Legal Support Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Legal Support facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does 'service of process' accomplish? → Formally notifies a party of legal proceedings against them
2. What is a 'conflict of interest' in legal ethics? → A situation where a lawyer's representation of one client may be adverse to another
3. What is a 'case management system' in a law firm? → Software that organizes client files, deadlines, contacts, and case information
4. Which Federal Rule of Civil Procedure primarily governs the general provisions for discovery in federal civil cases? → Rule 26
5. What is a 'contingency fee' arrangement? → The attorney is paid only if the case is won, taking a percentage of the recovery
6. What is a 'default judgment'? → A judgment against a party who fails to respond or appear
7. What does 'in camera' mean in court proceedings? → A private hearing in the judge's chambers or closed court
8. Which form of discovery consists of written questions that must be answered in writing under oath by the opposing party? → Interrogatories
9. What is the NALS Code of Ethics for legal professionals? → Professional standards guiding integrity and competence for legal support staff
10. What is 'Westlaw' used for in legal research? → Searching case law, statutes, regulations, and other legal materials
11. What does 'Shepardizing' a case mean? → Verifying that a case is still good law using citation research tools
12. What is 'res judicata'? → A doctrine barring re-litigation of a matter already decided
13. What is a 'tickler system' in legal office management? → A reminder system that alerts staff to upcoming deadlines
14. What does 'deposition' mean in legal proceedings? → Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded for later use
15. What is the purpose of a 'table of authorities' in a legal brief? → To list all cases, statutes, and other authorities cited in the brief with page numbers
16. What is 'billing write-off' in law firm accounting? → Reducing or eliminating billed fees that the firm decides not to collect
17. What must a legal support professional do when asked to perform an unauthorized practice of law? → Decline and inform the supervising attorney
18. What legal document compels a witness to appear and give testimony at a deposition or trial? → Subpoena
19. What does 'subpoena' mean? → A court order compelling attendance or document production
20. What is a 'power of attorney' document? → A legal authorization for one person to act on another's behalf
21. What does 'statute of limitations' mean? → The time limit for filing a legal claim
22. What must be included in a properly formatted legal pleading caption? → Court name, parties, case number, and document title
23. What constitutes 'zealous advocacy' by an attorney? → Diligently representing a client's lawful interests within ethical bounds
24. How long does a defendant typically have to respond to a complaint in federal court? → 21 days
25. What is a 'secondary source' in legal research? → Materials that analyze or explain the law, such as treatises and law review articles
26. Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, how many days does a party generally have to respond to interrogatories? → 30 days
27. What is an 'appellate brief'? → A written legal argument submitted to an appeals court
28. What does 'indemnification' mean in contracts? → An obligation to compensate another party for losses
29. What is 'estoppel' in legal terms? → A principle preventing a party from asserting something contrary to prior conduct
30. What is 'The Bluebook' in legal practice? → The standard guide for legal citation format used in US courts and law reviews