Deck 2: The Canadian Court System

Question 1

In which of the following Canadian provinces is the legal system based upon a civil code system rather than the common law?

A)British Columbia
B)Quebec
C)New Brunswick
D)Ontario
E)Newfoundland and Labrador

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following types of law will likely come into play in a claim that a government agency has acted in excess of its powers?

A)administrative law
B)common law
C)constitutional law
D)criminal law
E)both A and C

Answer 2

E

Question 3

What term is given to an action brought by one or more individuals on behalf of all persons who were injured by similar acts by the same defendant?

A)certification
B)class action lawsuit
C)damages claim
D)third party claim
E)mediation
Ch) 2

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In which of the following cases is a third party claim normally issued?

A)when a defendant has a counterclaim against a plaintiff
B)when a defendant may be responsible to the plaintiff but may have a claim against another party for some or all of the amount owed to the plaintiff
C)when a judgment is signed
D)when a plaintiff wishes to claim against more than one defendant.
E)when a defendant alleges that none or only part of a debt is owed

Question 5

Why are appeal courts normally reluctant to change findings of fact made by a trial judge or a jury?

A)because transcripts submitted are normally deficient.
B)because of the operation of the principle of stare decisis
C)because not having seen the witnesses they are not well placed to assess the credibility of the testimony given
D)because not having seen the witnesses they cannot apply the relevant law
E)because they are limited in their fact finding capabilities by the Constitution

Question 6

In which of the following circumstances would a defendant to a claim for monies due and owing in the small claims court, be advised to a file a defence to the claim?

A)the plaintiff is claiming interest
B)the defendant admits to owing the debt
C)the defendant wishes to have a structured settlement arrangement with the plaintiff
D)the defendant denies owing the debt or denies owing the entire sum claimed
E)the defendant requires time to pay the debt

Question 7

In which of the following courts, can a person usually conduct an action by him or herself or retain a lawyer, paralegal or law student to assist him or her?

A)Superior Court
B)Court of Appeal
C)Supreme Court of Canada
D)Small Claims Court
E)Divisional Court

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true of the discovery process in civil proceedings?

A)the existence of relevant emails must be disclosed to the other side
B)admissions useful to one party's case are sometime made by the opposing party during this process
C)it can be used to encourage out of court settlements
D)None of the above
E)All of the above

Question 9

Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE with respect to arbitration proceedings?

A)Arbitration proceedings normally take more time than the it does to litigate a matter in the regular court system
B)An arbitrator's decision is binding and can be enforced as a court judgment
C)Arbitration proceedings are normally conducted without many of the procedural requirements of a formal trial.
D)An arbitrator must be neutral
E)Arbitration proceedings are often chosen as an alternative to having a dispute become subject to a foreign legal system

Question 10

If you are involved in a traffic accident, which of the following different categories of law might apply to you?

A)The civil law could apply if you were sued by an injured party.
B)The criminal law could apply if you were charged with an offence such as dangerous driving.
C)Regulatory law could apply if you were charged with a non-criminal offence such as careless driving under the provincial Highway Traffic Act.
D)Constitutional law could apply if you were charged with an offence and wishes to argue, for example, that evidence should be excluded because of a violation by the police of your rights under the Charter of Rights.
E)All of the above

Question 11

In which of the following scenarios would the doctrine of binding precedent NOT apply?

A)A judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario is hearing a case with similar facts and points of law to a case already decided by the Supreme Court of Canada
B)The Court of Appeal of Prince Edward Island is hearing a case with similar facts and points of laws to a case already decided by the Supreme Court of Canada.
C)A judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia is hearing a case with similar facts and points of law to a case already decided by the Court of Appeal of British Columbia.
D)The Court of Appeal of Manitoba is hearing a case with similar facts and points of law to a case already decided by a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
E)It would apply in all of the above cases.

Question 12

Susan became seriously ill for several weeks as a result of having taken cough syrup. Susan saw a news report that the drug company that manufactured the cough syrup had produced a bad batch and that at least 200 other people had also become ill. Susan wishes to sue the pharmaceutical company but does not have the money to pay all the legal costs associated with doing so. Which of the following actions is open to Susan?

