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.
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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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remainder man | Person who is to receive property after the death of a life tenant. | beneficiary | beneficiary, person who inherits, heir | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Remand | To send back. | imprison | imprison, commit, detain, hold, incarcerate, lock up | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Remanding order | An order to the sheriff to hold a defendant in custody until his or her next court appearance, or until bail is posted. | detainer | detainer, order for holding, jailing order | General Terms | |
| Remedy | The means of compensating for a wrong or enforcing a right in a legal action. | correct | fix, cure, amend, correct | General Terms | |
| Remitter | Operation of law which restores an earlier valid title, thus replacing a later defective title. | restore a valid title | General Terms, Court Reporting | ||
| Remittitur | It is sent back; a court's order reducing the amount of a gross excessive jury award. | reduce award | to send back, throw out, reduce judgement | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Renewal of summons | An attempt to try again to serve the defendant with the Summons and Complaint. | attempt to serve again | reattempt, try again, serving, attempt to serve | General Terms | |
| Rent | Money paid to use property, usually a house or apartment. Late fees and utility charges are not usually considered rent. | fee for use | fee, cost, price, rate, lease | General Terms | |
| Rent control ordinances | Laws in some communities that limit or prohibit rent increases, or that limit the reasons why a landlord can evict a tenant. | rent freeze law | rent freeze law, price ceiling | General Terms | |
| Rent withholding | A renter's refusal to pay the rent because of the landlord's failure or refusal to fix a serious problem. | General Terms | |||
| Rental agreement | An oral or written agreement between a tenant and a landlord, made before the tenant moves in that sets the terms of the tenancy, like the amount of the rent and when it is due. | lease contract | lease, contract, occupancy contract, | General Terms | |
| Rental application form | A form that a landlord may ask a tenant to fill out before renting that asks for information about the tenant, like the tenant's address, telephone number, employment history, and credit references. | leasing application, housing application | General Terms | ||
| Rental unit | An apartment, house, duplex, condominium, or room that a landlord rents to a tenant to live in. | property | place of occupancy, address, location | General Terms | |
| Renter's insurance | Insurance that protects the tenant's property against losses, including theft or fire. | General Terms | |||
| Replevin | An action to recover possession of personal property unlawfully taken. | reclaim | reclaim, get back | General Terms, District Court Civil, County Court Civil, Court Reporting | |
| Reply | When a case is tried or argued in court, the argument of the plaintiff in answer to that of the defendant; a pleading in response to an answer. | answer | answer, response, counter | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, District Court Civil, County Court Civil, Court Reporting | |
| Report and sentence | The proceeding that happens after a conviction in a criminal case in which the judge reviews the probation report and sentences the defendant. | sentencing | sentencing, adjudication, disposition, convicting | General Terms | |
| Reporter | A court official that records the proceedings in trials, including the questions asked of, and answers made by, witnesses. | court reporter | court reporter | General Terms | |
| Reports (juvenile) | There are two main reports required in juvenile cases. The Crime Commission Case Activity Report and the report to the Foster Care Review Office. Both forms are provided by the respective agency. | General Terms, Juvenile | |||
| Repossess | To take back property from the owner if payments are not made. | take back | retake, get back, reclaim, take back | General Terms | |
| Represent | To act as the representative for another person, such as a person's attorney or advocate. | appear for | speak for, appear for, do business for | General Terms | |
| Request | When a party asks the court to act, demands a right, or asks a question. | ask for | ask for, inquire, question | General Terms | |
| Request for admission | A method of discovery in which 1 party formally asks the opposing party to admit the truth of certain facts relevant to a case. | General Terms | |||
| Res | Thing; a subject matter in a civil case. | subject | subject, thing, matter, object, interest | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Res gestae | Thing shown; things done, deeds, certain facts admitted into evidence which, under other circumstances, would constitute hearsay. | things done | General Terms, Court Reporting | ||
| Res ipsa loquitur | The thing speaks for itself. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Res judicata | Decided thing; matter acted upon or decided finally; a conclusive decision on a matter by a court. | closed | literally "judged matter", finished, closed, decided | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Res publica | Public thing; a state, republic, or commonwealth. | state | state, location | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Rescind | To annul, cancel, terminate a contract, including a lease, and to restore the parties to the position they would occupy if no contract had been made. | void | take back, revoke, go back on, void, cancel, dismiss | General Terms | |
| Residency | The place where a person makes his or her home. | home | home address, place to stay | General Terms | |
| Resident | A person who lives in a particular place. | occupant | inhabitant, occupant, tenant, resider | General Terms | |
| Residential hotel | Any building that contains six or more guest rooms or efficiency units that are designed, used, rented or occupied for sleeping purposes by guests, and which is the primary residence of these guests. | General Terms | |||
| Residential Treatment Center | Highest level of care. Often psychiatric in nature. Provides the most frequency in therapy sessions and offers an on-campus school for youth. Often a locked facility. Maybe a hospital setting, but not necessarily. Facility must be licensed. | General Terms, Juvenile | |||
| Respondent | 1. The party against whom a motion or petition is filed (this term is only used in protection order cases). 2. Party against whom an appeal is brought in an appellate court? the prevailing party in the trial court case. | defendant | defendant, accused person | General Terms, Domestic Relations, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Responding state | A state in which a proceeding is filed from an initiating state under UIFSA. (§ 42-702(18)) |
Domestic Relations, General Terms | |||
| Responsible | Legally liable or accountable. | liable | General Terms | ||
| Restitution | The act of restoring or giving the equivalent value to compensate for an injury, damage, or loss. | repayment | value paid, compensation, repayment, payment | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Restorative Justice (RJ) | A set of principles including (1) victim sensitivity and restoration; (2) offender accountability; and (3) community and public safety. May include victim/offender mediation, sentencing circles, victim impact panels, group conferencing, and problem solving courts. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Restorative Justice Dialogue (RJD) | See Victim Offender Mediation. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Restraining order | An order in the nature of an injunction. A civil order issued by a court that requires one person to stop doing something to or towards another person. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| Restricted account | An account with a financial institution in which money or securities are placed. No person may withdraw funds from a restricted account without the court's permission. | General Terms, Guardian and Conservator | |||
| Restriction | Any limitation on activity, by law, regulation, or the terms of a contract. | limitation | limitation, constraint, provision, limit, control | General Terms | |
| Retain | To keep possession of. | keep | employ, maintain, keep, save | General Terms | |
| Retainer | 1. A fee that the client pays a lawyer before that lawyer begins to work for the client. 2. Act of the client in employing an attorney or counsel. | deposit | fee, charge, deposit, down payment | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Retaliatory eviction or action | An act by a landlord, like raising the rent, trying to evict, or punishing a tenant because the tenant has asserted legal rights. | vindictive | punitive eviction, vindictive, cruel, malicious, vengeful | General Terms | |
| Retirement benefits | Benefits provided to a person who leaves the work force at the Social Security Administration's retirement age or by a private retirement plan. | retirement allowance, pension | pension, allowance, social security | General Terms | |
| Reunification | A goal of permanency is for a child to be reunified with the parents. | reuniting | rejoining, reuniting, reintegration, combining | General Terms, Juvenile | |
| Reunification requirements | What the court orders a parent to do in order to get back a child removed from the parent's custody. | General Terms | |||
| Revenue | Income received by a public entity (like court filing fees) to offset the cost of providing service(s). | profit | money, earnings, proceeds, income, profit | General Terms | |
| Reverse | When an appellate court sets aside the decision of a trial court. A reversal is often accompanied by a remand to the lower court for further proceedings. | overturn | overturn, go back on | General Terms |