Legal drama archetypes: who does what

What you’ll practice

Legal dramas blur titles and duties on purpose—this quiz helps you separate archetype vibes from actual courtroom responsibilities. You’ll identify who leads strategy, who manages procedure, and who influences outcomes behind the scenes.

Each question gives 4 options and there’s no timer, so you can think through context clues like authority, ethical limits, and who can speak when.

Difficulty and question count

Difficulty is mixed by design: easier items cover core roles (judge, prosecutor, defense), while tougher ones dig into less-showy positions and nuanced responsibilities. You can choose how many questions to answer and select a difficulty setting to keep the run quick, deep, or somewhere in between.

Common pitfalls to avoid

A lot of misses come from mixing up similar-sounding jobs or assuming TV tropes match real procedure. Watch for who represents a party versus who serves the court, and who offers opinions versus who decides.

• Confusing prosecutors with plaintiffs’ attorneys (criminal vs civil)
• Mixing up bailiffs, court clerks, and court reporters
• Assuming the judge investigates facts (they typically don’t)
• Treating expert witnesses like eyewitnesses
• Forgetting who can object, who can rule, and who must stay neutral