A)She can seek an order from the court for the defendant to make a deposit on account of the damages that she will recover
B)She can seek an order from the court for the defendant to prepay her legal costs
C)She can claim injunctive relief against the drug company.
D)She can seek certification of a class action from the court
E)She can immediately commence a class action lawsuit

Question 13

Which of the following pairs of documents at a minimum, comprise the pleadings in a civil case?

A)statement of claim and statement of defence
B)statement of defence and affidavit
C)motion and affidavit
D)statement of defence and motion
E)statement of claim and judgment
Ch) 2

Question 14

Trevor has obtained a judgment for $400,000 against Jennifer who has refused to pay it. Which of the following courses of action can Trevor take in order to have the debt satisfied?

A)He can apply to the court to seize and make an order for the sale of Jennifer's real property.
B)He can apply to have a judgment debtor examination of Jennifer
C)He can apply to the court to have Jennifer's real property seized and sold.
D)Garnishment proceedings
E)All of the above
Ch) 2

Question 15

What is the name given to laws passed by a government?

A)common law
B)canon law
C)stare decisis
D)statutes
E)equity
Ch) 2

Question 16

Which of the following options is open to a litigant who wishes to make a claim in the small claims court but the amount of the claim exceeds the current monetary jurisdiction of the court?

A)consolidate the claim
B)seek an increase in the monetary jurisdiction of the court
C)seek unspecified damages against the defendant.
D)waive the claim
E)waive the excess portion of the claim

Question 17

If your business publishes false claims, it could be charged with the offence of misleading advertising under the Competition Act. If that happened, the law that applied would be

A)civil law
B)regulatory law
C)constitutional law
D)administrative law
E)none of the above

Question 18

Which of the following statements is TRUE of appeals in the Canadian court system?

A)an appeal against the decision of a trial court of a province can be filed in the court of appeal of any other province
B)appeal court judges seldom have the power to reverse the decision of a lower court
C)appeals are based on matters of law
D)the parties are often allowed to challenge findings of fact made by a trial court
E)most appeals are successful as the lower courts often make errors

Question 19

If someone is injured as a result of your negligence and sues you for damages, the law that will resolve this dispute between you is

A)civil Law
B)criminal law
C)constitutional law
D)administrative law
E)Both A and B

Question 20

What term is given to a document sworn to under oath by a person and which can be used as evidence in a judicial proceeding?

A)pleading
B)statement of defence
C)affidavit
D)pre-trial conference
E)statement of claim

Question 21

A statement of claim is one type of:

A)Garnishment.
B)Execution
C)Pleading
D)Plaintiff.
E)Discovery

Question 22

Which of the following terms means that a judge must follow another judge's ruling on the law if the latter judge is of a higher rank?

A)equity
B)Stare decisis
C)noblesse oblige
D)common law
E)arbitration

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Law is made by judges.
B)Law is made by legislatures and Parliament.
C)Law is made by Law Reform Commissions.
D)Both A and B
E)All of the above
Ch)2

Question 24

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Above 80% of actions go to trial.
B)An independent senior trial lawyer may sit in on examinations for discovery to give the parties an opinion on the case.
C)Transcripts of examination for discovery may be used for trial preparation and also be used as evidence at trial.
D)About 90% of appeals are successful
E)Contract settlements must be recorded in public records

Question 25

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Prior to a writ of summons being issued, a plaintiff must file an affidavit of documents with the court.
B)Only the defendant must serve an affidavit of documents.
C)The pleadings are not complete until there is a transcript of the examination for discovery.
D)People do not have disclose their Facebook postings under the discovery of documents
E)None of the above.

Question 26

To which of the following does the Civil Code system apply?

A)The Criminal Code
B)All civil statutes
C)The province of Quebec
D)The Northwest Territories
E)Both C and D

Question 27

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)in many provinces the limitation period for most civil cases is 2 years
B)a civil case must be tried in the jurisdiction where the key event occurred
C)if a statement of defense is not filed on time the case will be dismissed
D)the defendant has the choice in what location the trial will be heard in a civil case
E)after the pleadings comes the debtor's examination

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true concerning the Small Claims Court?

