A court decision in an earlier case with facts and legal issues similar to a dispute currently before a court. Judges will generally "follow precedent" - meaning that they use the principles established in earlier cases to decide new cases that have similar facts and raise similar legal issues.

At the annual meeting of the Consortium for Court Interpreter Certification in July 1998, it was agreed that a master glossary of all terms typical of those used in any member state would be compiled. This glossary is the result of that effort. It represents a compilation of terms drawn from:

court - Government entity authorized to resolve legal disputes. Judges sometimes use "court" to refer to themselves in the third person, as in "the court has read the briefs." court reporter - A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.

Person who proceeds in a court case without a lawyer to represent them. A civil, not criminal, wrong. A negligent or intentional injury against a person or property, with the exception of a breach of contract. Check out uscourts.gov for the full glossary of court terms!

Courts of the U.S., each having territorial jurisdiction over a judicial district which may include a whole state or only part of it. The district courts are the trial courts of the Federal Judiciary.

Jan 4, 2019 · Authorization of a court to conduct a trial. Parole: A conditional release of a criminal defendant. Party: A person or an organization in the lawsuit or legal proceeding. Petition: An application to a court requesting to take a legal action against certain matters. Plea: Response of a defendant against the charge. Probation:

The following legal terms and definitions are frequently used in court. The purpose of this Citizens Guide is to acquaint you with these legal terms to increase your level of understanding of the trial process. A document (or pleading) filed with the court before the trial by the defendant in a civil case to respond to the plaintiff’s claims.

Reasonable efforts were made to define the words and phrases in this handbook in general terms. However, if the reader desires a precise definition of a term pertaining to a criminal matter or civil action, then please refer to the applicable statute(s) or rule(s). Latin: “From the beginning.” To annul, cancel or repeal an order or rule.

Learn definitions that will make it easier for you to understand common legal words and phrases used frequently during a trial.

person appointed by a court to administer a deceased person's estate. legal proceeding involving parties with opposing interests, with one party seeking legal relief and the other opposing it. Most often, this term is used in the bankruptcy context. Latin term meaning “for the lawsuit.” For example, a guardian “ad litem” is.