100+ Free Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Practice Questions

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Examen inzake Beroepsbekwaamheid Magistraat (HRJ-CSJ, Belgium)

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Exam

5 hours

Written case duration (8-page limit)

MB 23 April 2024 / HRJ 2025-2026 info session

60% / 60%

Written gate / oral ranking threshold

MB 23 April 2024

2-year stage

Judicial traineeship after a successful ranking

HRJ gerechtelijke-stage page

NL / FR

Official sitting languages

HRJ-CSJ commissions

Belgium's HRJ gerechtelijke-stage exam is a ranked 5-hour written case plus oral (60%/60%) for the two-year judicial traineeship. Official languages Dutch or French. This bank is an English MCQ study aid, not a translation.

Sample Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under recodified Book 5 of the Belgian Civil Code, what is a verbintenis (obligation)?

A.A moral duty that a court may never enforce

B.A legal bond entitling a creditor to demand performance of a prestation from a debtor, if necessary in court

C.A purely procedural relationship between litigants after a dagvaarding is served

D.A public-law duty owed only to the Belgian State

Explanation: Article 5.1 BW defines a verbintenis as a legal bond on the basis of which a creditor may demand from a debtor, if necessary in court, performance of a prestation. That civil-law concept is the starting point of the obligations matter on the vergelijkend toelatingsexamen.

2According to article 5.3 of the recodified Civil Code, from which sources can obligations arise?

A.Only from a signed notarial deed

B.Only from extra-contractual fault

C.From a juridical act, a quasi-contract, extra-contractual liability, or the law

D.Only from a judgment of the rechtbank van eerste aanleg

Explanation: Article 5.3 BW lists the sources of obligations: a juridical act (rechtshandeling), a quasi-contract (oneigenlijk contract), extra-contractual liability, or the law. A contract is the principal juridical act, but it is not the only source.

3What does the beginsel van de overeenkomst-wet in article 5.69 BW express?

A.A validly formed contract binds only the State, not the parties

B.A validly formed contract is law for those who concluded it

C.A contract may be rewritten by either party whenever performance becomes inconvenient

D.Oral contracts are never binding in Belgian law

Explanation: Article 5.69 BW restates pacta sunt servanda: a validly formed contract is law for those who concluded it. Modification or termination requires the parties' consent, a statutory ground, or a contractual clause (art. 5.70 BW).

4Article 5.73 BW requires that a contract be performed in good faith. What else does that article prohibit?

A.Any interpretation of contractual terms

B.Assignment of contractual claims

C.Abuse of rights in the performance of the contract

D.The use of annotated wetboeken during the written proef

Explanation: Article 5.73 BW requires performance in good faith and prohibits abuse of rights (rechtsmisbruik). Objective good faith can supplement duties and moderate the exercise of contractual prerogatives.

5When did Book 6 BW on extra-contractual liability enter into force, and what is its basic fault rule?

A.1 January 2023; only intentional faults give rise to liability

B.1 January 2025; everyone is liable for damage caused to another by their fault (art. 6.5)

C.1 September 2021; liability is strictly no-fault in every case

D.1 November 2020; only public authorities can be extra-contractually liable

Explanation: Book 6 BW (Wet 7 February 2024) entered into force on 1 January 2025 and replaced the old arts. 1382-1383 scheme. Article 6.5 states that everyone is liable for damage caused to another by their fault. The lightest fault suffices; intent is not required.

6How does article 3.50 BW define the right of ownership (eigendomsrecht)?

A.A personal claim against the previous seller only

B.The direct right to use the object, enjoy it, and dispose of it, subject to limits imposed by law, regulation, or third-party rights

C.A mere licence from the gemeente to occupy land

D.A right that exists only after a Hof van Cassatie judgment

Explanation: Article 3.50 BW (Book 3, in force 1 September 2021) gives the owner the direct rights of use, enjoyment, and disposal, with the fullness of powers except as limited by laws, regulations, or third-party rights.

7Under article 8.4 BW, who generally bears the burden of proof?

A.Always the defendant, because the claimant enjoys a presumption of truth

B.The public prosecutor in every civil case

C.The party who claims to be able to sue another must prove the acts or facts needed for that claim, and a party who claims to be released must prove the supporting acts or facts

D.The judge, who must gather all evidence of his or her own motion in every private dispute

Explanation: Book 8 BW (in force 1 November 2020) restates the classic allocation: the claimant proves the acts or facts needed to sue; the party alleging release or discharge proves the supporting acts or facts (art. 8.4). The judge is not a general inquisitor in ordinary civil cases.

8Which special contracts are expressly listed in the 2024 ministerial programme for the obligations/property matter of the vergelijkend toelatingsexamen?

A.Insurance, bill of exchange, and consumer credit only

B.Sale, lease, loan, deposit, mandate, contracting (aanneming), and settlement (dading)

C.Marriage contracts and wills only

D.Collective labour agreements and social-security affiliation contracts only

Explanation: Annex II to the MB of 23 April 2024 (BS 2 May 2024) lists, besides judicial law, obligations, extra-contractual liability, the special contracts of sale, lease, loan, deposit, mandate, contracting and settlement, sureties, prescription, property, and evidence.

