel Sta.Maria

- Read as many times as you can!!!! Do not disregard anything in the book even the tiny details. -
NOTE: Do not refer to other books during recitations.
- Useful reviewers: Katgaw or Dani Gaite (our blockmate; pro-tip for midterms/finals: memorize
the quick lists at the end of the reviewer.)

Grade Range:

- 65-95 - He gives an automatic 65 if you fail.

- grade breakdown: 30%-30%-30% (not sure)

- Grades very high on recits and finals, super low midterms

- Atty. Mel is a finalist like Maam Ampy. Pass his finals and you’ll pass his class even if you fail
his midterms.

-He gave high grades for our block. Huhu. #praisethelordhallelujah

Preparation for:

Recitations:

- Study the codals. Memorize if you can but it is enough to analyze and understand.

- Questions are all taken from his book but sometimes they are phrased differently.

- He sometimes asks questions about previous lessons

- Don’t make “pacute”!! Answer straight to the point. Make your voice loud and clear.

- Don’t get disheartened if he tells you “JJ” or “Suntok sa pluto” :) It’s just his way of telling you
your answer is wrong and he knows you’re guessing :D

-Don’t coach. He hates it. And he’s not the type to make you sit down if you don’t know the
answer, he will help you. Except on the first day of recits, it was super scary for the first two
people, then he became super nice till the end of the semester. Do not pass. He liked our block
because palaban daw kami kahit di namin alam.

-Win him over.

Midterms:

-Essay. Try Samplexes. Memorize enumerations, it will help you.

Finals:

- Heavily based on the case book provided—Read the cases that he assigns or just the digests if
you’re short on time, as the scenarios for the Finals are often based on those cases. STUDY THE
CASES.

- Read the book as many times as you can

- Essays and enumerations

Subject: CRIMINAL LAW II

Professor: Justice Villa-Ignacio Teaching Style:

- He teaches in Socratic method but there are times that he has to give lectures to catch up on
the Articles

- You only get to recite a few times in the whole sem so make the most out of it. You need to
impress him with your answer. IMPRESS=RECITE EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THE ARTICLE AND
THE ANNOTATIONS FROM REYES

- Lectures and recitation would usually come from the books though there are certain cases
where he assigns some relevant cases.

- To prepare: Make handwritten notes since you are allowed to look at those during recits - In
order to allow him to be in a good mood, never, I SAY NEVER ALLOW A LOT PEOPLE TO CUT
since he notices when people aren’t around. (Don’t cut rin.)

- The number of people he fails varies. He’s “subjective” in certain cases but you’ll learn a lot
since he was the Special Prosecutor and was part of the legal team against Estrada’s
impeachment trial

- Make sure to listen attentively in his class, some of his questions would usually come out during
the midterms or final examinations.

Recommended Books/Reviewers:

- REYES Book 2

-There are a lot of reviewers found in Blessings like the Beda Crim reviewer

Grade Range: - 69-92 - Very varied - Grade breakdown: 15% for recitations -35% for midterms -
50% for finals; but he normally adjusts the breakdown depending on the performance of the
block.

- He is not afraid to fail many people, and generally grades the Finals lower if the scores during
midterms are very high. Do well sa midterms to assure your passing of his class.

- He normally accepts appeals regarding computational corrections only

Preparation for:

Recitations: - You need to make sure that everything in the book gets recited to get the highly
regarded double 1. (i.e. For Falsification of Public Documents – you need to give everything from
the crimes to the annotations)

- Remember to study the elements of each crime

Midterms:

- He gives his exams depending on the question style of the bar examinations which in your case
would be all essay format

- Review the crimes before hand since Crim 2 is usually the long
Finals:

- Similar to how you prepare midterms.

Subject: LEGAL WRITING (2 UNITS)

Professor: Atty. Candice Tongco Teaching Style:

- DO NOT fiddle with your phone in class or use your laptop if she does not permit it—
she will call you out. She hates that.

- She is a new teacher so she is still “adjusting” to her own teaching style. Expect her to
rely heavily on the readings she provides and to stick to them as if they are biblical
doctrine.

- She is nice but she is not very flexible—she also grades quite low in general, even
during recitations.

Recommended Books/Reviewers: - ALJ Citation Guide – buy from the ALJ Room by asking any
ALJ editor.

Grade Range: 76-92

- Ma’am Tongco does add points across the board when the grades are very low but she
will not curve the final grades or the recitations—in that sense you can also predict in
advance the scores you will get. A lot of our block got lines of 7 as final grades, so the
grades are on the low side.

Preparation for: Recitations:

- Read all the readings she assigns; that’s about it!

- She divides the class into groups with two people each and makes them recite rules in
Strunk and White and the ALJ Citation Guide too.

Midterms:

- Memorize the citation guide L You cannot miss even a comma or a period—you will
get 0 points for even the tiniest mistake!

- She also provided us with editing symbols which we had to memorize and use on a
sample essay that was in the test.

Finals:

- Medyo easy siya. We made a legal memo lang. plus open book citation

- Our Finals was the ALJ Citation Guide—just memorize as much as you can with a
focus on the basic citation examples.

- The Finals also includes writing a demand letter, among other things, but for this part
she usually gives full points because the scores in the first part are so low.
Subject: LOGIC AND LEGAL TECHNIQUE (2 UNITS)

Professor: Atty. Dy

-new teacher siya. Medyo hassle yung class at times, but you’ll learn skills on making
memorandums and oral arguments.

Book/Reviewers:

-Legal Logic by Aquino to be bought Central Books

-2c reviewer

Recits:

-read the required readings

Midterms:

-isapuso ang legal logic book/notes

Finals:

-it was oral arguments plus a paper on the topic by group. Be palaban, and don’t give up your
arguments as much as possible.

Subject: THEOLOGY (2 UNITS)

Professor: Atty. Obieta

Just go to class.

Samplex for exams.