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Courtroom procedure, legal vocabulary, public safety, and professional demeanor.
12 track practice questions in the bank · Free 25-question practice test included below.
Take Free Practice Test →Court officers keep courtrooms safe and orderly, screen people entering the courthouse, assist judges and court staff, and respond to emergencies in the building. The job combines security awareness with a calm, professional manner in a formal setting — and the exam tests both.
This guide covers courtroom procedure, the legal vocabulary you need to understand instructions and documents, security and screening, observation, and the judgment calls that come with dealing with the public in a court. Work through the checklist, drill the vocabulary until it is automatic, and use the practice questions to test your judgment.
DCAS multiple-choice exams generally use a 70% pass mark, but the Notice of Examination for the exam you are taking is the final authority on its subjects, format, and rules.
Questions cover who does what in a courtroom, the order of proceedings, and the officer's role: maintaining order, escorting parties, handling exhibits, and assisting the judge. Learn the sequence of events, not just the vocabulary.
You need to know common court terms — defendant, plaintiff, subpoena, contempt, verdict, and more — well enough to understand instructions and documents. Questions may ask for a definition or for the correct term in context.
Screening visitors, recognizing prohibited items, and responding to security concerns are core duties. Questions test what to check, what to do when something is found, and when to call for help.
Scenarios ask how to handle a disruptive spectator, an upset litigant, or a conflict in the hallway — firmly, calmly, and professionally, without escalating the situation.
You may study a description of a person or a scene and answer questions about it after it is taken away. Details like clothing, location, and order of events are what count.
You read court notices, memos, and procedures and answer questions about what they require. Exact wording matters: 'must', 'may', 'before', and 'only' change the answer.
Work through this list honestly — drill the items you cannot do yet.
Daily, drill 10 legal terms with flashcards: term on the front, definition and an example sentence on the back. Shuffle the deck each time and retire a card only after three correct recalls in a row.
Twice a week, write out the order of a court session from memory — who enters, who speaks, what the officer does at each step — then check it against your notes. Good looks like the full sequence with no steps missing.
Daily, do 10 situational judgment questions. For each answer, say why the calm, professional choice beats the forceful or dismissive one in one sentence.
Twice a week, list from memory what a screening officer checks and what happens when a prohibited item is found. Good looks like a complete list in the right order.
Once a week, do a 25-question timed mixed set from the Court Officer pool. Review every miss the same day and re-drill the topic it came from.
Try these 3 sample questions from the practice bank. The correct answer is marked — read the explanation even when you get one right.
Sample 1 · Situational Judgment
The correct first step is a calm explanation of the rule and an offer to proceed with the search. Ordering the visitor out or escalating is premature when there is no threat, and ignoring the situation leaves the screening point blocked.
Sample 2 · Vocabulary
The defendant is the person accused of a crime or being sued. The plaintiff is the person bringing a civil case, the witness gives testimony, and the clerk keeps the court's records.
Sample 3 · Situational Judgment
The officer should intervene quietly, separate the two, and inform the judge, because contact with a witness during a trial can affect the case. Waiting, questioning the witness publicly, or acting without reporting are all wrong.
The exam announcement (Notice of Examination) is the final authority for the exam you are taking; check it for the exam number, eligibility, subjects tested, and instructions. DCAS multiple-choice exams generally use a 70% pass mark.
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All questions on NYCExamPrep.com are original practice questions written for study purposes. They are not official DCAS questions, and this site is not affiliated with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) or the City of New York.