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. The status of being formally recognized by a nongovernmental organization for having met special criteria - such as fulfilling educational requirements and passing an exam - established by that organization.






2. A decision is reversed when the litigants appeal the trial court decision and the higher court disagrees with the decision of a lower court.






3. When a judge formally recognizes something as being a fact without requiring the attorneys prove it through the introduction of other evidence.






4. A national organization of paralegal programs that promotes high standards for paralegal education.






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






6. A provision that purports to waive liability.






7. A national voluntary organization of lawyers.






8. An opinion that disagrees with the majority's decision and its reasoning.






9. The power of the federal courts to hear matters of federal law.






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






11. A witness who has not been shown to have any special expertise.






12. A set of ethical rules developed by the American Bar Association in the 1980s. The Model rules have been adopted by most of the states.






13. The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.






14. When a person must be brought into a lawsuit as either a plaintiff or a defendant.






15. A defendant's personal promise to appear in court.






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






17. The highest federal appellate court - consisting of nine appointed members.






18. A trial conducted without a jury.






19. Governmental publication of court opinions.






20. Someone who has the power to act in the place of another.






21. The person who is being asked questions at a deposition.






22. Consists of the description of events that a witness testifies to under oath in a legal proceeding.






23. Bad act.






24. A set charge for a specific service - such as drafting a simple will.






25. 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.






26. Located in most codified statutes - this table lists statutes by their popular names along with their citations.






27. 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.






28. Occurs when the police restrain a person's freedom and charge the person with a crime.






29. A constitutional protection against being tried twice for the same crime.






30. Fairness; a court's power to do justice. Equity powers allow judges to take action when otherwise the law would limit their decisions to monetary awards. Equity powers include a judge's ability to issue an injunction and to order specific performance






31. A process whereby the prosecutor and the defendant's attorney agree for the defendant to plead guilty in exchange for the prosecutor's promise to charge him or her with a lesser offense - drop some additional charges - or request a lesser sentence.






32. A requirement that property be fit for the purpose for which it is being rented. Owners are required to repair and maintain the premises at certain minimum levels.






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






34. The chronological publication of statutes at the end of a legislative session.






35. 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.






36. 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.






37. A request that the court find the plaintiff has failed to state a valid claim and dismiss the complaint.






38. A separable part of a statute that must be satisfied for the statute to apply.






39. The failure to act reasonably under the circumstances.






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






41. The questioning of an opposing witness.






42. An introductory paragraph listing issues to be discussed in the order they are to be discussed.






43. The heading section of a pleading that contains the names of the parties - the name of the court - the title of the action - the docket or file number - and the name of the pleading.






44. An opinion that disagrees with the majority's decision and reasoning.






45. Evidence that does not add any new information but that confirms facts that already have been established.






46. In logic - an argument is considered to be valid or sound if the assumption underlying the argument are true.






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






48. Information about what happened procedurally to the litigation after the case cited. Include this information in a citation.






49. An opinion that agrees with the majority's result but disagrees with the reasoning.






50. A paralegal who works as an independent contractor rather than as an employee of a law firm or corporation.