Court Reporter Practice Exam

Which document would most likely include the term 'femme sole'?

1. Marriage certificate

2. Legal corpus

3. Wills and Testaments

4. Adoption papers

The correct answer is: Legal corpus

The term 'femme sole' historically refers to a woman who is unmarried and operates independently, particularly in legal terms or the context of property ownership. This legal terminology stems from historical legal practices surrounding women's rights and status before the introduction of modern legal reforms. A legal corpus would most likely include the term 'femme sole' because it encompasses legal doctrines, statutes, and case law that define and interpret various legal concepts, including the status of women in relation to property and legal rights. The term is often used in discussions about women's autonomy in a legal context, which would align well with a comprehensive legal collection or corpus. In contrast, a marriage certificate generally pertains to the formal union of two individuals and would not utilize the term in its documentation. Wills and testaments focus on the distribution of property after death and may not use 'femme sole' explicitly in modern contexts. Adoption papers typically address parental rights and the legal aspect of adopting a child, which also would not involve the specific historical context of 'femme sole'. Thus, a legal corpus, focusing on the broader aspects of law and individual legal status, is the most appropriate context for the term.