Test your basic knowledge |

Paralegal 101

Subject : law
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A motion brought before the beginning of a trial either to eliminate the necessity for a trial or to limit the information that can be heard at the trial.






2. Any tangible object - like a bloody glove.






3. A decision is overruled when a court in a later case changes the law so that its prior decision is no longer good law.






4. A bank account used to hold money belonging to the client or to a third party.






5. A defense requiring proof that force or a threat of force was used to cause a person to commit a criminal act.






6. A defense requiring proof that the defendant would not have committed the crime but for police trickery.






7. Evidence that suggests the defendant's guilt.






8. Including more than one count in a complaint; the counts do not need to be consistent.






9. Land and objects permanently attached to land.






10. A professional entity in which the owners share in the organization's profits but are not liable for the malpractice of their partners.






11. Establishes a direct link to the event that must be proven.






12. A term used to describe a case that is similar to another case.






13. Rules of conduct promulgated and enforced by the government.






14. A term used to describe two cases that are almost identical - with similar facts and legal issues.






15. A provision in a deed that prohibits specified uses of the property.






16. A set of standardized jury instructions.






17. Law dealing with ownership.






18. The questioning of an opposing witness.






19. Being informed of some act done or about to be done.






20. Money awarded to a plaintiff in cases of intentional torts in order to punish the defendant and serve as a warning to others.






21. A constitutional fairness requirement that a defendant have at least a certain minimum level of contact with a state before the state courts can have jurisdiction over the defendant.






22. A nonlawyer who provides legal services directly to the public without being under the supervision of an attorney. Absent a statute allowing this activity - it constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.






23. When more than one court has jurisdiction to hear a case.






24. Court decisions from an equal or a lower court from the same jurisidiction or from a higher court in a different jurisdiction; also includes secondary authority.






25. The transfer of a case from one state court to a federal court.






26. A trial court error that is not sufficient to warrant reversing the decision.






27. A method for interpreting statutes in which the ordinary meaning of the statute's language is examined.






28. A defendant's plea meaning that the defendant neither admits nor denies the charges.






29. Occurs whenever one person - through force or the threat of force - unlawfully detains another person against his or her will.






30. The court's power to review statutes to decide whether they conform to the Constitution.






31. The application of legal rules to a client's specific factual situation; also known as legal analysis.






32. A court order that a person who is not a party to the litigation appear at a trial or deposition and bring requested documents.






33. The requirement in a legal malpractice case that the plaintiff-client prove that but for the attorney's negligence - the client would have won.






34. In law - a per curium decision (or opinion) is a ruling issued by an appellate court of multiple judges in which the decision rendered is made by the court (or at least a majoirty of the court) acting collectively and anonymously.






35. Summary of one legal point in a court opinion; written by the editors at West.






36. The way in which a question of fact is established. Evidence can consist of witness testimony or documents and exhibits. It is the proof presented at a trial.






37. The standard of proof most commonly used in civil trials. The evidence presented must prove that it is more likely than not the defendant committed the wrong.






38. An online legal database containing court decisions and statutes from the entire country. While its coverage of other legal mateirals is not as extensive as that of Westlaw and Lexis - it is also less expensive.






39. The division of governmental power among the legislative - executive - and judicial branches.






40. In a case brief - the rule of law applied to the case's specific facts.






41. A method for excusing a prospective juror; no reason need be given.






42. Voluntarily and knowingly subjecting oneself to danger.






43. Generally accepted legal principles.






44. An online legal databease containing court decisions and statutes from the entire country - as well as secondary authority; a competitor to Lexis.






45. The failure to act reasonably under the circumstances.






46. A worldwide network of computer networks.






47. An ADR mechanism whereby the parties submit their disagreement to a third party - whose decision is binding.






48. Specific questions that usually demand very short or yes-no answers.






49. A witness who possesses skill and knowledge beyond that of the average person.






50. Attorney compensation as a percentage of the amount recovered rather than a flat amount of money or an hourly fee.