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Exam Review

Key Facts: UK Notary Roman Law Exam

2 hours

Duration of the official written examination

UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27 (archived November 2024; checked 2026-10-19)

50%

Pass mark required on the Roman Law examination

UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27 (archived November 2024; checked 2026-10-19)

£10,750

Full two-year Notarial Practice Course fee for 2026-27 entry, including examination fees

UCL Laws Notarial Practice Course page, 2026-27 fees updated 6 July 2026 (checked 2026-10-19)

Sep–Dec

Year 1 teaching period for the Roman Law module

UCL Laws Notarial Practice Course page (checked 2026-10-19)

AD 533

Publication year of Justinian's Digest and Institutes

Corpus Iuris Civilis Historical Record

1803

Year of the French Ventôse Law establishing the modern Latin Notariat

European Notarial History

Qualification as a Notary Public in England and Wales requires completing the two-year Notarial Practice Course (£10,750 for 2026-27 entry, including examination fees; regulated by the Master of the Faculties and delivered by UCL Laws). UCL's 2025-27 brochure lists a 2-hour written examination with a 50% pass mark for the Roman Law module. Our preparation platform provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering Roman legal sources, obligations, property law, reception history, and European civil code systems.

Sample UK Notary Roman Law Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the UK Notary Roman Law exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which major part of Emperor Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis comprises the compiled juristic opinions and writings of classic Roman legal scholars?

A.The Digesta (or Pandectae)

B.The Codex Justinianus

C.The Institutiones

D.The Novellae Constitutiones

Explanation: The Digesta (Pandects), promulgated in AD 533 under the direction of Tribonian, organized extracts from classic Roman jurists such as Ulpian, Papinian, Paul, and Gaius into 50 books. It represents the primary repository of Roman jurisprudence.

2The Institutes of Gaius (c. AD 160) organized the study of private law into which famous tripartite scheme?

A.Personae, Res, Actiones (Persons, Things, Actions)

B.Contractus, Delictum, Lex (Contract, Tort, Statute)

C.Dominium, Possessio, Servitus (Ownership, Possession, Servitudes)

D.Ius Naturale, Ius Gentium, Ius Civile (Natural, Nations, Civil Law)

Explanation: Gaius introduced the institutional division of law into Personae (status and capacity), Res (property, obligations, inheritance), and Actiones (remedies and procedure). This structure profoundly shaped Justinian's Institutes and modern European civil codes.

3What was the Law of Citations (Lex de Responsis Prudentium) enacted in AD 426 by Valentinian III?

A.A statute limiting authoritative juristic citations in court to five classic jurists: Papinian, Paul, Ulpian, Gaius, and Modestinus

B.A decree establishing mandatory public archives for notarized deeds in Rome

C.A law codifying the Edictum Perpetuum of the Praetor

D.An enactment requiring all Roman contracts to be recorded in writing

Explanation: The Law of Citations (AD 426) bindingly regulated judicial citations by giving primary authority to five jurists: Papinian, Paul, Ulpian, Gaius, and Modestinus. If opinions conflicted, the majority prevailed; in a tie, Papinian's view was decisive.

4In classical Roman law, what was a senatusconsultum?

A.An advisory resolution of the Roman Senate that acquired binding statutory force under the Principate

B.A decree issued directly by the Praetor Urbanus at the start of his judicial term

C.A verdict delivered by a lay judge (iudex) in a civil action

D.A petition submitted by a private citizen requesting an imperial rescript

Explanation: During the Republic, a senatusconsultum was formally advice to magistrates, but under the Empire it became a direct source of binding law, replacing assembly legislation (comitia) as the Senate expressed the Emperor's will.

5What primary legal function was performed by the Edictum Perpetuum compiled by Salvius Julianus under Emperor Hadrian?

A.It standardized and permanently fixed the annual praetorian edicts into a single immutable legal code

B.It abolished all distinction between Roman citizens and provincial subjects

C.It created the first official register of Roman public notary commissions

D.It merged the civil law of obligations with criminal procedure

Explanation: Around AD 130, Emperor Hadrian commissioned Julian to consolidate and fix the Praetor's annual edict. The resulting Edictum Perpetuum created a permanent framework of equitable remedies (ius honorarium) that could thereafter only be altered by the Emperor.

