February 2022 Virginia Bar Exam - Essay Question Portion - Suggested Answers - Revised March 25, 2022

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

February 2022 Virginia Bar Exam essay questions and suggested answers prepared collaboratively for the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. The material explains that suggested responses include citations to case and statutory law for reference, while emphasizing that the Board may award credit for strong analysis and alternative approaches. The document also provides revisions as of March 25, 2022, and sets out an essay scenario involving a warrantless arrest and search, addressing motions to dismiss, suppress physical evidence, and suppress a Miranda-related response.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

February 2022 Virginia Bar Exam - Essay Question Portion - Suggested Answers

General preparation notes and revision information

Criminal Procedure - Jameson scenario

Motion to dismiss: warrantless arrest (Fourth Amendment)

Motion to suppress cocaine: warrantless search of trunk (Fourth Amendment)

Motion to suppress statement: Miranda rights

Page 1 of 17 February 2022 Virginia Bar Exam-Essay Question Portion Suggested Answers WW After each bar exam , the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners invites the Deans [or the Deans’ designees] of all Law Schools located in Virginia, to meet with the Board. Representatives from all of the law schools in Virginia collaborate to prepare suggested answers which we think should be acceptable to the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners. These answers also include cites to some of the case and statutory law for reference even though the VBBE may not expect such specificity in applicants’ answers on the exam. For the July 2021 exam , due to the current pandemic the VBBE did not hold a face to face meeting with us , but asked that the representatives from the law schools collaborate and send in a single summary of what was thought should be acceptable answers to the essay questions. This was done. WW It should also be noted that while we think the answers that follow should be acceptable for full credit, keep in mind that the VBBE do give credit for good analysis and sometimes will accept for at least partial credit, alternate theories of analysis that are not what they had in mind as the preferred answer. jrz Prepared by the following who collaborated to prepare the suggested answers for the VBBE: J. R. Zepkin, Jennifer Franklin & William H. Shaw, III of William & Mary Law School, Emmeline P. Reeves of University of Richmond Law School, Benjamin V. Madison III of Regent University Law School, Cale Jaffe & Juliete Hatchett of University of Virginia Law School, C. Reid Flinn of Washington & Lee Law School (also a member of the adjunct faculty at William & Mary Law School and University of Richmond Law School), Amanda Compton & Mike Davis of George Mason Law School, Rena Lindevaldsen of Liberty University Law School and Laura Wilson of Appalachian School of Law. The following, provided us great help with suggested answers in each’s particular area[s] of specialty: Nathan Bowden, Sam Calhoun & Robert Danforth of Washington & Lee Law School, Thornton Max Hare of Regent University Law School, Jeremy W. Hurley of Appalachia Law School. Revised: March 25, 2022 (9:54am) 1. {02 .22][Criminal Procedure] Jameson is a retired narcotics officer. He owns an auto repair shop in Abingdon, Virginia. Recently, when he arrived to open his shop, he found an unattended older model Chevrolet Malibu in front of his garage. It had a note on the windshield stating that the car had been overheating. The note was signed by “Larry” and a key was left in the ignition. Jameson then received a telephone call from an individual who identified himself as Larry. Larry said that he needed the car repaired and would be by the shop in the early afternoon to pay for the repairs. Larry advised that he left the only key to the car with Jameson and told Jameson that the trunk was locked and there was no key to the trunk. Larry did not give his last name or telephone number. Jameson put the car onto his lift and determined that the problem was a broken water pump, which he quickly repaired. When he lowered the car to the floor, the trunk lid flew up. Jameson saw 10 bags of white powder packaged in a brick-like manner with clear plastic covering in the trunk. Based upon his experience and training as a narcotics officer, Jameson believed that the packages contained cocaine. Jameson immediately called the local police and closed the trunk. Jameson removed the ignition coil to ensure that the vehicle could not be started. When the police officers arrived, Jameson advised them of what he had seen in the trunk and that he had made the car inoperable. The officers determined by the license plates that the Malibu belonged to Larry, a resident of Winchester, Virginia. Oneof the officers was in plain clothes and waited inside the shop as if he was a customer. Three other officers waited Shortly thereafter a vehicle with Florida license plates pulled up to the garage wi

FAQs

Who prepared the suggested answers for the February 2022 Virginia Bar Exam essay portion?

Suggested answers were prepared collaboratively by multiple law school representatives listed in the document, including J. R. Zepkin, Jennifer Franklin, William H. Shaw, Emmeline P. Reeves, Benjamin V. Madison, and others.

How does the document describe the purpose of the suggested answers?

It explains that suggested responses aim to be acceptable to the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, include citations for reference, and acknowledge that the Board may accept alternate theories if analysis is strong enough for partial or full credit.

What issues are raised in the Criminal Procedure essay scenario for Larry?

Larry is questioned and charged after a warrantless arrest and a warrantless search of a car trunk; the motions address dismissal of charges, suppression of the cocaine evidence, and suppression of Larry’s response tied to Miranda rights.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven