572: Listen and Learn -- Felony Murder and Causation (Criminal Law)

572: Listen and Learn -- Felony Murder and Causation (Criminal Law)

Author: Alison Monahan and Lee Burgess - Law School Toolbox, LLC September 7, 2026 Duration: 19:28

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we're exploring some complex aspects of criminal law that frequently appear on exams -- the felony murder rule and causation in homicide cases. We have included an analysis of two hypothetical scenarios to illustrate these legal principles.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Review of the felony murder rule
  • Which felonies are considered inherently dangerous?
  • The death of a co-felon rule
  • Causation in homicide cases, and when is the chain of causation broken?
  • Analysis of two hypothetical criminal law scenarios

Resources:

Download the Transcript 
(https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-572-listen-and-learn-felony-murder-and-causation-criminal-law/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee


Navigating law school, the bar exam, and a legal career is a marathon with unique challenges at every stage. The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond serves as a companion for that entire journey, offering concrete strategies rather than abstract theory. Hosts Alison Monahan and Lee Burgess, both seasoned experts, draw from their extensive experience to dissect academic hurdles, career planning, and the personal adjustments required in the legal world. Their conversations are direct and packed with actionable advice, whether they're breaking down effective study techniques, demystifying the bar exam process, or discussing the realities of different legal practice areas. This isn't about passive listening; it's about equipping you with a usable toolkit. While their opinions are strong and sometimes provocative, the dialogue is always grounded in a practical desire to help. Tuning into this podcast feels like getting straightforward counsel from mentors who have been through it all and remember what actually matters. You'll find episodes addressing everything from outlining and exam preparation to networking and maintaining well-being under pressure. Alison and Lee ensure each discussion cuts to the chase, making the often-opaque path from student to lawyer a bit clearer and more manageable.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond
Podcast Episodes
573: Can AI Be Your Law School Tutor? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about the widely varying AI policies at law schools, highlighting the productive, permissible uses of AI tools and cautioning against possible pitfalls…
571: Listen and Learn -- Crimes Against the Person (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:04
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! We're continuing the discussion from last week on crimes against the person. In the previous episode, we covered the basic elements of assault, battery, false imprisonment,…
570: Listen and Learn -- Crimes Against the Person (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:29
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're discussing four crimes against the person – assault, battery, false imprisonment, and kidnapping. We'll walk through the elements of each crime and see an exam…
567: Law Every 1L Should Know -- Constitutional Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:56
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! In this episode, we're discussing fundamental concepts that are taught in first-year Con Law classes. First, we'll look at justiciability – the set of threshold doctrines t…
566: Law Every 1L Should Know -- Criminal Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:50
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're diving into the fundamentals of criminal law. First, we'll walk through the building blocks of any crime – the elements that the prosecution has to prove for s…
564: Law Every 1L Should Know -- Evidence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:42
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're diving into a fundamental concept in legal trials -- evidence. We'll discuss the foundation that evidence is built around – relevance, and then we'll focus on…
563: Neurodivergence in the Workplace (w/Natalie Diggins) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:24
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! In this episode, Lee talks with Natalie Diggins, author of The Autistic Adult's Toolbox, about her late-in-life neurodivergent diagnosis and the practical "scaffolding" too…