Glossary of Terms

Glosario de términos Jurídicos

A (7) | B (4) | C (15) | D (7) | E (2) | F (3) | G (1) | H (2) | I (7) | J (4) | L (3) | M (3) | N (1) | O (2) | P (12) | R (3) | S (10) | T (4) | U (2) | V (3) | W (4)
  • Capital Offense

    A crime punishable by death.

  • Case Law

    The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.

  • Chambers

    A judge's office.

  • Charge to the Jury

    The judge's instructions to the jury concerning the law that applies to the facts of the case on trial.

  • Chief Judge

    The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.

  • Circumstantial Evidence

    All evidence except eyewitness testimony.

  • Clerk of Court

    An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.

  • Common Law

    The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.

  • Complaint

    A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.

  • Contract

    An agreement between two or more persons that creates an obligation to do or not to do a particular thing.

  • Conviction

    A judgment of guilt against a criminal defendant.

  • Counsel

    Legal advice; a term used to refer to lawyers in a case.

  • Counterclaim

    A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.

  • 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.