Glossary
This glossary may be used to find the definitions of many legal terms.
In many instances, there are synonyms and plain language options provided for the terms.
You may search within this glossary:
- by entering a term in the “Keyword Search” field.
- by choosing a “Type” from the drop-down list such as “Estate” or “Small Claims.”
- by choosing the beginning letter in the “Filter by Letter” drop-down list to display only the terms that start with that letter.
A combination of these search options can be used to provide a more defined result.
Note that this glossary may not contain all legal terms.
| Term | Definition | Plain Language | Synonyms | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | The way to make the relationship between a parent and child legal when they are not related by blood. | General Terms | |||
| Adoptive parent | An adult who meets all the requirements to legally adopt a non-biological child, and who assumes all parental responsibilities for that child. | General Terms | |||
| Adultery | Sexual relations between a married person and another adult who is not that person's spouse. In some states, where fault grounds for divorce is allowed, adultery can impact how the divorcing couple's property is divided. | having an affair | affair, cheating | General Terms | |
| Advance directive | A legal document that says what kinds of medical care you want if you become unable to speak for yourself and who you authorize to speak for you. | living will | living will, durable power of attorney | General Terms | |
| Adversary system | The system of trial practice in the U.S. and some other countries in which each of the opposing, or adversary, parties has full opportunity to present and establish its opposing contentions before the court. Both the defense and prosecution get to present their sides. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| Adverse witness | Witness whose testimony is unfavorable to the party that called them. | hostile witness | conflicting, negative | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| AFDC | Aid to Families with Dependent Children. | General Terms | |||
| Affiant | Someone who signs an affidavit and affirms its truth to a notary public or person authorized to take oaths. | testifier, signor | testifier, person who signs a sworn statement | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Affidavit | A voluntary declaration of facts written down and sworn to by the affiant before an officer authorized to administer oaths, such as a notary public. Usually in support of a motion or in response to a request of the court. | sworn statement | sworn statement | General Terms, Guardian and Conservator, Estates, News Reporter Guide, District Court Civil, County Court Civil, Court Reporting | |
| Affidavit of service | Delivery confirmation or delivery receipt. | Proof of Delivery of Court Papers | General Terms | ||
| Affirm | 1. Declare solemnly and formally, but not under oath; A witness's solemn formal promise to tell the truth during the testimony. 2. The assertion of an appellate court that the judgment of lower court is correct and should stand. | swear | confirm, certify, swear, agree or declare to be factual/true, profess, state with conviction; uphold, approve, endorse, sustain, verify, agree | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Affirmation | When an appellate court says that the lower court's decision was right. | in agreement | confirmation, in agreement | General Terms | |
| Affirmative action | Policies intended to meet certain inclusion goals for members of historically disadvantaged groups in employment, contracting, educational, and other areas. | fair treatment | anti-discrimination, fair treatment | General Terms | |
| Affirmative defense | When a defendant, or person responding to a civil case, introduces new information as a defense instead of just denying what the other person says. | General Terms | |||
| Affirmed | When the Court of Appeals has decided that a lower court decision is correct. | upheld | validated, upheld, agreed | General Terms | |
| Afford an opportunity | Able, allow | allow | Allow | General Terms | |
| Aforementioned | Mentioned before, said this already, indicated above. | above | prior, above, previous, preceding, above | General Terms | |
| Age discrimination | Treating an employee or employment applicant who is at least 40 years old, less favorably or unfairly because of their age. | General Terms | |||
| Agency | The relationship of a person (called the agent) who acts on behalf of another person, company, or government (called the principal). | legal authority, legal relationship | General Terms | ||
| Agent | Someone who is legally allowed to speak and act on behalf of another person. | lawyer, assistant | lawyer, attorney, advocate, delegate | General Terms | |
| Aggravate | To make more serious or severe. | worsen | worsen, increase | General Terms | |
| Aggravated assault | Physically attacking another person and causing serious bodily harm sometimes with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Hurt, insult, or provoke someone on purpose. | Hurt on purpose | General Terms | ||
| Aggravated circumstances | The court may waive reasonable efforts to reunify if it finds aggravated circumstances. If reasonable efforts are waived, a separate reasonable efforts finding is not required. The regulations clarify that the court must waive reasonable efforts if a parent has been convicted of an enumerated felony. However, if criminal proceedings are pending or under appeal, the court has discretion to determine if it is reasonable to proceed with reunification. This decision is based on the child's developmental needs and the length of time before the criminal proceedings or appeal will be resolved. American Bar Association, National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal Judicial Issues. | General Terms, Juvenile | |||
