Answers
Which of the following best describes the structure of the American legal system?
A. A single centralized system with uniform laws across all states.
B. A customary law system in which there are a vast set of practices, socially or culturally
derived, varying from community to community.
C. A federal system, with both federal and state laws, courts, and procedures.
D. A civil law system wherein primary emphasis is placed on legal codes crafted by a legislature.
- CORRECT ANSWER✔✔C. A federal system, with both federal and state laws, courts, and
procedures.
You are asked during your first summer internship to find binding primary authority for an issue
involving exclusively Oklahoma law in an Oklahoma trial court proceeding. Which of the
following would NOT be an appropriate resource to cite as binding primary authority? Check all
that apply. Assume all resources below are relevant to the issue.
A. An Oklahoma Supreme Court decision
B. A 10th Circuit decision analyzing and applying Kansas law
C. A Texas Supreme Court decision
D. An Oklahoma statute
E. An Oklahoma regulation
F. An Oklahoma-specific treatise
G. A retired Oklahoma Supreme Court justice's law blog - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔B. A 10th
Circuit decision analyzing and applying Kansas law
C. A Texas Supreme Court decision
,F. An Oklahoma-specific treatise
G. A retired Oklahoma Supreme Court justice's law blog
Which of the following best explains how legal research helps legal practitioners determine
what is "good law?"
A. Legal research involves reviewing and removing grammatical errors from statutes thereby
creating "good law.
B. Legal research involves determining the moral quality of a legal enactment thereby
demonstrating what is "good law."
C. Legal research involves determining whether legislators acted with good faith negotiating
legislation thereby demonstrating what is "good law."
D. Legal research involves determining the currency or how up to date a legal resource is
thereby demonstrating what is "good law." - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔D. Legal research involves
determining the currency or how up to date a legal resource is thereby demonstrating what is
"good law."
When starting a legal research project, your first steps should be ...
A. Analyze the problem to understand the issues, key facts, and jurisdiction.
B. Locate law journal articles.
C. Copy the problem into Google or an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system and let it do the
research for you.
D. Start looking for cases - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔A. Analyze the problem to understand the
issues, key facts, and jurisdiction.
Which of the following statements is accurate about primary and secondary sources in legal
research?
, A. Primary sources include academic journals known as law reviews.
B. Both primary and secondary sources can be considered binding authority.
C. Secondary sources, while not binding, can serve as persuasive authority and are useful
starting points for research.
D. A state supreme court decision is considered a secondary source. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔C.
Secondary sources, while not binding, can serve as persuasive authority and are useful starting
points for research.
Which of the following most accurately describes the general functions and contents of legal
encyclopedias in the context of legal research?
A. Legal encyclopedias critique legal doctrine and contain extensive academic commentary on
possible improvements to the law.
B. Legal encyclopedias cover broad areas of law, are generally seen as introductory surveys, and
are used as case-finding tools, but tend to emphasize case law over statutes and regulations.
C. Legal encyclopedias are practitioner-oriented resources generally containing checklists,
forms, and related materials that are useful for practicing attorneys.
D. Legal encyclopedias are considered primary sources of law and contain rulings from all
jurisdictions. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔B. Legal encyclopedias cover broad areas of law, are
generally seen as introductory surveys, and are used as case-finding tools, but tend to
emphasize case law over statutes and regulations.
Which of the following regarding legal treatises is true?
A. Legal treatises generally provide comprehensive coverage of specific subjects with greater
depth than legal encyclopedias.
B. Legal treatises are generally self-help resources that include few citations to primary sources
and are geared towards non-lawyers.
C. All legal treatises are kept up to date with editorial changes and additions so there is not an
issue of currency of information when using legal treatises.