Q.1 Which legal system is primarily based on written codes and statutes rather than judicial decisions?
Common law
Civil law
Customary law
Religious law
Explanation - Civil law systems rely on comprehensive codes and statutes as the primary source of law, unlike common law systems that emphasize judicial precedent.
Correct answer is: Civil law
Q.2 In which country did the common law system originate?
France
England
Germany
Italy
Explanation - The common law system developed in England during the medieval period and spread to many countries influenced by British rule.
Correct answer is: England
Q.3 Which of the following is a characteristic of common law?
Relies heavily on codified statutes
Decisions made by judges serve as precedent
Only religious texts are authoritative
Customs override judicial rulings
Explanation - In common law systems, past judicial rulings (precedent) strongly influence future cases.
Correct answer is: Decisions made by judges serve as precedent
Q.4 Which legal tradition is most influenced by Roman law?
Civil law
Common law
Customary law
Religious law
Explanation - Civil law systems have their roots in Roman law, particularly the Justinian Code.
Correct answer is: Civil law
Q.5 Sharia law is a type of which legal tradition?
Customary law
Civil law
Religious law
Common law
Explanation - Sharia law is based on Islamic religious texts, making it part of the religious law tradition.
Correct answer is: Religious law
Q.6 Which legal system is most likely to use oral traditions and community customs as a primary source of law?
Common law
Customary law
Civil law
Religious law
Explanation - Customary law relies on traditions, practices, and customs of a community as its main foundation.
Correct answer is: Customary law
Q.7 Which term refers to laws created by a legislative body?
Case law
Statutory law
Customary law
Religious law
Explanation - Statutory law is enacted by legislative bodies, such as parliaments or congresses.
Correct answer is: Statutory law
Q.8 Which is the primary source of law in a common law system?
Judicial precedents
Religious texts
Codified statutes
Customs
Explanation - In common law systems, court decisions and precedents are the primary source of law.
Correct answer is: Judicial precedents
Q.9 The Napoleonic Code influenced which legal tradition?
Civil law
Common law
Customary law
Religious law
Explanation - The Napoleonic Code of 1804 significantly shaped modern civil law systems, especially in Europe and Latin America.
Correct answer is: Civil law
Q.10 Which legal system is primarily followed in the United States (excluding Louisiana)?
Civil law
Common law
Religious law
Customary law
Explanation - The United States mainly follows the common law system, except Louisiana, which has civil law influences.
Correct answer is: Common law
Q.11 Which is NOT a feature of civil law systems?
Comprehensive legal codes
Precedent as the main source of law
Judges applying statutes
Influence of Roman law
Explanation - Civil law systems rely on codified statutes, not precedent, as the main source of law.
Correct answer is: Precedent as the main source of law
Q.12 In common law, the principle that requires courts to follow previous decisions is called:
Lex talionis
Stare decisis
Habeas corpus
Res judicata
Explanation - Stare decisis is the doctrine that obliges courts to follow established precedents in future similar cases.
Correct answer is: Stare decisis
Q.13 Which legal tradition is dominant in Latin American countries?
Common law
Civil law
Religious law
Customary law
Explanation - Most Latin American nations follow civil law systems influenced by the Napoleonic Code and Spanish law.
Correct answer is: Civil law
Q.14 Which ancient legal code is considered one of the earliest written laws?
Napoleonic Code
Code of Hammurabi
Justinian Code
Magna Carta
Explanation - The Code of Hammurabi from ancient Mesopotamia is one of the first known codifications of law.
Correct answer is: Code of Hammurabi
Q.15 Which document is considered a foundation for constitutional law in England?
Napoleonic Code
Magna Carta
Bill of Rights (1689)
Justinian Code
Explanation - The Magna Carta of 1215 established limits on royal power and is a cornerstone of English constitutional law.
Correct answer is: Magna Carta
Q.16 Which legal system is largely unwritten and based on tribal or community practices?
Civil law
Religious law
Customary law
Common law
Explanation - Customary law often exists in oral traditions and community practices, especially in indigenous communities.
Correct answer is: Customary law
Q.17 Which principle ensures that no one is above the law?
Separation of powers
Judicial review
Rule of law
Stare decisis
Explanation - The rule of law ensures that all individuals and institutions are subject to the law.
Correct answer is: Rule of law
Q.18 Which legal tradition often intertwines with political and religious authority?
Civil law
Common law
Religious law
Customary law
Explanation - Religious law traditions, such as Sharia, integrate legal, political, and religious authority.
Correct answer is: Religious law
Q.19 Which modern country’s legal system is a mix of common law and civil law?
India
Canada
South Africa
Japan
Explanation - South Africa’s legal system is a hybrid of Roman-Dutch civil law and English common law.
Correct answer is: South Africa
Q.20 Which is the primary source of law in religious legal systems?
Judicial precedents
Statutes
Sacred texts
Customs
Explanation - Religious legal systems derive authority from sacred texts, such as the Quran in Sharia law.
Correct answer is: Sacred texts
Q.21 Which legal tradition was dominant in medieval Europe before modern systems emerged?
Canon law
Civil law
Common law
Customary law
Explanation - Canon law, based on church authority, played a dominant role in medieval Europe before secular systems developed.
Correct answer is: Canon law
Q.22 Which country follows civil law but has elements of customary law in personal matters?
Japan
India
Nigeria
France
Explanation - Nigeria’s legal system is a mix of civil law, common law, and customary law in personal and family matters.
Correct answer is: Nigeria
Q.23 Which principle is central to both common law and civil law systems?
Judicial precedent
Codification
Equality before the law
Religious authority
Explanation - Both common law and civil law traditions uphold equality before the law as a fundamental principle.
Correct answer is: Equality before the law
Q.24 Which legal tradition is strongly associated with colonial legacies?
Civil law
Common law
Religious law
Customary law
Explanation - Common law spread globally through British colonial expansion.
Correct answer is: Common law
Q.25 In civil law systems, judges primarily act as:
Lawmakers
Interpreters of codes
Religious leaders
Custom enforcers
Explanation - Civil law judges apply and interpret codes, rather than creating law through precedent.
Correct answer is: Interpreters of codes