9A contract is formed although one party's consent is absent. What is the sanction under article 5.31 BW?

A.Absolute nullity that any interested person may invoke at any time without limit

B.Relative nullity

C.Automatic conversion into a public-law concession

D.Criminal invalidity that only the procureur des Konings may raise

Explanation: Article 5.31 BW provides that a contract formed although one party's consent is absent is relatively null. Relative nullity protects the party whose consent was lacking and must be invoked according to the Book 5 nullity rules.

10When does a wilsverhinderende dwaling (mistake preventing a true meeting of minds) make a contract null under article 5.31 BW?

A.Whenever a party later regrets a bad bargain

B.Only if a notary recorded the mistake in the deed

C.Only if the mistake is both decisive for the party and excusable

D.Never; mistake is not a defect of consent in Book 5

Explanation: Article 5.31 BW requires that a wilsverhinderende dwaling be both decisive (doorslaggevend) and excusable (verschoonbaar). A normally careful person placed in the same circumstances would also have been mistaken, and the mistaken element must have determined consent.

About the Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Exam

The vergelijkend toelatingsexamen tot de gerechtelijke stage is the HRJ-CSJ ranking exam for the two-year judicial traineeship, the main route into the Belgian magistracy for younger jurists. Candidates write a five-hour case in obligations-and-property, criminal law or social law (each including procedure), sit cognitive and personality tests, and take an oral. Sixty percent on the written paper is required for the oral; sixty percent on the oral produces a ranking for available traineeship places. The chosen matter does not determine later posting. Official sittings are in Dutch or French. This practice bank is a free English-language MCQ study adaptation — not an official translation and not a substitute for case writing, psych tests or the oral.

Assessment

Competitive ranking examination for admission to the two-year gerechtelijke stage, organised by the HRJ-CSJ under Gerechtelijk Wetboek articles 259bis-9 and 259octies. Written case on Werkenvoor.be computers (Justel plus own annotated codes), psychological tests, then oral. Official sittings are in Dutch or French. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation and not a simulation of the 5-hour case, the psych tests or the oral.

Time Limit

Five hours for the written case

Passing Score

At least 60% on the written case to reach the oral; candidates with at least 60% on the oral are ranked

Exam Fee

Not published in the 23 April 2024 programme or HRJ info-session materials (Hoge Raad voor de Justitie / Conseil supérieur de la Justice (HRJ-CSJ))

Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Exam Content Outline

not-published

Obligations, contracts, property and evidence

Verbintenissenrecht, bijzondere overeenkomsten, goederenrecht, bewijsrecht and civil procedure

not-published

Criminal law and criminal procedure

General and special criminal law (excluding building, environment and social criminal law) plus strafprocesrecht

not-published

Social law

Labour law and social-security rules in the 11 April 1995 Charter, excluding collective debt settlement and social criminal law

not-published

Judicial organisation, deontology and case method

Court organisation, magistrate ethics, the three-phase written assignment and the nine psychological-test competencies

How to Pass the Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: At least 60% on the written case to reach the oral; candidates with at least 60% on the oral are ranked
Assessment: Competitive ranking examination for admission to the two-year gerechtelijke stage, organised by the HRJ-CSJ under Gerechtelijk Wetboek articles 259bis-9 and 259octies. Written case on Werkenvoor.be computers (Justel plus own annotated codes), psychological tests, then oral. Official sittings are in Dutch or French. This bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation and not a simulation of the 5-hour case, the psych tests or the oral.
Time limit: Five hours for the written case
Exam fee: Not published in the 23 April 2024 programme or HRJ info-session materials

Keys to Passing

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Belgian Judicial Traineeship Admission Exam Study Tips from Top Performers

1Drill the three written phases: I concise relevant facts, II procedure plus substance with legal grounds, III human and societal justification consistent with II.

2Respect the 8-page limit conceptually: extra pages are not read.

3The new Criminal Code was not required for the 2025-2026 written paper; the oral may still test its general principles.

4This bank cannot replace writing a 5-hour anonymous case or sitting the psych tests and oral.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official HRJ gerechtelijke-stage exam?

No. OpenExamPrep publishes a free English-language multiple-choice study adaptation. The official exam is a five-hour written case plus psychological tests plus an oral, organised by the HRJ-CSJ in Dutch or French.

How does this differ from the beroepsbekwaamheid exam?

This is a ranking exam for the two-year judicial traineeship, aimed at younger jurists with limited experience. The examen inzake beroepsbekwaamheid is a pass-certificate route for experienced jurists seeking direct access to the magistracy.

What is the pass mark?

At least 60% on the written case is required to sit the oral. Candidates with at least 60% on the oral are ranked for available traineeship places. After five unsuccessful sittings (counting only exams after the 6 July 2017 law), further participation is barred.

Does the chosen matter decide my later posting?

No. The HRJ info session states that the chosen matter applies to written and oral but does not influence assignment as magistraat in opleiding or later applications as candidate magistrate.

In which languages is the official exam held?

Dutch or French, according to the HRJ-CSJ language-role commission. This bank is an English study aid, not an official translation.