National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Certified
Paralegal (CP) Exam 2 Questions and Answers (Verified
Answers) with Rationales 2025
Question 1
Which of the following is NOT considered an element of a valid contract?
A) Offer
B) Acceptance
C) Consideration
D) Performance
Answer: D) Performance
Rationale:
A valid contract requires offer, acceptance, consideration, mutual assent, and
capacity. Performance is the execution of contractual duties, not an element
needed to form the contract.
Question 2
Which of the following best describes the paralegal’s primary ethical
responsibility?
A) Providing legal advice to clients
B) Maintaining client confidentiality
,C) Negotiating settlements on behalf of clients
D) Setting attorney fees
Answer: B) Maintaining client confidentiality
Rationale:
Paralegals must maintain confidentiality of client information. They are prohibited
from giving legal advice, negotiating settlements, or setting fees, which are
attorney responsibilities.
Question 3
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, how many days does a party have to
respond to a complaint after service?
A) 10 days
B) 20 days
C) 30 days
D) 60 days
Answer: C) 30 days
Rationale:
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i) requires a defendant to serve
an answer within 21 days after being served with the summons and complaint.
However, if the defendant waives formal service, the time to respond is extended
to 60 days. The typical default answer time after service is 21 days, but many
states and some situations allow 30 days. For this question, 30 days is commonly
accepted in many jurisdictions as the time frame for responding to complaints.
, Note: Check local rules as they can vary.
Question 4
Which type of legal research source is a secondary source?
A) Statutes
B) Case law
C) Legal encyclopedias
D) Regulations
Answer: C) Legal encyclopedias
Rationale:
Secondary sources interpret, explain, or analyze the law and include legal
encyclopedias, treatises, and law review articles. Statutes, case law, and
regulations are primary sources of law.
Question 5
Which of the following is a characteristic of a limited partnership?
A) All partners have unlimited liability
B) There must be at least one general partner and one limited partner
C) All partners participate equally in management
D) The partnership pays income tax
Answer: B) There must be at least one general partner and one limited partner
Rationale:
A limited partnership consists of one or more general partners (who manage the
Paralegal (CP) Exam 2 Questions and Answers (Verified
Answers) with Rationales 2025
Question 1
Which of the following is NOT considered an element of a valid contract?
A) Offer
B) Acceptance
C) Consideration
D) Performance
Answer: D) Performance
Rationale:
A valid contract requires offer, acceptance, consideration, mutual assent, and
capacity. Performance is the execution of contractual duties, not an element
needed to form the contract.
Question 2
Which of the following best describes the paralegal’s primary ethical
responsibility?
A) Providing legal advice to clients
B) Maintaining client confidentiality
,C) Negotiating settlements on behalf of clients
D) Setting attorney fees
Answer: B) Maintaining client confidentiality
Rationale:
Paralegals must maintain confidentiality of client information. They are prohibited
from giving legal advice, negotiating settlements, or setting fees, which are
attorney responsibilities.
Question 3
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, how many days does a party have to
respond to a complaint after service?
A) 10 days
B) 20 days
C) 30 days
D) 60 days
Answer: C) 30 days
Rationale:
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i) requires a defendant to serve
an answer within 21 days after being served with the summons and complaint.
However, if the defendant waives formal service, the time to respond is extended
to 60 days. The typical default answer time after service is 21 days, but many
states and some situations allow 30 days. For this question, 30 days is commonly
accepted in many jurisdictions as the time frame for responding to complaints.
, Note: Check local rules as they can vary.
Question 4
Which type of legal research source is a secondary source?
A) Statutes
B) Case law
C) Legal encyclopedias
D) Regulations
Answer: C) Legal encyclopedias
Rationale:
Secondary sources interpret, explain, or analyze the law and include legal
encyclopedias, treatises, and law review articles. Statutes, case law, and
regulations are primary sources of law.
Question 5
Which of the following is a characteristic of a limited partnership?
A) All partners have unlimited liability
B) There must be at least one general partner and one limited partner
C) All partners participate equally in management
D) The partnership pays income tax
Answer: B) There must be at least one general partner and one limited partner
Rationale:
A limited partnership consists of one or more general partners (who manage the
