Oath A solemn pledge made under a sense of responsibility in attestation of the truth of a statement or in verification of a statement made. Objection The process by which one party takes exception to some statement or procedure. An objection is either sustained (allowed) or overruled by the judge. Official reports The publication of […]...
Naturalization Process by which a person acquires nationality after birth and becomes entitled to privileges of citizenship. Negligence Failure to use care which a reasonable and prudent person would use under similar circumstances. Negotiation The process of submission and consideration of offers until an acceptable offer is made and accepted. Next friend One acting without […]...
Magistrate (See U.S. Magistrate Judge.) Judicial officer exercising some of the functions of a judge. It also refers in a general way to a judge. Malfeasance The commission of an unlawful act. Malicious prosecution An action instituted with intention of injuring the defendant and without probable cause, and which terminates in favor of the person […]...
Lapsed gift A gift made in a will to a person who has died prior to the will-makers death. Larceny Obtaining property by fraud or deceit. Law The combination of those rules and principles of conduct promulgated by legislative authority, derived from court decisions and established by local custom. Law Blank A printed legal form […]...
Joint and several liability A legal doctrine that makes each of the parties who are responsible for an injury, liable for all the damages awarded in a lawsuit if the other parties responsible cannot pay. Joint tenancy A form of legal co-ownership of property (also known as survivorship). At the death of one co-owner, the […]...
Immigrants Persons who come into a foreign country or region to live. Immigration The entry of foreign persons into a country to live permanently. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) A federal agency which regulates immigration and naturalization of aliens. Immunity Grant by the court, which assures someone will not face prosecution in return for providing […]...
Habeas corpus The name of a writ having for its object to bring a person before a court. Headnote A brief summary of a legal rule or significant facts in a case, which along with other headnotes, precedes the printed opinion in reports. Hearing A formal proceeding (generally less formal than a trial) with definite […]...
Garnishment A legal proceeding in which a debtor’s money, in the possession of another (called the garnishee) is applied to the debts of the debtor, such as when an employer garnishes a debtor’s wages. General jurisdiction Refers to courts that have no limit on the types of criminal and civil cases they may hear. Good […]...
Family law Those areas of the law pertaining to families, i.e., marriage, divorce, child custody, juvenile, paternity, etc. Federal Bureau of (FBI) A federal agency which investigates all violations of federal Investigation laws. Felony A serious criminal offense. Under federal law any offense punishable by death or imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Fiduciary […]...
Elements of a crime Specific factors that define a crime which the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction: (1) that a crime has actually occurred, (2) that the accused intended the crime to happen, and (3) a timely relationship between the first two factors. Eminent Domain The power […]...