6What is the historical significance of the Twelve Tables (Leges Duodecim Tabularum, c. 450 BC)?

A.They formed the earliest written codification of Roman customary law, establishing public equality under written rules

B.They were the final statutes enacted by Justinian in Constantinople

C.They comprised the canon law regulations governing papal notaries

D.They established the modern European land registration system

Explanation: Drafted by the Decemviri around 450 BC, the Twelve Tables represented the founding codification of Roman law, transitioning Rome from unwritten patrician customary privilege to publicly inscribed statutes accessible to plebeians.

7In Roman law, what was the 'ius respondendi' granted to select jurists by Emperor Augustus?

A.The privilege of giving legal opinions (responsa) under imperial authority that carried binding weight for judges

B.The exclusive right to draft wills for Roman patricians

C.The power to veto imperial decrees in the Roman Senate

D.The official license to act as a public notary in commercial transactions

Explanation: Augustus instituted the ius respondendi ex auctoritate principis, granting favored jurists the right to give legal answers. Opinions issued by jurists holding this imperial seal were authoritative and bound lay judges in deciding cases.

8Which imperial constitution form in Roman law took the shape of an official letter containing legal advice issued by the Emperor in response to a magistrate's or private party's inquiry?

A.Rescriptum

B.Edictum

C.Decretum

D.Mandatum

Explanation: A rescriptum (rescript) was an imperial written reply drafted by the emperor's legal secretariat (a libellis) answering a legal point raised in a petition or judicial query, establishing binding precedent for similar cases.

9Who was Tribonian, and what was his vital role in the Corpus Iuris Civilis?

A.The Quaestor of the Sacred Palace who headed Justinian's law commission that compiled the Digest and Codex

B.The Praetor Urbanus who drafted the Edictum Perpetuum under Hadrian

C.The medieval scholar who rediscovered the Digest manuscript at Pisa

D.The French jurist who drafted the Ventôse Law of Year XI

Explanation: Tribonian was Emperor Justinian's chief legal minister (Quaestor). He directed the legal commissions that systematically selected, edited, harmonized, and codified three centuries of juristic literature into the Digest, Codex, and Institutes.

10In Justinian's Digest, what are 'interpolations' (emendationes)?

A.Textual modifications made by Tribonian's commission to update classical juristic extracts to fit 6th-century law

B.Errors introduced by medieval monk scribes copying manuscripts

C.Forbidden marginal notes written by law students at Constantinople

D.Statutory amendments passed by the Roman Senate after AD 534

Explanation: Justinian explicitly authorized Tribonian's commission to alter, prune, or add to classical juristic texts to eliminate contradictions and align classical opinions with contemporary 6th-century legal doctrine. These deliberate alterations are termed interpolations.

About the UK Notary Roman Law Exam

The Roman Law module ("Roman Law as an Introduction to Modern Civil Law Systems") is a compulsory Year 1 module of the Notarial Practice Course, the professional stage of training under the Notaries (Qualification) Rules 2017 for candidates seeking admission as a Notary Public in England and Wales. The official assessment is a written examination (2 hours in UCL's 2025-27 brochure). This study platform provides an English-language MCQ study adaptation designed to test comprehension of Roman legal foundations—including Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis, the Institutes of Gaius, Roman property and obligations, the medieval reception of Roman law, and the development of the modern Latin-style civil law notary.

Exam sponsor: Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury / UCL Laws (University College London). 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

2 hours (UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27)

Passing Score

50% (UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27)

Exam / Certification Fees

£10,750 for the full two-year Notarial Practice Course, including examination fees (UCL, 2026-27 entry)

Exam sponsor website

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

Official sources

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.

20%

Roman Law Sources, Institutes & Justinianic Codification

Development of Roman legal sources from the Twelve Tables to Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis (Codex, Digest, Institutes, Novels), the Law of Citations, and Gaius's institutional scheme.

