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Key Facts: NALA ACP Trial Practice Exam

$250 / $300

Course Fee (member / non-member)

NALA ACP

~70%

Typical Passing Standard

Set by NALA per course

~20 hours

Web-Based Course Length

NALA ACP

NALA CP

Prerequisite Credential

NALA eligibility

100

Free Practice Questions

OpenExamPrep

Self-paced

Online Format

NALA ACP

The NALA ACP Trial Practice specialty is a self-paced, web-based NALA course (approximately 20 hours) that concludes with an online final assessment; NALA does not publish a fixed question count, and the passing standard is set per course (commonly around 70%). The fee is $250 for members and $300 for non-members. A current NALA Certified Paralegal (CP) credential is the prerequisite. The substantive content centers on U.S. civil litigation: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (pleadings, motions, Rule 16 case management, discovery), the Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 45 subpoenas, exhibit and witness management, the trial notebook, voir dire support, and post-trial motions and appeals.

Sample NALA ACP Trial Practice Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NALA ACP Trial Practice exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A paralegal is reviewing a federal civil complaint drafted by a junior associate. Under Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, what three elements must a pleading that states a claim for relief contain?
A.A short and plain statement of the grounds for jurisdiction, a short and plain statement of the claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief, and a demand for the relief sought
B.A jury demand, a verification, and a certificate of service
C.A detailed recitation of every fact supporting the claim, citations to controlling authority, and a proposed order
D.An affidavit of merit, a statement of damages exceeding $75,000, and a list of witnesses
Explanation: Rule 8(a) requires a claim for relief to contain (1) a short and plain statement of the grounds for the court's jurisdiction, (2) a short and plain statement of the claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief, and (3) a demand for the relief sought. This is notice pleading, not fact pleading.
2A defendant wants to challenge a complaint on the ground that, even if everything alleged is true, the plaintiff has not stated a legally cognizable claim. Which motion should the paralegal prepare?
A.A Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted
B.A Rule 12(b)(2) motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction
C.A Rule 56 motion for summary judgment
D.A Rule 12(e) motion for a more definite statement
Explanation: A Rule 12(b)(6) motion tests the legal sufficiency of the complaint, assuming all well-pleaded facts are true. If the allegations, accepted as true, fail to state a plausible claim under Twombly and Iqbal, dismissal is proper.
3After being served with a summons and complaint in federal court, how many days does a defendant who has not waived service generally have to serve a responsive pleading under Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i)?
A.14 days
B.30 days
C.21 days
D.60 days
Explanation: Under Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(i), a defendant must serve an answer within 21 days after being served with the summons and complaint. A defendant who timely waives service under Rule 4(d) gets 60 days from when the request was sent.
4A paralegal is calendaring deadlines after a complaint was served. Under Rule 16(b), when must the court generally issue a scheduling order?
A.Within 30 days after the complaint is filed regardless of service
B.Only after the close of discovery
C.The earlier of 90 days after any defendant has been served or 60 days after any defendant has appeared, absent good cause for delay
D.Within 120 days after the answer is filed
Explanation: Rule 16(b)(2) requires the judge to issue the scheduling order as soon as practicable, but unless the judge finds good cause for delay, within the earlier of 90 days after any defendant has been served or 60 days after any defendant has appeared. The order limits time to amend pleadings, join parties, complete discovery, and file motions.
