NFPA Paralegal Core Competency Exam (PCCE)Legal ResearchMedium
A paralegal is looking for a comprehensive, multi-volume set of books that provides in-depth analysis and commentary on a specific area of law, such as contracts or constitutional law. This type of secondary legal source is generally referred to as a:
- ARestatement.
- BTreatise.
- CLegal encyclopedia.
- DLaw review.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Treatise.
A treatise is a scholarly, in-depth publication that provides detailed analysis and commentary on a specific legal subject. They are often multi-volume and written by leading experts in the field.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Restatements summarize common law principles, focusing on rules rather than extensive commentary or analysis of a broad field.
- C. Legal encyclopedias provide broad overviews of many legal topics, not in-depth analysis of a single, specific area.
- D. Law reviews are periodicals containing scholarly articles, not multi-volume, in-depth analyses of entire fields of law.
Treatise
A scholarly, multi-volume publication that offers in-depth analysis, commentary, and often historical context on a specific area of law.
- Written by legal experts.
- Provides detailed explanations and theories.
- Often cited as persuasive authority.
Memory trick: Encyclopedias are 'surf', Treatises 'dive deep'.