PARALEGAL 101 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
STUDY GUIDE TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ Deposition
Answer: The pretrial oral questioning of a witness under oath.
◉ Deponent
Answer: The person who is being asked questions at a deposition.
◉ Request for admissions
Answer: A document that lists statements regarding specific items
for the other party to admit or deny.
◉ Dismissal with prejudice
Answer: A court order that ends a lawsuit; the suit cannot be refiled
by the same parties.
◉ Pretrial conference
Answer: A meeting of the attorneys and the judge prior to the
beginning of the trial.
,◉ Motion in limine
Answer: A request that the court order that certain information not
be mentioned in the presence of the jury.
◉ Voir dire
Answer: An examination of a prospective juror to see if he or she is
fit to serve as a juror on a specific case.
◉ Challenge for cause
Answer: A method for excusing a prospective juror based on the
juror's inability to serve in an unbiased manner.
◉ Peremptory challenge
Answer: A method for excusing a prospective juror; no reason need
be given.
◉ Direct examination
Answer: The questioning of your own witness.
◉ Leading question
Answer: The question that suggests the answer; generally, leading
questions may not be asked during direct examination of a witness.
,◉ Cross-examination
Answer: The questioning of an opposing witness.
◉ Directed verdict
Answer: A verdict ordered by a trial judge if the plaintiff fails to
present a prima facie case or if the defendant fails to present a
necessary defense.
◉ Pattern jury instructions
Answer: A set of standardized jury instructions.
◉ Verdict
Answer: The opinion of a jury on a question of fact.
◉ Mistrial
Answer: A trial ended by the judge because of a major problem, such
as a prejudicial statement by one of the attorneys.
◉ Judgment
Answer: The decision of the court regarding the claims of each side.
It may be based on a jury's verdict.
, ◉ Writ of execution
Answer: A court order authorizing a sheriff to take property in order
to enforce a judgment.
◉ Judgment notwithstanding the verdict (judgment N.O.V.)
Answer: A judgment that reverses the verdict of the jury when the
verdict had no reasonable factual support or was contrary to law.
◉ Motion for a new trial
Answer: A request that the court order a rehearing of a lawsuit
because irregularities, such as errors of the court or jury
misconduct, make it probable that an impartial trial did not occur.
◉ Appellate brief
Answer: An attorney's written argument presented to an appeals
court, setting forth a statement of the law as it should be applied to
the client's facts.
◉ Clearly erroneous
Answer: Standard used by appellate courts when reviewing a trail
court's findings of fact.
◉ Harmless error
STUDY GUIDE TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS 2026
◉ Deposition
Answer: The pretrial oral questioning of a witness under oath.
◉ Deponent
Answer: The person who is being asked questions at a deposition.
◉ Request for admissions
Answer: A document that lists statements regarding specific items
for the other party to admit or deny.
◉ Dismissal with prejudice
Answer: A court order that ends a lawsuit; the suit cannot be refiled
by the same parties.
◉ Pretrial conference
Answer: A meeting of the attorneys and the judge prior to the
beginning of the trial.
,◉ Motion in limine
Answer: A request that the court order that certain information not
be mentioned in the presence of the jury.
◉ Voir dire
Answer: An examination of a prospective juror to see if he or she is
fit to serve as a juror on a specific case.
◉ Challenge for cause
Answer: A method for excusing a prospective juror based on the
juror's inability to serve in an unbiased manner.
◉ Peremptory challenge
Answer: A method for excusing a prospective juror; no reason need
be given.
◉ Direct examination
Answer: The questioning of your own witness.
◉ Leading question
Answer: The question that suggests the answer; generally, leading
questions may not be asked during direct examination of a witness.
,◉ Cross-examination
Answer: The questioning of an opposing witness.
◉ Directed verdict
Answer: A verdict ordered by a trial judge if the plaintiff fails to
present a prima facie case or if the defendant fails to present a
necessary defense.
◉ Pattern jury instructions
Answer: A set of standardized jury instructions.
◉ Verdict
Answer: The opinion of a jury on a question of fact.
◉ Mistrial
Answer: A trial ended by the judge because of a major problem, such
as a prejudicial statement by one of the attorneys.
◉ Judgment
Answer: The decision of the court regarding the claims of each side.
It may be based on a jury's verdict.
, ◉ Writ of execution
Answer: A court order authorizing a sheriff to take property in order
to enforce a judgment.
◉ Judgment notwithstanding the verdict (judgment N.O.V.)
Answer: A judgment that reverses the verdict of the jury when the
verdict had no reasonable factual support or was contrary to law.
◉ Motion for a new trial
Answer: A request that the court order a rehearing of a lawsuit
because irregularities, such as errors of the court or jury
misconduct, make it probable that an impartial trial did not occur.
◉ Appellate brief
Answer: An attorney's written argument presented to an appeals
court, setting forth a statement of the law as it should be applied to
the client's facts.
◉ Clearly erroneous
Answer: Standard used by appellate courts when reviewing a trail
court's findings of fact.
◉ Harmless error
