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100+ Free NALA ACP - Family Law Practice Questions
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2026 Statistics
Key Facts: NALA ACP - Family Law Exam
9
Community property states
AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI
6 months
UCCJEA home-state period
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
Dec 31, 2018
Alimony tax cutoff
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
$250 / $300
Course fee (member/non-member)
NALA
One order
UIFSA controlling order rule
Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
100
Free practice questions
OpenExamPrep
The NALA ACP - Family Law specialty is a roughly 20-hour, self-paced web-based course for current NALA Certified Paralegals that concludes with an open-book online final assessment; NALA does not publish a fixed question count, and the passing standard is set per course (commonly around 70%). The typical fee is $250 for members and $300 for non-members. Study centers on substantive family law: marriage validity, annulment, no-fault and fault divorce; community property vs. equitable distribution; the best-interests custody standard and the UCCJEA; child support guidelines and the UIFSA; spousal support; the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and protective orders/VAWA; and paternity, termination of parental rights, adoption, and ICWA. The prerequisite is the active NALA CP credential.
Sample NALA ACP - Family Law Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your NALA ACP - Family Law exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A couple obtains a marriage license, exchanges vows before an authorized officiant, and signs the license, but the officiant never returns it to the county clerk for recording. In most U.S. states, what is the legal status of the marriage?
A.Valid, because recording the license is generally a ministerial step that does not by itself invalidate an otherwise properly solemnized marriage
B.Void, because an unrecorded marriage license has no legal effect
C.Voidable only, until one party files to confirm it
D.Valid only if the couple later cohabits for the statutory common-law period
Explanation: Marriage requires capacity, a license, and solemnization. Recording or return of the license is typically a ministerial, directory act; failure to record does not retroactively void a marriage that was validly licensed and solemnized. Most statutes treat the officiant's return duty as administrative.
2Which of the following marriages is VOID from its inception, requiring no court decree to be treated as legally nonexistent?
A.A marriage entered into based on one spouse's fraudulent misrepresentation about wanting children
B.A bigamous marriage where one party was already legally married to a living spouse
C.A marriage where one party was temporarily intoxicated at the ceremony
D.A marriage between cousins in a state that permits first-cousin marriage
Explanation: A bigamous (and an incestuous) marriage is void ab initio as against public policy and is legally nonexistent without any decree. Voidable marriages, by contrast, are valid until annulled. Bigamy is the classic example of a void marriage.
3A client wants a divorce but does not want to allege any wrongdoing by the other spouse. The paralegal should explain that a no-fault divorce in most states is typically granted on what ground?
A.Adultery established by clear and convincing evidence
B.Desertion for a statutory period
C.Irreconcilable differences or irretrievable breakdown of the marriage
D.Habitual cruelty
Explanation: Every U.S. state offers no-fault divorce, generally on the ground of irreconcilable differences or the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. The petitioner need not prove marital misconduct. Fault grounds remain available in many states but are not required.
4A petitioner files for dissolution but has lived in the state for only two weeks. The respondent moves to dismiss. The most likely basis for dismissal is:
A.Improper venue within the correct state
B.Lack of personal jurisdiction over the petitioner
C.Failure to join an indispensable party
D.Failure to satisfy the state's durational residency requirement for divorce jurisdiction
Explanation: States impose durational residency requirements (commonly 6 weeks to 1 year) before a court has jurisdiction to grant a divorce. A two-week residency typically fails to meet this threshold, defeating subject-matter jurisdiction over the dissolution.
5What is the principal legal difference between an annulment and a divorce?
A.An annulment declares that a marriage was void or voidable and treats it as though it never legally existed, while a divorce terminates a valid marriage
B.An annulment is available only in community property states
C.A divorce requires fault while an annulment does not
D.An annulment ends a valid marriage, while a divorce declares the marriage never legally existed
Explanation: An annulment is a judicial declaration that a marriage was void or voidable, legally treating it as if it never existed. A divorce, by contrast, terminates a marriage that was valid. The grounds and consequences (e.g., property and support) differ accordingly.
6In a bifurcated dissolution proceeding, the court does which of the following?
A.Refers all issues to a private judge for binding arbitration
B.Grants the divorce status first and reserves financial and custody issues for later resolution
C.Divides all property before addressing the grounds for divorce
D.Requires both parties to attend mediation before any hearing
Explanation: Bifurcation separates the marital status (the divorce itself) from ancillary issues such as property division, support, and custody. The court can terminate marital status promptly and reserve jurisdiction to decide the remaining issues later. This is common when parties want to be single while disputes continue.
7A couple lived together for ten years in a state that recognizes common-law marriage, held themselves out as married, and intended to be married. They then move to a state that does not recognize common-law marriage. How should their relationship generally be treated in the new state?
A.As void, because they never obtained a license
B.As legally single, because the new state does not allow common-law marriage
C.As a valid marriage, because a marriage validly created in one state is generally recognized in others under principles of comity
D.As a domestic partnership only
Explanation: Under the place-of-celebration rule and principles of comity, a marriage validly contracted where it occurred (including a valid common-law marriage) is generally recognized in other states, even those that do not themselves create common-law marriages. The key is valid creation in the original state.
8Which document formally begins a divorce action and states the relief the filing spouse seeks?
A.The marital settlement agreement
B.The qualified domestic relations order
C.The answer
D.The petition or complaint for dissolution
Explanation: A divorce is commenced by filing a petition (or complaint) for dissolution, which identifies the parties, alleges jurisdiction and grounds, and requests relief such as property division, support, and custody. The responding spouse later files an answer or response.
9A respondent is properly served with a divorce petition but files no response within the statutory period. The petitioner may seek:
A.A default judgment of dissolution based on the petition
B.Mandatory binding arbitration
C.Sanctions against the court clerk
D.An automatic dismissal of the case
Explanation: When a properly served respondent fails to answer within the allowed time, the petitioner may request entry of default and a default judgment of dissolution. The court may grant the relief requested in the petition, subject to statutory limits and proof requirements for issues like custody and support.
10A paralegal is preparing a financial affidavit (declaration of disclosure) in a dissolution. The primary purpose of mandatory financial disclosure is to:
A.Allow the parties to avoid serving discovery requests entirely
B.Ensure each spouse has full and accurate information about marital assets, debts, income, and expenses for a fair resolution
C.Replace the need for a marital settlement agreement
D.Substitute for the residency requirement
Explanation: Mandatory preliminary and final declarations of disclosure require each spouse to disclose all assets, debts, income, and expenses so that property division and support can be resolved fairly. Nondisclosure can support setting aside a judgment. Disclosure protects against hidden assets.
About the NALA ACP - Family Law Practice Questions
Verified exam format metadata for NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal - Family Law is pending. The practice questions above remain available while official exam length, timing, passing score, fee, and administrator details are reviewed.