All Free Law and Constitution MCQs with Answers

• A. Principles recognized in the legal systems of nations
• B. Rules created only through Security Council resolutions
• C. Practices followed by diplomats for political convenience
• D. Terms included in every bilateral international treaty

Explanation: General principles of law are principles found across major legal systems and used to fill gaps in international law.

• A. The territorial principle
• B. The nationality principle
• C. The protective principle
• D. The universality principle

Explanation: The territorial principle gives a state jurisdiction over acts committed within its territory, subject to recognized international limits.

• A. Entry requires the sending state's consent
• B. Entry is allowed whenever local police request it
• C. Entry is allowed whenever a crime is suspected
• D. Entry requires approval from the International Court of Justice

Explanation: Diplomatic premises are inviolable, so authorities of the receiving state may not enter without the consent of the head of the mission.

• A. The General Assembly acts after a Security Council recommendation
• B. The Security Council acts after a General Assembly recommendation
• C. The Secretary-General admits it after reviewing its application
• D. The International Court of Justice confirms it after a contentious case

Explanation: Admission requires a recommendation by the Security Council followed by a decision of the General Assembly.

• A. Obligations owed to the international community as a whole
• B. Obligations owed only to a treaty's original signatories
• C. Obligations owed exclusively to neighbouring states
• D. Obligations that apply only during an armed conflict

Explanation: An obligation erga omnes is owed to the international community as a whole, so states have a legal interest in its protection.

• A. Only when the third state expressly accepts that obligation
• B. Whenever two other states notify the third state of the treaty
• C. Automatically when the treaty is registered with the United Nations
• D. Whenever the treaty concerns an issue of international importance

Explanation: A treaty does not create obligations for a third state without that state's consent.

• A. The treaty is void
• B. The treaty is automatically suspended for one year
• C. The treaty remains valid but needs Security Council approval
• D. The treaty applies only to the state that used force

Explanation: The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties treats a treaty procured by an unlawful threat or use of force against a state as void.

• A. The place where the conduct occurs
• B. The nationality of the injured person
• C. The location of the offender's bank account
• D. The political relationship between the two states

Explanation: Territorial jurisdiction is based on the location of the conduct or its effects within the state's territory.

• A. The responsible state must cease the act and provide appropriate assurances
• B. The injured state must immediately break diplomatic relations
• C. The United Nations must impose criminal punishment on the responsible state
• D. The responsible state must transfer its territory to the injured state

Explanation: For a continuing wrongful act, the responsible state must bring the conduct to an end when the obligation to cease applies.

• A. Distinguish civilians and civilian objects from military targets
• B. Treat all persons in the conflict as lawful military targets
• C. Use force only after obtaining consent from neutral states
• D. Give identical legal protection to combatants and military objects

Explanation: The principle of distinction requires attacks to be directed only against lawful military objectives and not against civilians or civilian…

• A. Use the watercourse according to their relative military strength
• B. Use the watercourse fairly while considering relevant interests
• C. Give priority to the state with the longer river section
• D. Obtain approval from the United Nations before using it

Explanation: The principle requires states to use shared water resources in an equitable and reasonable manner, taking account of factors such as…

• A. Article 39
• B. Article 41
• C. Article 42
• D. Article 51

Explanation: Article 42 permits the Security Council to take action by air, sea or land forces when non-military measures under Article 41 are…

• A. They arise only after formal occupation
• B. They exist inherently and do not require effective occupation
• C. They depend entirely on a prior Security Council decision
• D. They are limited to the state's territorial sea

Explanation: A coastal state's rights over its continental shelf exist ipso facto and ab initio because of its sovereignty over the land territory.

• A. To impose a binding award on the disputing states
• B. To help the parties communicate without proposing settlement terms
• C. To replace the parties' governments during negotiations
• D. To determine which party has committed an unlawful act

Explanation: Good offices assist disputing parties in opening or resuming communication and negotiations.

• A. It is automatically bound by every treaty of the predecessor state
• B. It generally begins with a clean slate regarding predecessor treaties
• C. It must reject all boundary treaties made by the predecessor state
• D. It inherits only treaties approved by the International Court of Justice

Explanation: The clean slate principle generally means that a newly independent state is not automatically bound by the predecessor state's treaties.

• A. Changing its capital without international approval
• B. Taking an inconsistent position after another state relied on its earlier position
• C. Refusing to join a treaty negotiated by another state
• D. Exercising jurisdiction over conduct within its territory

Explanation: Estoppel may prevent a state from contradicting a clear earlier representation when another state relied on it and would suffer prejudice…

• A. It has complete sovereignty identical to that over its land territory
• B. It has sovereign rights over natural resources and certain related jurisdiction
• C. It has no authority beyond the outer limit of its territorial sea
• D. It may prohibit every foreign vessel from entering the zone

Explanation: In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal state has sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve and manage natural resources, along…

• A. Individuals may bear international criminal responsibility for international crimes
• B. Only states can be responsible for violations of international law
• C. Official position always gives complete immunity for international crimes
• D. International crimes can be prosecuted only by the state of nationality

Explanation: The trials established that individuals can incur responsibility under international law for crimes such as aggression, war crimes and…

• A. All treaty relations between them automatically end
• B. Their diplomatic relations end, but other legal relations may continue
• C. The states automatically enter a state of armed conflict
• D. The nationals of each state lose their nationality

Explanation: Breaking diplomatic relations ends or suspends the ordinary diplomatic channel, but it does not by itself terminate treaties, consular…

• A. Whenever one party requests a decision based on fairness
• B. When the Security Council refers any dispute to the Court
• C. When the parties expressly agree to that method of decision
• D. Whenever the Court considers treaty law unclear

Explanation: The Court may decide ex aequo et bono, meaning according to fairness rather than strictly applicable law, only if the parties agree.