A)A person who starts a proceeding is called a plaintiff.
B)A person who starts a proceeding is called a defendant.
C)On proper facts a defendant can make a counterclaim against the plaintiff in the same action.
D)Both A and C
E)All of the above

Question 29

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)A solicitor is a trial lawyer.
B)Lawyers in the United States are called attorneys
C)A barrister is a trial lawyer.
D)Both B and C
E)All of the above

Question 30

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)The parties in a civil action may agree to waive the rules of evidence at trial.
B)The plaintiff in a civil action must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
C)"Findings of fact" is another term for the evidence given at trial.
D)At the end of a trial the judge's decision is called a judgment
E)Only the defendant has to produce documents in the discovery process

Question 31

Anna was fired by the newspaper she worked for and she sued the newspaper for wrongful dismissal. She eventually agreed to a large settlement out of court with the newspaper. In the settlement agreement there was a confidentiality clause. Then 16 months after the settlement Anna wrote a blog comment that said "I got a huge amount of money from the newspaper and that ought to teach those editors a lesson." As a result which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Anna will probably have to pay back the money she received in the settlement
B)Anna has done nothing wrong as she did not disclose the amount she received
C)Anna can say anything she wants as it was more than a year after the settlement money was paid
D)Anna will have to repay part of the settlement money
E)the newspaper can sue Anna for her false statements

Question 32

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)A trial court is bound by a decision on the same point of law made by another trial court in the province.
B)A trial court is bound by a decision on the same point of law made by any Court Appeal in Canada.
C)A trial court is bound by a decision on the same point of law made by any Court of Appeal in Canada except for the Quebec Court of Appeal.
D)Decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada are binding on all courts in Canada except those in Quebec.
E)None of the above.

Question 33

An injunction is a court order to

A)perform a contract
B)stop doing something
C)pay a debt that is overdue
D)show up in court on a specific date
E)hand over key documents to the other party in a legal action
Ch) 2

Question 34

Maria was injured when the brakes on her car failed so she sued the automobile manufacturer. After the pleadings the next step would be

A)a pretrial conference
B)an examination for discovery
C)alternative dispute resolution
D)discovery of documents
E)a debtor's examination
Ch) 2

Question 35

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)A person charged with a criminal offence in Canada has the constitutional right to be tried by a jury.
B)A jury is always composed of 12 persons.
C)A person cannot have a jury trial in a civil action in some provinces in Canada.
D)the defendant in a civil action cannot counter-claim for damages
E)the limitation period begins when the defendant knew there was a right to sue
Ch) 2

Question 36

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Although each case is decided on its own facts, judicial decisions develop principles that can be applied in similar situations.
B)Judges are not well suited to adapt the law to changing social and economic conditions, so law reform is best addressed by governments.
C)Statutes are subject to judicial interpretation.
D)The burden of proof is higher in criminal law than in civil law
E)All of the above
Ch) 2

Question 37

Al Bondie is driving his car home from the garage where its brakes were repaired and hits Clare Davies, a pedestrian. Clare sues Al. Al thinks that his brakes were faulty and he wants to sue the mechanic. What is the name of the legal process by which Al can make a claim against his mechanic in the same lawsuit initiated by Clare?

A)statement of claim
B)statement of defence
C)third party claim
D)garnishment
E)counterclaim

Question 38

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)The purpose of criminal law is to punish the wrong doer
B)The purpose civil law is to compensate the victim
C)In a civil trial the plaintiff pays the crown attorney
D)In a criminal jury trial there are 12 people and all 12 must agree to get a decision
E)Provinces have different rules on civil jury trials

Question 39

Stare decisis means:

A)A jury's decision cannot be overturned by a judge
B)The power to make laws is given only to the courts as governments cannot make laws
C)The Small Claims Courts cannot hear matters involving failure to pay debts
D)A judge is bound to follow a principle of law laid down by other judges of higher rank
E)A decision is not binding unless the judge gives written reasons

Question 40

Which of the following statements is FALSE? In criminal law

A)a jury is made up of 12 people
B)11 of 12 jurors must agree to reach a decision
C)not all criminal cases can be heard by a jury
D)the victim does not have to hire a lawyer a crown attorney will prosecute the case
E)one if its purposes is to deter others from committing similar crimes

Question 41

Mediation differs from litigation in which of the following ways?

