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. Affiliated with the federal government's Legal Services Corporation - these offices serve those who would otherwise be unable to afford legal assistance.






2. A calendering system that records key dates and important deadlines.






3. To perform.






4. The revocation of an attorney's license.






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






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






7. Voluntarily and knowingly subjecting oneself to danger.






8. In a lawsuit the person who is sued; in a criminal case the person who is being charged with a crime.






9. A reason for invalidating a statute where a reasonable person could not determine a statute's meaning.






10. Law dealing with ownership.






11. A claim that based on the law and the facts is sufficient to support a lawsuit. If the plaintiff does not state a valid cause of action in the complaint - the court will dismiss it.






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






13. The standard of proof used in some civil trials. The evidence presented must be greater than a preponderance of the evidence but less than beyond a reasonable doubt.






14. Cases that involve different facts and/or rules of law.






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






16. A person who assists an attorney and - working under the attorney's supervision - does tasks that - absent the paralegal - the attorney would do. A paralegal cannot give advice or appear in court.






17. The reference to a particular page within an opinion.






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






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






20. Private publication of court opinions-for example - the regional reporters - such as N.E.2d - published by West.






21. An ADR mechanism whereby a neutral third party assists the parties in reaching a mutually agreeable - voluntary compromise.






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






23. The process of using Shepard's citations to check a court citation to see whether there has been any subsequent history or treatment by other court decisions.






24. Court decisions from a higher court in the same jurisdiction.






25. In a case brief - the court's answer to the issue presented to it; the new legal principle established by a court opinion.






26. A rule that states that evidence obtained in violation of an individual's constitutional rights cannot be used against that individual in a criminal trial.






27. The theory holding manufacturers and sellers liable for defective products when the defects make the products unreasonably dangerous.






28. Usually organized as either a partnership or a professional corporation - law clinics provide low-cost legal services on routine matters by stressing low overhead and high volume.






29. A situation in which a conflict of interest may arise in the future--for example - representing business partners.






30. Monetary compensation - including compensatory - punitive - and nominal damages.






31. Someone in court testifying to what someone said out of court for the purpose of establishing the truth of what was said.






32. A criminal proceeding at which the court informs the defendant of the charges being brought against him or her and the defendant enters a plea.






33. In deductive reasoning - the statement of a broad proposition that forms the starting point; in law - the statement of a legal rule that you can find in a statute or court opinion.






34. A method adopted by the federal rules in which the plaintiff simply informs the defendant of the claim and the general basis for it.






35. A summary of a court opinion that appears at the beginning of the case.






36. The failure of an attorney to act reasonably.






37. The result reached in a particular case.






38. A contract that outlines the attorney's duties and the client's obligations regarding payment - on either an hourly or a contingency fee basis - as well as the client's responsibility reagarding costs and expenses.






39. The process of legislative enactment of areas of the law previously governed solely by the common law.






40. A court's prior permission for the police to search and seize.






41. When nonlawyers do things that only lawyers are allowed to do. In most states this is a crime.






42. A computerized database that contains key information about the content of documents - such as medical records.






43. Something of value exchanged to form the basis of a contract.






44. The pleading that begins a lawsuit.






45. The defense's request that the court find the prosecution failed to meet its burden and that it remove the case from the jury by finding the defendant not guilty.






46. A system of government in which the authority to govern is split between a single - nationwide central government and several regional governments that control specific geographical areas.






47. The requirement that defendants be notified of their rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present prior to being questioned by the police.






48. A decision is affirmed when the litigants appeal the trial court decision and the higher court agrees with what the lower court has done.






49. Written questions sent by one side to the opposing side - answered under oath.






50. All property that is not real property.