Legal Vocabulary
Terms
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- AMICUS CURIAE
- friend of the court
- SUBPOENA
- a legal order requiring a person to appear in court
- CONTEMPT OF COURT
- a criminal offense which involves a refusal to obey an order of the court
- CROSS EXAMINATION
- the questioning of witnesses by the opposing attorney
- ACQUITAL
- a release, absolution, or discharge from an obligation. Legal certification of the innocense of one charged with a crime.
- AD DIEM
- at the day
- MENS REA
- the state of one's mind at the time an action was taken
- DOCKET
- THE COURT'S SCHEDULE
- AD HOC
- for the special purpose
- ADJOURNMENT
- the dissolving of a session of court, dismissing its business from consideration
- STARE DECISIS
- the process of referring to precedents
- COURT REPORTER
- the person who records all testimony, word for word
- TRANSCRIPT
- a complete record of the trial
- THE CHARGE
- the judges instructions to the jury which summarize the major points of law raised by a case, and pinpoints the questions of fact to be decided
- VERDICT
- the decision of the jury
- AJUDICATE
- to settle a matter through the exercise of judicial authority
- BRIEF
- written arguments of a case
- RECIDIVIST
- a habitual criminal
- A DIRECTED VERDICT
- in situations where evidence is overwhelming against one side or the other, the judge may order a directed verdict, meaning that no other decision could be reasonably reached
- SEGUESTER
- a term which refers to locking up the jury in hotel rooms, or wherever, to assure strictest privacy during their deliberations
- FOREMAN
- the person who presides over the jury
- MISTRIAL
- refers to a decision by the judge if the jury cannot reach a verdict
- ARREST WARRANT
- a legal document whch describes the suspected criminal, the nature of the offense, and the madistrate before whom the individual is to be taken
- INDICTMENT
- a formal charge of a crime
- BILL OF INDICTMENT
- a document which summarizes the state's case against a defendant
- SUBORN
- to persude someone to commit perjury
- SUBROGATION
- the substitution of one person in the place of another with reference to a legal claim
- TACIT LAW
- law which derives its authority from the common consent of the people without any legislative enactment
- TORT
- a provate of civil wrong of njury, other than a breach of contract, for which the court will award damages
- PRELIMINARY HEARING
- used to establish a resonable probability of guilt
- PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
- a law enforcement official who conducts the state's case during a trial
- PLEA
- a statement by the accused as to guilt or innocense
- ARRAIGNMENT
- the process whereby a defendant enters a plea
- PUBLIC DEFENDER
- a lawyer appointed by the court to represent those who cannot afford a lawyer
- BAILIFF
- the person who keeps order in the court
- PLEA BARGAINING
- an agreement between the prosecutor and defense attorney which involves a guilty plea to a lesser charge
- PERJURY
- lying under oath
- SUMMATION
- a final speech by the lawyers to the jury which tie together all the argume in the case
- PETIT JURY
- the group which weighs evidense and makes the final decision as to guilt or innocense. usually consists of twelve people.
- GRAND JURY
- six to twenty-three people who serve for one year
- THEY DO FOUR THINGS...WHAT ARE THEY?
-
1.conduct investigations
2.hear witnesses
3.study evidence
4.issue bills of indictment where necessary