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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mugging | A robbing by force or threat. | hold-up | burglary, robbery, theft, hold-up | General Terms | |
| Multiplicity of actions | More than one lawsuit raising the same issue(s) against the same defendant. | General Terms | |||
| Multistate financial institution data match (MSFIDM) | A process that matches the financial accounts in more than 1 state with parents that owe child support. | General Terms | |||
| Muniment of title | Deeds and other written documents that prove title to property. | written proof of ownership | certificate of title, evidence of title, deed | General Terms | |
| Murder | 1. The unlawful killing of a human being by another with malice aforethought, either express or implied. 2. The unlawful killing of a person by another with premeditated malice. | killing or to kill | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | ||
| Mutual | Referring to anything in which the parties have reciprocal rights, understanding, or agreement. | shared, common | reciprocal, joint, collective, shared, common | General Terms | |
| Mutual wills | Wills made by two people (usually spouses, but could be "partners") in which each gives the estate to the other. | General Terms | |||
| Necessary party | A person or entity affected by the outcome of a lawsuit, but who does not have to be included in the case for a judgment to be made. | essential group, person with direct interest | General Terms | ||
| Necessitate | 1. To make necessary or unavoidable. 2. To compel, oblige, or force. | require | require, call for, compel, insist upon, leave no option | General Terms | |
| Negligence | The failure to do something which a reasonable person, guided by ordinary considerations, would do? the doing of something which a reasonable and prudent person would not do. | neglect, carelessness | carelessness, breach of duty, recklessness, irresponsibility | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Negotiated Rule Making | A process to involve all stakeholders in the implementation of legislation through active participation in the development of agency regulations. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Net value of an estate | The Total Value of the Estate minus jointly owned property (Schedule E) and mortgages, liens, and encumbrances (Schedule K) on the Probate Inventory. | General Terms, Estates | |||
| Neutral evaluation | When a neutral person (or persons) hears brief written and oral presentations, then considers the strengths and weaknesses of each side's contentions and evidence, and offers an overall evaluation of the dispute. | third-party review | General Terms | ||
| New hire reporting | A program that requires all employers to report newly hired employees to the State Directory of New Hires (SDNH) in their state. This data is submitted to the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH), and compared against child support order information in the Federal Case Registry (FCR) for possible enforcement of child support obligations through wage garnishment. | General Terms | |||
| Next friend | One acting for the benefit of an infant or other person without being regularly appointed as guardian. Person who represents a minor or incompetent person in court. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| No bill | This phrase, endorsed by a grand jury on the indictment, is equivalent to "not found" or "not a true bill"? in the opinion of the jury, evidence was insufficient to warrant the return of a formal charge. | no indictment by Grand Jury | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | ||
| No contest plea | Party/parties do not admit the allegations. They will not challenge or object to the charges/allegations filed against them. Does not admit guilt, but accepts the punishment as if they were guilty. | no objection to charges | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | ||
| No fault | A divorce in which neither party must prove that the other party is at fault. | no one is at blame | General Terms | ||
| Nolle prosequi | Remove charge/s. | will no longer prosecute | Not Prosecute/Dismissed | General Terms | |
| Nolo contendere | 1. No contest. A plea of nolo contendere has the same effect on a criminal sentence as a plea of guilty, but may not be taken as an admission of guilt for any other possible case. 2. I will not fight (contest it); criminal plea neither admitting nor denying the charges, but which may result in a fine or sentence anyway; this avoids future liability in any civil action brought on the same facts. 3. A pleading usually used by defendants in criminal cases? literally means "I will not contest it". | no contest | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | ||
| Non compos mentis | Not of sound mind. | not of sound mind | insane | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Noncustodial parent (NCP) | The parent that does not have primary care, custody, or control of a child. | General Terms | |||
| Nonservice | When a summons or warrant is issued but not served (delivered). | was not delivered | not delivered | General Terms | |
| Notarize | Certification of the authenticity of a signature on a document by a notary public. | verify signature | certify, witness, verify | General Terms | |
| Notary Public | A person authorized by law and specifically designated to administer oaths, certify and authenticate specific documents, and perform other prescribed acts. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | |||
| Notice | A written announcement or warning. Notification or communication of a fact, claim, demand, or proceeding. | notification | Notification, announcement, information | General Terms | |
| Notice of default | A notice to a borrower with property as collateral that they are behind in their payments. | General Terms | |||
| Notice to quit | A written notice given by landlord to tenant, indicating that tenant must move from the premises at a time designated. | warning to leave | General Terms | ||
| Null and void | Having no legal effect. | not valid | not valid, invalid, of no effect, void | General Terms | |
| Nullity | The legal invalidation of a marriage; annulment. | annulment | annulment, void, nonexistence, nothing | General Terms | |
| Nunc pro tunc | now for then, phrase applied to acts performed with retroactive effect. | retroactive | retroactive judgment | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Oath | Written or oral pledge by a person to keep a promise or speak the truth. | sworn promise | affirmation or promise of truth, sworn promise | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Objection | The act of taking exception to some statement or procedure in trial? used to call the court's attention to improper evidence or procedure. | challenge | argument, disagreement, challenge, protest | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Obligation | A legal duty to pay or do something. | duty | responsibility, duty, requirement, | General Terms | |
| Obligee | Person to whom a duty of support is owed pursuant to a support order. (§ 43-3341(5)) |
person owed | Domestic Relations, General Terms | ||
| Obligor | Person who owes a duty of support pursuant to a court order. (§ 43-3341(6)) |
person who owes | Domestic Relations, General Terms | ||
| Obtain | To come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request. | get | get, acquire | General Terms | |
| Occupancy | Living in or using premises or property as a tenant or owner. | lining in | use, living in | General Terms | |
| Occupant | 1. Someone living in a residence or using premises, as a tenant or owner. 2. a person who takes possession of real property or a thing which has no known owner, intending to gain ownership. | resident | renter, tenant, resident | General Terms | |
| ODR-Approved Center | A nonprofit organization or court-established program which makes dispute resolution procedures and restorative justice services available, and has applied for and received approval from the director under § 25-2929. |
General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Offense | An act that breaks the law. | crime | crime, violation, infraction, wrongdoing | General Terms | |
| Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) | The federal agency responsible for administering the nationwide child support program. | General Terms | |||
| Office of Dispute Resolution (ODR) | Part of the State Court Administrator's Office and under the authority and supervision of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Approves and sets ethical, training, and related standards for the ODR-approved mediators and regional mediation centers in the state. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Official record | The transcript of court proceeding, exhibits, and all physical evidence. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Offset (child support) | The money taken from a parent's income tax refund before it is received to pay a child support debt. | withholding from tax refund | General Terms | ||
| On a monthly basis | Monthly, once a month. | monthly | General Terms | ||
| On point | Cases whose underlying facts are similar. Applying directly to the topic under consideration. | directly related | General Terms, Court Reporting | ||
| Open testimony | Provided by expert witnesses who have special knowledge or expertise And therefore, are deemed to be qualified to consider hypothetical as an aid to the Court's understanding. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Opening statement | A party's statement at the beginning of a trial that outlines their legal position and the evidence that will be introduced later. | beginning of a trial, explanation of the case | General Terms | ||
| Operation of law | Rights or obligations that by law take effect automatically in a particular circumstance. | General Terms |