Common Legal Terms and Law General Knowledge Questions with Answers
A practical, updated reference to frequently used legal words, basic law questions and legal general knowledge for law students, legal professionals, competitive-exam candidates and litigants in India.
Updated for the current criminal-law framework: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) came into force from 1 July 2024, subject to statutory exceptions and transitional provisions. Historical references to IPC/CrPC are identified where useful.
Legal Terms and Questions: 1-10
| No. | Legal term / question | Updated answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the punishment for murder in India? | Under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), murder is punishable with death or imprisonment for life, and the offender is also liable to fine. |
| 2 | How long may an arrested person be kept without being produced before a Magistrate? | An arrested person must ordinarily be produced before the nearest Magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, excluding the time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Magistrate's court. Detention beyond that period requires judicial authority. |
| 3 | What is the present equivalent of Section 144 CrPC? | The familiar power formerly contained in Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 is now substantially contained in Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), dealing with urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger. |
| 4 | What is kidnapping under Indian criminal law? | BNS Section 137 recognises kidnapping from India and kidnapping from lawful guardianship. Broadly, it covers taking or conveying a person beyond India without the legally required consent, or taking/enticing a child or person of unsound mind out of lawful guardianship without the guardian's consent, subject to the statutory text and exceptions. |
| 5 | Which country has the oldest codified national constitution still in force? | The Constitution of the United States, which took effect in 1789, is generally regarded as the world's oldest written national constitution still in force. |
| 6 | Who may commit a bribery offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act? | Bribery offences are not confined to a public servant receiving an undue advantage. The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 also contains offences concerning the giving or promising of an undue advantage, subject to the statutory conditions and exceptions. |
| 7 | What type of legislation is the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961? | It is a social-welfare legislation enacted to prohibit the giving or taking of dowry and to provide penalties and related safeguards. |
| 8 | What is a Magistrate exercising criminal jurisdiction in a notified metropolitan area generally called? | The criminal courts framework uses the designation Metropolitan Magistrate for Magistrates exercising the relevant jurisdiction in metropolitan areas, subject to the applicable statutory and State notifications. |
| 9 | Who wrote "Law Versus Justice: Problems and Solutions"? | Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer. |
| 10 | When does a Will generally take effect? | A Will is a testamentary instrument intended to operate after the death of the testator. It is generally revocable during the testator's lifetime, subject to the applicable succession law. |
Legal Terms and Questions: 11-20
| No. | Legal term / question | Updated answer |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | What are unliquidated damages? | Damages that have not been fixed or ascertained in advance and must be assessed or determined by a court or other competent forum. |
| 12 | What does "uxoricide" mean? | The killing of one's wife. The word is a descriptive legal/criminological term; the offence and punishment depend on the applicable substantive criminal law. |
| 13 | What is restitution of conjugal rights? | It is a matrimonial remedy under which a spouse may seek a decree where the other spouse has withdrawn from his or her society without reasonable excuse, subject to the governing personal law and constitutional/judicial principles. |
| 14 | What is a mortgage? | Under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, a mortgage is a transfer of an interest in specific immovable property for the purpose of securing payment of money advanced or to be advanced, an existing or future debt, or performance of an engagement that may give rise to a pecuniary liability. |
| 15 | Does India use a jury system for ordinary criminal trials? | No. Jury trials have been abolished in India; ordinary criminal trials are conducted by judges or Magistrates as provided by law. |
| 16 | Where can an application for anticipatory bail be made? | Under Section 482 of the BNSS, a person apprehending arrest for a non-bailable offence may apply to the High Court or the Court of Session for a direction that, in the event of arrest, he or she be released on bail, subject to the statutory provisions. |
| 17 | Who wrote "The Rights of Man"? | Thomas Paine. |
| 18 | Is Hindu marriage treated only as a contract? | Hindu marriage has traditionally been described as a sacrament, while modern statutory law also gives it important legal and contractual characteristics. Its incidents are governed principally by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and other applicable laws. |
| 19 | Who is closely associated with the drafting of the Indian Penal Code? | Thomas Babington Macaulay, as Chairman of the First Law Commission, is closely associated with the draft that ultimately led to the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The IPC has since been replaced for current offences by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, subject to saving and transitional provisions. |
| 20 | Who is widely recognised as the earliest woman to hold judicial office? | Esther Hobart Morris, appointed Justice of the Peace in Wyoming Territory in 1870, is widely recognised as the first woman to hold judicial office. |
Legal Terms and Questions: 21-30
| No. | Legal term / question | Updated answer |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | What does it mean when a court "passes over" a case? | It generally means that the matter is not taken up at that moment and is kept aside to be called again later, often on the same day, subject to the court's practice and directions. |
| 22 | Who was Mohan Kumaramangalam in the context of judicial appointments? | Mohan Kumaramangalam was a Union Minister associated with the historical debate on judicial appointments and the idea of a "committed judiciary." The earlier page's attribution of a work titled "Judicial Appointment" is not retained without reliable verification. |
| 23 | Which court tries an election petition challenging the election of an MLA? | Under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, an election petition challenging an election to a State Legislative Assembly is tried by the High Court having jurisdiction, not by the Supreme Court in the first instance. |
| 24 | When is Legal Services Day observed in India? | National Legal Services Day is observed every year on 9 November. |
| 25 | Where was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council located? | It was based in London, United Kingdom, and historically functioned as the final appellate tribunal for many parts of the British Empire, including British India before abolition of that appellate jurisdiction. |
| 26 | Which testamentary document may be admitted to probate? | A Will may be proved and admitted to probate where probate is required or sought under the Indian Succession Act, 1925 and the applicable jurisdictional rules. |
| 27 | If a Hindu male dies intestate leaving only his father, mother and wife, who inherits first? | Under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, the widow and mother are Class I heirs and inherit simultaneously. The father is a Class II heir and is excluded while any Class I heir survives. |
| 28 | What is "harbouring" an offender? | In criminal law, harbouring generally refers to giving shelter, food, money, means of conveyance or other assistance intended to help an offender evade apprehension, subject to the precise statutory definition and exceptions. |
| 29 | Can a Muslim dispose of all property by Will? | Under classical Muslim personal law principles applied in India, testamentary disposition is generally limited to one-third of the net estate without the consent of heirs; a bequest beyond that limit may require heirs' consent after the testator's death. Application can vary with the governing personal law and facts. |
| 30 | What is escheat? | Escheat is the reversion of property to the State where a person dies intestate and without any lawful heir, subject to Article 296 of the Constitution and applicable succession law. |
Authoritative Legal References
For the current text of central legislation and the new criminal laws, readers should verify the latest official text before relying on any summary, particularly where amendments, notifications, State adaptations or transitional provisions may apply.
India Code
- Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice
Ministry of Home Affairs
- New Criminal Laws (BNS, BNSS and BSA)
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice
Disclaimer: This page is for general legal education and legal general knowledge. It is not a substitute for professional legal advice or for checking the latest statutory text, rules, notifications and binding judgments applicable to a particular case.