PA BAR Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the PA BAR exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 PA BAR Exam Format at a Glance
📚 PA BAR Topics to Study (22)
✍️ Sample PA BAR Questions & Answers
1. Under Pennsylvania law, the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress requires conduct that is:
Pennsylvania's IIED tort requires that the defendant's conduct was extreme and outrageous, intentional or reckless in causing distress, and that the plaintiff suffered severe emotional distress as a result.
2. Under Pennsylvania law, a criminal conspiracy requires an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime plus:
18 Pa. C.S. § 903 provides that a person is guilty of conspiracy if they agree with another to commit a crime and an overt act is performed in furtherance of the conspiracy.
3. In Pennsylvania legal practice, what is the importance of “precedent” in legal analysis?
Precedent, or stare decisis, is a cornerstone of the common law system in Pennsylvania. It mandates that courts follow legal principles established in prior decisions by higher courts in similar cases. This ensures consistency, predictability, and fairness in the application of the law, guiding future judicial rulings and providing stability to the legal system.
4. Under Pennsylvania law, a contract for the sale of real property must generally be evidenced by a writing to be enforceable under:
33 Pa. C.S. § 1 (Pennsylvania's Statute of Frauds) requires contracts for the sale of real property to be in writing and signed by the party to be charged.
5. Which of the following is a factor that Pennsylvania courts consider when determining alimony?
When determining alimony in Pennsylvania, courts consider a comprehensive list of factors, including the standard of living established during the marriage. This helps ensure that the dependent spouse can maintain a lifestyle reasonably comparable to what they enjoyed during the marriage, to the extent possible. Other factors include the parties' incomes, earning capacities, and the length of the marriage.
6. Under Pennsylvania's Marketable Title Act, a person who holds a chain of title for at least how many years has a marketable record title free of interests arising prior to that period?
Pennsylvania's Marketable Record Title Act provides that a person with an unbroken chain of title for 50 years holds marketable record title, extinguishing prior interests not preserved by re-recording.