A)Mediation is based on seeking compromise, whereas in litigation one side normally wins and the other loses.
B)In mediation, the parties decide on the outcome. In litigation, the court decides.
C)In mediation, a third party (the mediator)assists the parties to reach an agreement, if possible. In litigation, a third party (the judge)decides the outcome.
D)Both B and C
E)All of the above
Ch) 2

Question 42

Ella was sued by Jason successfully for $40,000 but she won't pay him. Jason knows she works at Sears as a manager and she also has $15,000 in a particular bank account. Jason will probably try to get

A)an injunction
B)a seizure and sale order
C)a garnishment order
D)an accounting
E)an Anton Piller order

Question 43

The burden of proof in a negligence case is the same as in a contract law case.

Question 44

Statutory law is judge made law.

Question 45

A major film company discovers a small company is making illegal copies of its movies and selling them for very low prices. Which of the following remedies would the film company NOT seek from the court?

A)an accounting of profits
B)an order of specific performance
C)an Anton Piller order
D)punitive damages
E)a deliver up order

Question 46

What is the name for the legal process by which a plaintiff can learn the location of a defendant's bank account?

A)garnishment
B)debtor examination
C)writ of seizure
D)execution
E)discovery

Question 47

Garnishment

A)Seizes money in the control of a defendant before judgement.
B)Seizes money in the control of a defendant after judgement.
C)Seizes money in the control of a third party owed to the defendant after judgement.
D)Seizes money in the control of a third party owed to the defendant before judgement.
E)Both B and C.
Ch) 2

Question 48

Arbitration differs from litigation in which of the following ways? Arbitration lacks many of the procedural rules of a court proceeding.

A)Decisions of an arbitrator, unlike a judgement of a court, are never binding on the parties.
B)Arbitration is normally faster and cheaper than having a trial.
C)Both A and C
D)All of the above

Question 49

Which of the following statements is FALSE? Class actions

A)allow persons who could not otherwise afford it access to justice
B)decrease the total cost of complex litigation
C)indirectly encourage large corporations to be more careful about issues of safety and product quality
D)are easily certified but rarely settle out of court
E)often result in the law firm for the plaintiff making large amounts of money
Ch) 2

Question 50

Business risks may be addressed in general in the following ways:

A)eliminating the risk
B)transferring the risk to someone else
C)paying for it
D)reducing the frequency of the risk occurring
E)All of the above

Question 51

Civil law deals mainly with torts and contract law.

Question 52

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)common law is judge-made law
B)many civil law cases involve torts and contract law
C)mediation is usually faster and cheaper and more private than litigation
D)statutory law is created by judges following precedents set in earlier cases
E)jurisdiction is the legal right of a court to hear a case

Question 53

Oxxon Co.'s ship ran into a rock, spilling oil on some cottage lands. Jane Doe is a member of an environmental protection group that wants to bring a class action against Oxxon as a test case on behalf of all cottage owners whose property was affected by the oil spill. Jane does not own a cottage, but a majority of the cottage owners support her. Will Jane likely be successful in being certified by a court?

A)Yes, because she has the consent of a majority of the cottage owners.
B)Yes, because she does not need the consent of any cottage owners; they can opt out of the class action.
C)No, because she doesn't have the consent of all cottage owners.
D)No, because he does not own a cottage herself.
E)Yes, because she is acting in the public interest.

Question 54

Oxxon Co.'s ship ran into a rock, spilling oil on some cottage lands. Jane Doe is a member of an environmental protection group that wants to bring a class action against Oxxon as a test case on behalf of all cottage owners whose property was affected by the oil spill. Jane does not own a cottage, but a majority of the cottage owners support her. Which of the following is TRUE?