| Aggravating circumstances | considerations that increase (aggravate) a sentence imposed in criminal cases under sentencing guidelines. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Agreement | An understanding between 2 or more people about a particular issue, including their obligations, duties, and rights. | settlement | deal, compromise | General Terms | |
| Aleatory | Depending on an uncertain event, such as when an insurance contract depends on a certain event, like a fire or earthquake. | random | random, unexpected | General Terms | |
| Alias | A name used that is not the given name of a person (such as Harry for Harold, initials, or a maiden name, or an entirely different name). | Also known as | also known as, AKA, assumed name, other known names | General Terms | |
| Alibi | A defense claim that the accused was somewhere else at the time a crime was committed. | excuse | explanation, proof, defense | General Terms | |
| Alibi witness | A person who confirms a defendant's reason for not having been able to commit the crime s/he was accused of. | proof of explanation | General Terms | ||
| Alien | Any person not a citizen of the U.S.. | immigrant | non-citizen, foreigner, immigrant, migrant | General Terms | |
| Alien registration number | A 7-, 8- or 9-digit number assigned to a legal permanent residents by the Department of Homeland Security. | General Terms | |||
| Alimony | Money the court orders you to pay to a spouse or ex spouse. | support | spousal support | General Terms | |
| Allegation | The assertion, declaration or statement of a party to a lawsuit often made in a pleading or legal document, setting out what the party expects to prove at the trial. | charge, claim | accusation, claim | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Allege | To say, declare, or charge that something is true even though it isn't proven yet. | claim | declare, testify, assert, claim | General Terms | |
| allege/allegation | To state or assert something, especially by accusing somebody of wrongdoing without offering proof of it or with a view to proving it later. An assertion, especially relating to wrongdoing or misconduct on somebody's part; that has yet to be proved or supported by evidence. | claim | declare, testify, assert, claim | General Terms, Juvenile | |
| Allocution | An unsworn statement from a convicted defendant to the sentencing judge or jury in which the defendant can ask for mercy, explain his or her conduct, apologize for the crime, or say anything else in an effort to lessen the impending sentence. | talk to the court | talk, lecture | General Terms, Domestic Relations | |
| Allot | To assign or divide shared property among those entitled to have a part or portion. | distribute | assign, distribute, share | General Terms | |
| Alter | To make different without changing into something else. | modify | Change, modify, transform, adjust, amend | General Terms | |
| Alter ego | Other self; doctrine that a corporation may not be used as a sham to insulate shareholders from liability for their own private actions. | other identity | second self | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Alternate juror | A juror selected in the same manner as a regular juror who hears all the evidence but does not help decide the case unless called on to replace a regular juror. | replacement juror | back-up juror | General Terms | |
| Alternative or Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) | A variety of practices and programs designed to settle disputes outside of the traditional adversarial process. May include conciliation, mediation, arbitration, and hybrid programs like problem solving courts. | coming to an agreement outside of court | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | ||
| Ambiguity | Can refer to language in an agreement that has more than one meaning. | confused meaning | vagueness, unclearness, double meaning, confused meaning, uncertainty, doubt | General Terms | |
| Amend | To add to or change a claim that has been filed in court. | change after filing | modify, change, fix | General Terms | |
| Amended complaint | An updated complaint, petition, or pleading that is filed to correct facts, add new claims, or change some other part of the original complaint. | changed after filing | revised accusations | General Terms | |
| Amendment | 1. Change or correction, whether beneficial or not, whether an addition or a subtraction. 2. A change or addition to a legal or statutory document. | correction, addition | attachment, revision, change | General Terms, District Court Civil, County Court Civil, Court Reporting | |
| Amicus curiae | Someone that gives advice to the court about the law in a case, but isn't part of the case. Comes from the Latin for "friend of the court." | friend of the court | adviser to the court, friend in court | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Amnesty | Forgiveness given to a group of individuals by the government, usually before a trial. | forgiveness | forgiveness, immunity | General Terms | |
| Ancillary administration | An administration that is auxiliary to the administration at the place of the decedent's domicile, such as one in another state. | additional personal representative for property in another state | General Terms, Guardian and Conservator, Estates | ||
| Ancillary jurisdiction | In certain situations, a federal court can decide issues that are not normally under its jurisdiction. | additional authority | General Terms | ||
| Annuitant | A person who receives benefits from a pension or annuity. | receiver | payee, receiver, beneficiary | General Terms |