BLAW 310 FINAL EXAM 2026 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔what is concurrent jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction that exists when two different courts
have the power to hear a case
✔✔what is exclusive jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction that exists when a case can be heard
only in a particular court or type of court
✔✔what is a venue? - ✔✔the geographic district in which a legal action is tried and from
which the jury is selected
✔✔what is standing to sue? - ✔✔the legal requirement that an individual must have a
sufficient stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit
✔✔what is justifiable controversy? - ✔✔a controversy that is not hypothetical or
academic but real and substantial
✔✔what is small claims court? - ✔✔a special court in which parties can litigate small
claims without an attorney
✔✔what is a question of fact? - ✔✔in a lawsuit, an issue that involved only disputed
facts, and not what the law is on a given point
✔✔what is a question of law? - ✔✔in a lawsuit, an issue involving the application or
interpretation of a law
✔✔what are pleadings? - ✔✔statements by the plaintiff and the defendant that detail
the facts, charges, and defenses of a case
✔✔what is a complaint? - ✔✔the pleading made by a plaintiff alleging wrongdoing on
the part of the defendant
✔✔what is a summons? - ✔✔a document informing defendant that a legal action has
been commenced against him or her and that the defendant must appear in court on a
certain date to answer the plaintiff's complaint
✔✔what is service of process? - ✔✔the delivery of the complaint and summons to the
defendant
✔✔what is default judgement? - ✔✔a judgment entered by a court against a defendant
who has failed to appear in court to answer or defend against the plaintiff's claim
, ✔✔what is an answer? - ✔✔procedurally, a defendant's response to the plaintiff's
complaint
✔✔what is a counterclaim? - ✔✔a claim made by a defendant in a civil lawsuit against
the plaintiff (the defendant is suing the plaintiff)
✔✔what is a reply? - ✔✔procedurally, a plaintiff's response to a defendant's answer
✔✔what is a motion to dismiss? - ✔✔a pleading in which a defendant admits the facts
as alleged by the plaintiff but asserts that the plaintiff's claim to state a cause of action
has no basis in law
✔✔what is discovery? - ✔✔a method by which the opposing parties obtain information
from each other prepare for trial
✔✔what is a deposition? - ✔✔the testimony of a party to a lawsuit or a witness taken
under oath before a trial
✔✔what are interrogatories? - ✔✔a series of written questions for which written
answers are prepared by a party to a lawsuit, usually with the assistance of the party's
attorney, and then signed under oath
✔✔what is Voire Dire? - ✔✔an important part of the jury selection process in which the
attorney's question prospective jurors about their backgrounds, attitudes, and biases to
ascertain whether they can be impartial jurors
✔✔what is an award? - ✔✔the monetary compensation given to a party at the end of a
trial or other proceeding
✔✔what is a brief? - ✔✔a written summary or statement prepared by one side in a
lawsuit to explain its case to the judge
✔✔what is alternative dispute resolution? - ✔✔the resolution of disputers in ways rather
than this involved in the traditional judicial process, such as negotiation, mediation, and
arbitration
✔✔what is negotiation? - ✔✔a process in which parties attempt to settle their dispute
informally, with or without attorneys to represent them
✔✔what is mediation? - ✔✔a method of settling disputes outside the courts by using the
services of a neutral third party, who acts as a communicating agent between the
parties and assists them in negotiating a settlement
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔what is concurrent jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction that exists when two different courts
have the power to hear a case
✔✔what is exclusive jurisdiction? - ✔✔jurisdiction that exists when a case can be heard
only in a particular court or type of court
✔✔what is a venue? - ✔✔the geographic district in which a legal action is tried and from
which the jury is selected
✔✔what is standing to sue? - ✔✔the legal requirement that an individual must have a
sufficient stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit
✔✔what is justifiable controversy? - ✔✔a controversy that is not hypothetical or
academic but real and substantial
✔✔what is small claims court? - ✔✔a special court in which parties can litigate small
claims without an attorney
✔✔what is a question of fact? - ✔✔in a lawsuit, an issue that involved only disputed
facts, and not what the law is on a given point
✔✔what is a question of law? - ✔✔in a lawsuit, an issue involving the application or
interpretation of a law
✔✔what are pleadings? - ✔✔statements by the plaintiff and the defendant that detail
the facts, charges, and defenses of a case
✔✔what is a complaint? - ✔✔the pleading made by a plaintiff alleging wrongdoing on
the part of the defendant
✔✔what is a summons? - ✔✔a document informing defendant that a legal action has
been commenced against him or her and that the defendant must appear in court on a
certain date to answer the plaintiff's complaint
✔✔what is service of process? - ✔✔the delivery of the complaint and summons to the
defendant
✔✔what is default judgement? - ✔✔a judgment entered by a court against a defendant
who has failed to appear in court to answer or defend against the plaintiff's claim
, ✔✔what is an answer? - ✔✔procedurally, a defendant's response to the plaintiff's
complaint
✔✔what is a counterclaim? - ✔✔a claim made by a defendant in a civil lawsuit against
the plaintiff (the defendant is suing the plaintiff)
✔✔what is a reply? - ✔✔procedurally, a plaintiff's response to a defendant's answer
✔✔what is a motion to dismiss? - ✔✔a pleading in which a defendant admits the facts
as alleged by the plaintiff but asserts that the plaintiff's claim to state a cause of action
has no basis in law
✔✔what is discovery? - ✔✔a method by which the opposing parties obtain information
from each other prepare for trial
✔✔what is a deposition? - ✔✔the testimony of a party to a lawsuit or a witness taken
under oath before a trial
✔✔what are interrogatories? - ✔✔a series of written questions for which written
answers are prepared by a party to a lawsuit, usually with the assistance of the party's
attorney, and then signed under oath
✔✔what is Voire Dire? - ✔✔an important part of the jury selection process in which the
attorney's question prospective jurors about their backgrounds, attitudes, and biases to
ascertain whether they can be impartial jurors
✔✔what is an award? - ✔✔the monetary compensation given to a party at the end of a
trial or other proceeding
✔✔what is a brief? - ✔✔a written summary or statement prepared by one side in a
lawsuit to explain its case to the judge
✔✔what is alternative dispute resolution? - ✔✔the resolution of disputers in ways rather
than this involved in the traditional judicial process, such as negotiation, mediation, and
arbitration
✔✔what is negotiation? - ✔✔a process in which parties attempt to settle their dispute
informally, with or without attorneys to represent them
✔✔what is mediation? - ✔✔a method of settling disputes outside the courts by using the
services of a neutral third party, who acts as a communicating agent between the
parties and assists them in negotiating a settlement
