Editor’s Note: These answers to the essay questions on the July 2012 bar examination were drawn from passing candidates who earned very high scores on the essays selected. They have been transcribed as submitted by the candidate and may contain misspellings, grammatical errors, misstatements of law or fact and erroneous conclusions. They are not to be construed as model answers, nor are they in any respect the work of the Board of Bar Examiners.

QUESTION 1 — TORTS

Vera, a truck driver, is hauling a load of dynamite along a highway in violation of posted signs prohibiting commercial traffic. Suddenly, a deer darts into her lane of travel. Vera jams on her brakes and avoids a collision, but the shifting weight of the dynamite causes the truck to overturn. Fortunately, Vera is not injured, and the dynamite does not detonate. However, the overturned truck blocks the highway for several hours.