5Which of the following is a proper function of a Rule 16 pretrial conference that a paralegal should help the attorney prepare for?
A.Selecting the trial jury and ruling on peremptory challenges
B.Taking the sworn deposition testimony of the parties
C.Simplifying the issues, obtaining stipulations and admissions, and ruling in advance on the admissibility of evidence
D.Entering a final judgment on the merits without trial
Explanation: Rule 16(c) lets the court at a pretrial conference formulate and simplify issues, obtain admissions and stipulations to avoid unnecessary proof, rule in advance on admissibility, and control discovery. The resulting final pretrial order under Rule 16(e) controls the course of the action.
6A plaintiff wishes to amend the complaint to add a new theory. The defendant has already served an answer, and no scheduling deadline has passed. Under Rule 15(a), how may the plaintiff amend?
A.Freely at any time without limit because amendments are always allowed
B.Only by filing an entirely new lawsuit
C.Only with the opposing party's written consent or the court's leave, which the court should freely give when justice so requires
D.Only after the close of discovery
Explanation: Under Rule 15(a)(1), a party may amend once as a matter of course within 21 days after serving, or within 21 days after a responsive pleading or Rule 12 motion. After that period, Rule 15(a)(2) requires the opposing party's written consent or leave of court, which the court should freely give when justice so requires.
7Under Rule 11, by signing a pleading or motion, an attorney certifies all of the following EXCEPT:
A.The paper is not being presented for any improper purpose such as harassment or delay
B.The legal contentions are warranted by existing law or a nonfrivolous argument for changing it
C.The factual contentions have evidentiary support or will likely have support after further investigation
D.The client will prevail on the merits at trial
Explanation: Rule 11(b) requires that the paper not be presented for an improper purpose, that legal contentions be warranted, and that factual contentions have or will likely have evidentiary support. It does not certify that the client will win; lawyers cannot guarantee outcomes.
8A motion for summary judgment under Rule 56 should be granted when:
A.The complaint fails to allege jurisdiction
B.The jury is unable to reach a verdict
C.The opposing party fails to appear at the pretrial conference
D.There is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law
Explanation: Rule 56(a) provides that the court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex and Anderson v. Liberty Lobby set the burden-shifting and 'genuine issue' standards.
9A paralegal maintains the master case calendar. Which task is the MOST important reason to track every court-ordered deadline meticulously?
A.To bill more hours to the client file
B.Because missing a deadline can result in waived claims, sanctions, or dismissal that harm the client
C.Because the court clerk requires paralegals to file weekly status reports
D.Because deadlines determine the order of witnesses at trial
Explanation: Docket and deadline control is a core litigation-paralegal function. A missed statute of limitations, discovery cutoff, or motion deadline can waive rights, trigger sanctions, or cause dismissal, which is among the most common malpractice exposures. Accurate calendaring protects the client and the firm.
10Under Rule 26(a)(1), parties must make initial disclosures without awaiting a discovery request. Which of the following must be disclosed?
A.The name and contact information of each individual likely to have discoverable information the disclosing party may use to support its claims or defenses
B.Every document the party might conceivably use, including privileged work product
C.A complete list of the opposing party's trial strategy
D.Only the identity of expert witnesses
Explanation: Rule 26(a)(1)(A)(i) requires disclosure of the name, and if known the address and telephone number, of each individual likely to have discoverable information the party may use to support its claims or defenses, plus categories of documents, a damages computation, and insurance agreements.