A)Jane can start a class action provided she states that it's on behalf of all cottage owners whose land was damaged by the oil spill.
B)Jane can start class action provided she has the written permission of a majority of cottage owners whose land was damaged by the oil spill.
C)Jane must ask the court to certify her as a representative of the affected cottage owners before she can start the proposed class action.
D)Jane cannot start a class action in these circumstances because class actions are restricted to product liability actions.
E)Jane can start a class action provided she is prepared to indemnify the cottage owners for their costs in the event the action is unsuccessful.

Question 55

You have obtained a judgement against the defendant. How can you collect on it?

A)If he has money in a bank account, you can ask for an order from the court that it be made payable to you.
B)If he owns personal property, you can ask the court to order it seized and sold, with the proceeds going to you.
C)If he owns real property (land), you can ask the court to order it seized and sold, with the proceeds going to you.
D)Both B and C.
E)All of the above

Question 56

Peter from Calgary was walking across the street in Halifax. Suddenly Tara from Toronto drove her car through a red light and hit Peter causing him serious injuries. As a result, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Peter can sue Tara in a court in Calgary or Halifax
B)Peter would start the legal proceedings by filing a statement of claim
C)a court in Toronto could have jurisdiction to hear this case
D)Tara will have a time limit on when she must file a statement of defense
E)Tara's lawyer will have the right to review Peter's medical records

Question 57

Garnishment is

A)one type of pleading in the Small Claims Court.
B)the technical name for a judgement
C)a legal process used to collect on a judgement
D)a defence to a claim in a higher court
E)a way to enhance the presentation of a mea

Question 58

Which of the following class actions have been successful?

A)an action by women who received certain breast implants
B)actions by smokers against tobacco companies
C)an action against chocolate bar manufacturers for price fixing
D)an action by people who got Hepatitis C from blood transfusions
E)all of the above

Question 59

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)less than half of legal cases that begin will settle and never go to trial
B)in settlement agreements a plaintiff will sign a release
C)in some settlement agreements a confidentiality clause is included
D)settlement is often faster and less costly than a full trial
E)if someone discloses the contents of a settlement agreement a court may order them to repay the money they had received
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS Ch.2

Question 60

Under what circumstances can a defendant who is served with an appointment for a judgement debtor examination be put in jail?

A)If he fails to pay the judgement.
B)If he fails to file a defence
C)If he fails to honour a notice of garnishment
D)If he willfully fails to attend the examination
E)None of the above

Question 61

The Supreme Court of Canada has set a maximum amount that a person can be awarded for their pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.

Question 62

A plaintiff who has succeeded in obtaining a judgment against a defendant has no means to get the money they are owed if the defendant refuses to pay the judgment.

Question 63

Arbitration is appropriate for parties who wish to avoid adversarial court room trials.

Question 64

A decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, is only binding on the Canadian federal courts.

Question 65

Interest can be claimed as a part of any claim filed in the Small Claims Court.

Question 66

Most civil law cases have a limitation period of 5 years in which to start the pleadings.

Question 67

Only a decision of the Federal Court of Appeal is binding throughout all of Canada.

Question 68

In mediation proceedings, a mediator cannot impose a solution on the parties.

Question 69

In applying equitable principles, judges can apply their own concepts of fairness.

Question 70

Punitive damages are awarded to compensate a plaintiff for mental distress, emotional upset and embarrassment.

Question 71

The doctrine of precedent, means that a trial judge in an Ontario Small Claims Court is bound by a decision made by the Manitoba Court of Appeal.

Question 72

In a civil trial, the parties will not be aware of the documents that the other party has
concerning the matter, until the trial itself.

Question 73

If the court refuses to certify a class action lawsuit, no individual who claims an entitlement to damages can sue individually.

Question 74

In civil proceedings, the right to have the matter determined by a jury exists in all
provinces.

Question 75

Aggravated damages are extra money awarded to punish intentionally bad behavior.

Question 76

A civil trial is usually heard where the events occurred or where the defendant lives.