Final

Question 1

When a particular court has sole authority and control over certain types of cases or legal matters this is called?

Answer 1

Exclusive Jurisdiction

Question 2

Which court has exclusive jurisdiction over family cases in Cameron County?

Answer 2

444th

Question 3

This is a voluntary and confidential process in which a neutral third party, facilitates communication and negotiation between disputing parties to help them reach a mutually acceptable agreement or resolution to their conflict is called?

Answer 3

Mediation

Question 4

_____________________ in Texas is a legal process where a married couple can seek a divorce without having to prove that one party is responsible for the breakdown of the marriage. Instead, they can simply cite “insupportability” as the reason for the divorce, indicating that the marriage has become insupportable due to discord or conflict. This means that neither spouse is legally blamed or held responsible for the marriage ending, making it easier to obtain a divorce in Texas without the need for fault-based grounds.

Answer 4

No fault divorce

Question 5

Individuals who represent themselves as in a legal proceeding are called?

Answer 5

Pro se litigants

Question 6

A legal union between two people recognized by the state, involving a ceremony and the issuance of a marriage license, granting them legal rights, responsibilities, and privileges as spouses is called?

Answer 6

Marriage

Question 7

A marriage created without a license or ceremony is called?

Answer 7

Common law marriage

Question 8

A document issued by the Cameron County Clerk that authorizes a couple to get married is called?

Answer 8

Marriage license

Question 9

A document prepared by the official performing the marriage; most jurisdictions require the couple, the person officiating the marriage and a witness to sign this document which is called?

Answer 9

Marriage certificate

Question 10

Being married to two people at the same time is called?

Answer 10

Bigamy

Question 11

A contract entered into by the prospective spouses regarding their rights during the marriage and in the event of a divorce is called a?

Answer 11

Prenuptial agreement

Question 12

A belief generally held by a majority of the public as to the desirability or rights or wrongness of certain behavior is called?

Answer 12

Public policy

Question 13

A clause that prevents your future spouse from sharing private details about each other, everything from financial info to personal details is?

Answer 13

Confidentiality clause

Question 14

This clause is triggered if one of the spouses commits adultery is called?

Answer 14

Infidelity clause

Question 15

The complete legal severance of the marital relationship is called?

Answer 15

Divorce

Question 16

Written questions served on the opposing party to be answered under oath are?

Answer 16

Interrogatories

Question 17

Formal requests for documents such as earnings information, income tax returns, etc. be produced are called?

Answer 17

Request for Production

Question 18

A request served on the opposing party to admit or deny questions is called?

Answer 18

Request for Admission

Question 19

A procedure where one party orders the other party or a person who may be called as a witness at trial to appear and answer questions under oath, which are transcribed by a court reporter is called?

Answer 19

Deposition

Question 20

A meeting with both lawyers and their representative clients with the specific goal of settling the case without court intervention is called a?

Answer 20

Settlement conference

Question 21

_____________ is financial support paid by one ex-spouse to the other after the marriage has legally ended.

Answer 21

Alimony

Question 22

Spousal support that is awarded for a limited period of time to give the spouse the opportunity to become self-sufficient is called?

Answer 22

Rehabilitative alimony

Question 23

A cause of action on whether spousal support may be increased or decreased after the original order is entered due to a change in one spouse’s circumstances is called?

Answer 23

Modification of alimony

Question 24

A civil proceeding that a party may commence to force the payor spouse to comply with the court’s order when the party entitled to alimony is not paid is called?

Answer 24

Contempt proceeding

Question 25

When the recipient spouse proves that the payor spouse has the means to make weekly payments but purposefully and deliberately fails to so is called?

Answer 25

Willful contempt

Question 26

All property and income acquired during the marriage is called?

Answer 26

Community property

Question 27

The property acquired during a marriage is called?

Answer 27

Marital assets

Question 28

Property acquired by a spouse prior to the marriage, or after the marriage by a gift, inheritance, or will, designated to that particular spouse alone is called?

Answer 28

Separate property

Question 29

A system of property division that assumes that both husband and wife contributed to the accumulation of marital assets is called?

Answer 29

Community property distribution

Question 30

The Texas Family Code that governs the division of community property is?

Answer 30

Tex. Fam. Code 3.102

Question 31

A monetary award for a personal injury settlement is considered?

Answer 31

Separate property

Question 32

Where one parent has exclusive custody of a child is called?

Answer 32

Sole custody

Question 33

Standard that opened the contest for custody not only to fathers but also to other potential caregivers when the child's well-being or interests could be best served by such a custody determination is called?

Answer 33

Best interest of the child

Question 34

A person with specialized knowledge of who is called to testify in court is called a?

Answer 34

Expert witness

Question 35

The parent who has taken care of a child's most basic needs and main responsibility is called?

Answer 35

Primary caretaker

Question 36

Arrangement in which parents are equally responsible for the financial, emotional, educational and health-related needs of their children is called?

Answer 36

Joint custody

Question 37

The parent with whom the child primarily resides is?

