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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irrevocable trust | A permanent trust that cannot be changed in any way. | cannot be changed | General Terms | ||
| IRS regulations | IRS written interpretations of selected parts of the Internal Revenue Code. | Tax rules | General Terms | ||
| Is able to | Can | Can | General Terms | ||
| Is applicable to | Applies to. | Applies to | General Terms | ||
| Is authorized | May | may | General Terms | ||
| Is binding upon | Used to describe an agreement, contract, etc. that cannot be changed or stopped: Once signed, these documents are legally binding. | A person must act, or take an action | General Terms | ||
| Is concerned with | Is relating to ; pertaining to; affecting; involving; being engaged in or taking part in. | is relating to | General Terms | ||
| Is empowered | Someone has the right, or authority, to take certain actions. | authority | General Terms | ||
| Is unable to | Unable to do something, it is impossible for you to do it, for example because you do not have the necessary skill or knowledge, or because you do not have enough time or money. | Cannot | General Terms | ||
| Issue | General, progeny, offspring, lineal descendants, including adopted children. | heirs | Children, descendants, heirs, offspring | General Terms, Guardian and Conservator, Estates | |
| Issuing state | State in which a court issues a support order and renders a judgment determining paternity. (§ 42-702(13)) |
Domestic Relations, General Terms | |||
| Issuing tribunal | The court that issues a support order or renders a judgment of determining paternity. (§ 42-702(14)) |
Domestic Relations, General Terms | |||
| J.D. | Juris Doctor, a graduate degree in law. | Law school graduate. | General Terms | ||
| Jane Doe | A fictitious name used for a possible female in a case who is unknown at the time a complaint is filed. | female fake name | General Terms | ||
| Jeopardy | Exposure to possible conviction, such as being on trial in court. Risk to a defendant of possible conviction and punishment, which applies once the jury has been sworn in. | danger of harm | Risk, exposure | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Jim Crow law | Laws that discriminated against black Americans by requiring segregation. | racial segregation laws | General Terms | ||
| John Doe | A fictitious name used for a possible male in a case who is unknown at the time a complaint is filed. | male fake name | General Terms | ||
| Joinder | Joining lawsuits together, or joining parties together in a single suit. | combining | joining, combining | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Joint | Shared | shared | Shared, combined | General Terms | |
| Joint administration | A court-approved mechanism under which two or more cases can be administered together. | General Terms | |||
| Joint and several | Refers to a debt in which each debtor is responsible for the entire amount of the debt or judgment. If one of the debtors pays the entire debt, they may sue the other for their share of the debt. | shared responsibility | General Terms | ||
| Joint custody | A court order that gives both parents legal and/or physical custody of a child. | General Terms | |||
| Joint legal custody | A court order that allows both parents to make important decisions about a child's health, education, and well-being. | General Terms | |||
| Joint liability | When two or more people are responsible for a debt, claim, or judgment. Each person can be made to pay the entire amount. | shared responsibility | General Terms | ||
| Joint ownership | The ownership of property by two or more people, usually with the right of survivorship. | shared ownership | General Terms | ||
| Joint petition | One bankruptcy petition filed by both spouses. Petition for divorce filed by both parties instead of by one. | filed together | General Terms | ||
| Joint physical custody | A court order that says a child spends about the same amount of time living with both parents. | General Terms | |||
| Joint tax return | One tax return filed by a married couple to report their combined income and deductions. | filed together | General Terms | ||
| Joint tenancy | A form of property ownership by two or more persons designated as "Joint Tenants with right of survivorship. When a joint tenant dies, their interest in the property automatically goes to the surviving joint tenant outside of and beyond the power of the will of the deceased joint tenant; the property passes outside probate. | shared ownership | General Terms, Guardian and Conservator, Estates | ||
| Joint tortfeasors | Two or more persons whose collective negligence in a single accident causes damages to another person. | shared responsibility | General Terms | ||
| Journal entry | This is the written record of a hearing's proceedings in summary form. | record | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | ||
| Judge | An elected or appointed official with authority to hear and decide cases in a court of law; Nebraska judges are selected and retained according to the merit plan. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | |||
| Judgment | 1. A court's official decision about a dispute. 2. A final court ruling about the key questions in a lawsuit that decides the rights and obligations of the parties. | decision | decision, ruling, finding, verdict | General Terms, Domestic Relations, Small Claims, News Reporter Guide, District Court Civil, County Court Civil, Court Reporting | |
| Judgment creditor | A person or entity that wins a lawsuit and will be owed money by the other party. | is owed money | General Terms, Small Claims | ||
| Judgment debt | The debt owed by a party to a lawsuit based on the court's final decision. | money that is owed | General Terms | ||
| Judgment debtor | The person or entity that loses a lawsuit and owes damages to the other party. | person who owes money | General Terms, Small Claims | ||
| Judgment debtor's statement of assets | In small claims, the form listing the judgment debtor's assets and sources of income that the judgment debtor must complete and send to the judgment creditor. | list of earnings and belongings | list of earnings and belongings | General Terms | |
| Judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) | Reversal of a jury's verdict by a judge. | General Terms | |||
| Judgment-proof | A condition of having little or no money or property (or only having exempt property) that a creditor who wins a lawsuit could take. | General Terms | |||
| Judicial | Referring to a judge, a court, or the court system. | judge-like | General Terms | ||
| Judicial discretion | A judge's power to make decisions based on fairness or an assessment of the situation, particularly in cases where legal rights are unclear. | power of the judge | General Terms | ||
| Judicial district | A geographical area relegated to a specific court's authority within a state. | General Terms | |||
| Judicial foreclosure | When property is sold at auction, after a court's decision to allow it, because the owner defaulted on mortgage payments. | court ordered sale | General Terms | ||
| Judicial notice | The court's authority to accept matters of common knowledge or indisputable fact without anyone having to present evidence on the point. | General Terms | |||
| Judicial officer | Judges, referees, and commissioners that make court decisions as a judge. | General Terms | |||
| Judicial positions | The judge, referee, and commissioner positions authorized by the state Legislature for a particular court jurisdiction. | General Terms | |||
| Judicial proceeding | Any court activity in front of a judge, such as a trial or hearing. | trial, hearing | General Terms | ||
| Jump bail | A colloquial term for fleeing or failing to appear for a court appearance after depositing bail. | failure to appear | General Terms | ||
| Junior mortgage | A mortgage second in lien to a previous mortgage. | Second mortgage | General Terms, Court Reporting | ||
| Jurat | He swears; the clause at the end of an affidavit showing when, where, and by whom the affidavit was signed. | been sworn | General Terms, Court Reporting |