About the NALA ACP Trial Practice Exam

The NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) - Trial Practice credential is a specialty certification for experienced litigation paralegals who support civil trial teams. The web-based course covers pretrial pleadings and case management, discovery (including depositions, interrogatories, and e-discovery), exhibit and evidence management, witness preparation and subpoenas, the trial notebook and voir dire support, and the Federal Rules of Evidence and post-trial practice. It builds on the NALA Certified Paralegal credential and concludes with an online final assessment. The substantive focus is U.S. civil trial practice and litigation support.

Exam sponsor: National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Question count not published by the exam provider

Time Limit

Self-paced course + timed final assessment

Passing Score

Set by NALA per course (commonly ~70%)

Exam / Certification Fees

$250 (member) / $300 (non-member)

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

18%

Pretrial Pleadings & Case Management

Complaints and answers (Rule 8), Rule 12 motions and Twombly/Iqbal plausibility, amendments (Rule 15), Rule 16 scheduling and pretrial conferences, jurisdiction, service of process and papers (Rules 4/5), counterclaims (Rule 13), summary judgment (Rule 56), Rule 11, and docket/deadline control

18%

Discovery (Depositions, Interrogatories, E-Discovery)

Rule 26 scope and proportionality, initial disclosures, interrogatories (Rule 33), document requests (Rule 34), requests for admission (Rule 36), depositions (Rules 28/30/31, including 30(b)(6)), deposition summaries, privilege logs and work product, litigation holds, metadata and ESI, and Rule 37 sanctions

16%

Exhibit & Evidence Management

Authentication (Rule 901) and self-authentication (Rule 902), foundations for photographs and electronic evidence, chain of custody, Bates numbering, exhibit lists and notebooks, demonstrative evidence, exhibit status tracking, and the best evidence rule (1002-1004)

16%

Witness Preparation & Subpoenas

Ethical witness preparation and the unauthorized practice of law, expert disclosures (Rule 26(a)(2)) and expert-attorney communications (26(b)(4)(C)), Rule 45 subpoenas, witness fees and the 100-mile limit, objections, and motions to quash

16%

Trial Notebook, Voir Dire & Courtroom Support

Trial notebook assembly, jury demand (Rule 38), voir dire and jury selection, challenges for cause and peremptory challenges, Batson/Edmonson, jury charts, motions in limine, pattern jury instructions, witness sequestration (Rule 615), trial technology, and courtroom ethics

16%

Rules of Evidence & Post-Trial

Relevance (401-403), hearsay and exceptions (801-807), impeachment (608/609/613) and refreshing recollection (612), expert testimony (702/Daubert), lay opinion (701), settlement evidence (408), damages categories, and post-trial motions (Rules 50/59/60) and appeals

Preparing for the NALA ACP Trial Practice Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Set by NALA per course (commonly ~70%)
  • Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
  • Time limit: Self-paced course + timed final assessment
  • Exam / certification fees: $250 (member) / $300 (non-member) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NALA ACP Trial Practice: Suggested Study Strategy

1Know the core discovery deadlines cold: 21 days to answer a complaint (Rule 12), 30 days to answer interrogatories and document requests (Rules 33/34), and the 25-interrogatory limit (Rule 33)
2Master the deposition rules: the one-day, seven-hour limit (Rule 30(d)), the 30(b)(6) organizational deposition, and the narrow grounds to instruct a witness not to answer (Rule 30(c)(2))
3Understand authentication: Rule 901's 'sufficient to support a finding' standard, the Rule 902 self-authenticating list, and chain of custody for fungible items
4Study Rule 45 subpoena mechanics: who issues them, the 100-mile/in-state limit, the witness/mileage fee, and motions to quash
5Distinguish ethical witness preparation (tell the truth, answer only what is asked) from improper coaching and the unauthorized practice of law
6Learn the post-trial deadlines: 28 days for Rule 50(b) and Rule 59 motions, the one-year limit for Rule 60(b)(1)-(3), and the 30-day civil appeal period
7Review the heavily tested evidence rules: hearsay and the 803/804 exceptions, impeachment under 608/609/613, and the 2023 Rule 702 expert standard

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NALA ACP Trial Practice specialty?

It is a NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal specialty recognizing advanced competence in civil trial practice and litigation support. It is earned by completing NALA's web-based ACP Trial Practice course and passing an online final assessment, and it builds on the NALA Certified Paralegal credential.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Candidates must hold a current NALA Certified Paralegal (CP) credential in good standing. The ACP specialty courses are advanced credentials that presuppose the foundational knowledge tested by the CP examination.

How many questions are on the assessment?

NALA does not publish a fixed question count for ACP specialty assessments. Each ACP course concludes with an online, open-book final assessment scored according to NALA's course standards, with a passing standard commonly around 70%.

How much does it cost?

The ACP Trial Practice course fee is approximately $250 for NALA members and $300 for non-members, which includes the course modules and the final assessment.

How long does it take to complete?

The course is self-paced and web-based, totaling roughly 20 hours of content. Most paralegals finish the course and assessment over several weeks of part-time study.

What law does the Trial Practice specialty test?

It focuses on U.S. civil litigation: the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (pleadings, motions, Rule 16 case management, and discovery), the Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 45 subpoenas, exhibit and witness management, the trial notebook, voir dire support, and post-trial motions and appeals.