Answer 37

Custodial parent

Question 38

A type of visitation that permits a noncustodial parent to freely visit with the child without others being present is called?

Answer 38

Unsupervised visitation

Question 39

A type of visit that limits or restricts a parent's visitation right is called?

Answer 39

Supervised vitiation

Question 40

The right of a non custodial parent to frequently spend time with the child unless the court finds that visitation in some way endangers the child's emotional, mental, moral, or physical health is called?

Answer 40

Visitation rights

Question 41

An agreement created by both parents detailing how they will continue their parenting responsibilities towards their children after their marriage is dissolved is called a?

Answer 41

Parenting plan

Question 42

A party who is not one of the main parties in a dispute is called a?

Answer 42

Third-party intervenor

Question 43

Statutorily enacted formulas for determining the amount the non-custodial parent must pay for the support of each child is called?

Answer 43

Child support guidelines

Question 44

The figure arrived at when each parent's net income is added together to determine child support is called?

Answer 44

Combined net income

Question 45

The figure arrived at when each parent's net income is added to determine child support is called?

Answer 45

Total net income

Question 46

The __________ has the final say in the amount of child support and can override the agreement of the parties.

Answer 46

Judge

Question 47

A document requesting the court to order the noncustodial parent to pay higher periodic child support payment, so that less of the custodial parent's income will be needed for the child is what called?

Answer 47

Motion for modification of child support

Question 48

A motion that alerts the court to the other party's failure to comply with the court's earlier order and requests that the court provide relief is what kind of proceeding?

Answer 48

Motion for contempt

Question 49

A document empowering a sheriff to arrest a non-appearing noncustodial parent and bring him or her to jail and to court is called?

Answer 49

Capias

Question 50

Child custody laws in Texas are primarily focused on the ________________________ involved.

Answer 50

Best interest of the child

Question 51

When an unmarried couple is living together with their biological child, each parent is considered to be ________________?

Answer 51

legal guardian

Question 52

Each parent is considered to be the legal guardian of a child, providing that the father has previously completed an _____________ containing facts that the man is the father of a child?

Answer 52

affidavit of paternity

Question 53

If a man denies that he is the father or is not sure, when the child's mother brings a child support action the court may order a ________________?

Answer 53

DNA test

Question 54

A man who signs a child's birth certificate and/or completes an affidavit or acknowledgement of paternity, is deemed to be the child's father before the law. This is called?

Answer 54

de facto father

Question 55

Certain professional and paraprofessionals are _________________, meaning that by law, under penalty of law, they are required to report any signs of suspected child abuse or neglect.

Answer 55

mandatory reporter

Question 56

An individual who reports suspected child abuse and neglect but is not legally obligated by statute to do so is called?

Answer 56

permissive reporter

Question 57

______________________ was enacted because by the late 1970s there were approximately 503,000 children languishing in foster care and the mistaken belief by some that poverty issues were synonymous with neglect.

Answer 57

Adoption Assitance and child Welfare Act of 1980

Question 58

A court proceeding that severs the legal bonds between a parent and his or her biological child, is called?

Answer 58

Termination of parental rights

Question 59

A ___________ is a court order issued by a judge in a criminal case against a defendant accused of a domestic violence related crime.

Answer 59

Criminal Protective Order

Question 60

A ________________ court order obtained by a victim of domestic violence in a family court.

Answer 60

Civil restraining order

Question 61

A Latin term meaning "by one party" or "for one party" is called?

Answer 61

Ex Parte

Question 62

A legal proceeding that makes a person or persons the legal parent or parents of a minor child who is not their natural child is called?

Answer 62

Adoption

Question 63

The legal requirement that must exist for the police to make an arrest, meaning that based on the evidence, the arresting officers have determined that a crime has been committed by the person sought to be arrested is called?

Answer 63

Probable cause

Question 64

Determines the amount of equity the parties can keep in their homes and shield from the bankruptcy proceedings is called?

Answer 64

Homestead exception

Question 64

Adoptive parents must participate in a preplacement assessment know as a _____________, conducted by a licensed social worker who works for the state or a licensed adoption agency.

Answer 64

Home study

Question 65

An adoption where the biological parents, the adoptive parents, and sometimes the children are known to each other is called?

Answer 65

Open adoption

Question 66

Spouses who file a joint tax return are _____________________ for taxes due as well as any additions, penalties, or interest.

Answer 66

Jointly and severally liable

Question 67

A spouse may avoid full or partial tax liability if he or she qualifies for what is known ________________________ arising from a joint tax return where a tax is assessed against his or her spouse.

Answer 67

Innocent spouse relief

Question 68

A form of bankruptcy that allows a debtor to discharge or liquidate a majority of their debts is?

Answer 68

Chapter 7

Question 69

The petition filed by a victim of domestic violence in a civil court where the victim alleges that the petitioner and/or members of the household are in immediate physical danger and as such, request relief from the court is a?

Answer 69

Temporary restraining order