20%

Law of Obligations: Contract, Quasi-Contract & Delict

Structure of obligatio, formal verbal contracts (Stipulatio), real contracts, consensual contracts (sale, hire, partnership, mandate), delicts under Lex Aquilia, and quasi-delictual liability.

20%

Law of Property: Ownership, Possession & Servitudes

Classifications of res, distinction between dominium and possessio, modes of acquiring ownership (traditio, usucapio, occupatio), and praedial/personal servitudes.

20%

Reception of Roman Law & Civil Law Traditions

Rediscovery of the Digest at Bologna, Glossators and Commentators, development of the Ius Commune, Mos Italicus vs Mos Gallicus, and the 18th/19th century codification movement.

20%

European Notariat History & Civil Code Systems

Roman tabelliones, medieval Italian notarial science (Rolandino), French Ventôse Law of 1803, Code Napoléon, German BGB, and the evidentiary role of the authentic instrument (acte authentique).

Preparing for the UK Notary Roman Law Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 50% (UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27)
Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
Time limit: 2 hours (UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27)
Exam / certification fees: £10,750 for the full two-year Notarial Practice Course, including examination fees (UCL, 2026-27 entry) Official sources

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UK Notary Roman Law: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the structure of Justinian's Corpus Iuris Civilis and understand the specific purpose of the Digest, Codex, Institutes, and Novels.

2Memorize the fourfold classification of contracts in Roman law: Real, Verbal, Literal, and Consensual.

3Understand the key distinctions between dominium (ownership) and possessio (possession), as well as the requirements for usucapio (prescription).

4Trace the historical transmission of Roman law from the 11th-century Bologna revival through Glossators (Accursius) and Commentators (Bartolus) to the Ius Commune.

5Learn the core features of the French Ventôse Law of 1803 and how it defined the public office and authentic instrument of the civil law notary.

6Compare the evidentiary weight of an authentic instrument in civil law against an unauthenticated private writing under common law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the official UK Notarial Practice Course Roman Law examination?

The UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27 lists one 2-hour written examination for the Roman Law module; since January 2026 it has been sat in person and closed book. To assist candidates in preparing for this paper, our study platform offers an English-language MCQ adaptation of structured practice questions.

Why must English notaries study Roman Law and Modern Civil Law Systems?

Unlike solicitors and barristers who operate predominantly within Common Law, English Notaries Public authenticate documents intended for execution and legal effect in foreign jurisdictions—the majority of which belong to the Civil Law tradition based on Roman law. Understanding Roman legal principles and civil code structures is essential for preparing authentic instruments that meet international civil law standards.

What is the passing score and cost for the course?

The UCL Notarial Practice Course brochure 2025-27 sets a 50% pass mark for each examination, including Roman Law. The module is completed as part of the two-year Notarial Practice Course delivered by UCL Laws under the regulation of the Master of the Faculties; UCL lists £10,750 for the full course for 2026-27 entry, including examination fees.

What are the primary Roman law sources tested in this module?

Key sources include the Institutes of Gaius (c. AD 160) and Emperor Justinian's 6th-century codification, the Corpus Iuris Civilis—comprising the Codex (imperial enactments), Digesta or Pandectae (jurisprudential writings), Institutiones (student textbook), and Novellae Constitutiones (subsequent imperial laws).

How did Roman law influence modern European Civil Codes?

Following the rediscovery of Justinian's Digest at Bologna in the 11th century, medieval Glossators and Commentators harmonized Roman law with canon law to form the Ius Commune across Western Europe. This shared heritage directly informed the 19th-century codifications, notably the French Code Civil (1804) and the German Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB, 1900).

What is a 'Latin Notary' and how does it relate to civil law systems?

A Latin-style Notary is an independent public officer who drafts, certifies, and retains authentic instruments (actes authentiques) that carry public faith, conclusive evidentiary force, and immediate enforceability without prior judicial order. This tradition originated with medieval Italian notaries and was formalized by the French Ventôse Law of 1803.