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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change of venue | When a civil or criminal case is moved from one court jurisdiction to another. Changing the location of a trial. Can be from one district to another district, or from one court to another in the same district. | move a trial | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | ||
| Character witness | A person who testifies in court about another person's good character and reputation in the community. This kind of testimony may be used in criminal and civil cases where a person's honesty or morality is an issue. | General Terms | |||
| Charge | Formal accusation of having committed a criminal offense. | indict | accuse, blame, indict | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | |
| Charge to the jury | instructions from the judge concerning the law governing a case. | jury instructions | jury instructions | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Charges | formal criminal charges laid against a person. | offences | citations, offences | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Charging document | Sometimes called a complaint or Information, it is a list of each charge against a defendant. | list of charges | citation, complaint, information | General Terms | |
| Chattel | 1. A piece of personal property. Clothing, televisions, and cars are chattel. Chattel does not include a house or land. 2. cattle (Old English). | personal belongings | personal property, personal belongings. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |
| Chief Judge | Presiding judge of the Court of Appeals. | General Terms | |||
| Chief Justice | Presiding judge of the Supreme Court. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| Child abuse | Hurting a child physically, sexually or emotionally. To beat, molest, or mistreat a child. | hurt a child | General Terms | ||
| Child advocate | Someone appointed by the judge to help a child in a court case. The advocate can be a child welfare expert or a lawyer. Guardian Ad Litem. | legal defender | General Terms | ||
| Child custody | The legal rights and responsibilities that parents have for their child(ren). This term is also often used to describe who the children live with. | General Terms | |||
| Child custody mediation | A meeting guided by a trained professional, who tries to help parents make decisions about a parenting plan for their children. | General Terms | |||
| Child maltreatment | Child abuse and/or neglect. | child abuse | child abuse | General Terms | |
| Child neglect | Not taking good care of a child. Neglect can be physical or emotional. | child abuse | child abuse | General Terms | |
| Child Protective Services | A state agency that investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. If CPS finds abuse or neglect, they open a child protection case, and a caseworker makes a plan to help the family. | CPS | CPS | General Terms | |
| Child Support | Support ordered to be paid for one or more children by a court of competent jurisdiction. (§ 43- 1705) |
Domestic Relations, General Terms | |||
| Child Welfare Facilitation (CWF) | A multi-party facilitation to unravel and set a better course direction for the child, parents, and caregivers, with the goal of solving problems that are hindering the child’s and family’s progress. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Child Welfare Mediation (CWM) | A one-on-one mediation that can be between parent and provider, parent and foster parent, or family members with the goal of solving problems that are hindering the child's and family's progress. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Circles | A storytelling process in which participants are equals and have honest exchanges about difficult issues and painful experiences. The goal is for participants to benefit from the collective wisdom of everyone to generate new understandings of the problem and new possibilities for solutions. | General Terms, Office of Dispute Resolution | |||
| Circuit courts of appeal | Fderal appellate level immediately below Supreme Court. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Circumstantial evidence | Indirect evidence, testimony not based on actual personal knowledge or observation of the facts in dispute. | not based on facts | inconclusive evidence, inferred evidence | General Terms | |
| Citation | Electronic or handwritten ticket generally issued by law enforcement officer. | ticket | ticket | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | |
| Citation to Discover Assets | Find information about a person's income, bank accounts, and property for collection. Order in Aid of Execution, Debtor's Exam. | Debtor's Exam | General Terms, News Reporter Guide | ||
| Cite | To refer to a law or a decision in another case. | refer to | refer to, point out | General Terms | |
| Cited | When a defendant is not in custody but has signed a ticket promising to go to court on a certain day; can be used for any infraction, city or county ordinance, or misdemeanor. | ticketed | given a ticket, | General Terms | |
| Citing authority or agency | An agency related to the court, like the city police or the State Troopers or sheriff that can arrest people for breaking the law. | State Troopers, Sheriff, City Police | General Terms | ||
| Citizen | A person who, by place of birth, nationality of one or both parents, or having successfully completed any applicable requirements, is granted full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation or political community. Some countries allow dual citizenship (maintaining citizenship in more than one country). | resident | naturalized person, legal resident | General Terms | |
| Citizen's arrest | Any person not an officer may, without warrant, arrest any person, if a petit larceny or a felony has been committed, and there is reasonable ground to believe the person arrested guilty of such offense, and may detain him until a legal warrant can be obtained. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-402 Arrest by person not an officer. |
General Terms | |||
| Civil action | 1. A legal proceeding in which one person (plaintiff) sues another (defendant) who has caused him injury or loss. The plaintiff seeks compensation from the defendant for his loss. 2. A lawsuit between or among private parties for declaration, enforcement or protection or a right, or for redress or prevention of a wrong. A lawsuit to get property back, to force someone to complete a contract, or to protect someone's civil rights. | civil case | lawsuit | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Civil law | All law that is not criminal law. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| Civil liability | A legal obligation usually to pay for damages or other court-enforced payment. A requirement to pay what the court says. | order to pay | General Terms | ||
| Civil liberties | Rights granted to the people by the Constitution (primarily based on the First Amendment), to speak freely, think, assemble, organize, worship, or petition without government interference or restraints. | human rights | human rights, freedom | General Terms | |
| Civil procedure | The rules in both state and federal (Federal Code of Procedure) laws that specify the format and process for civil lawsuits. Civil procedure is only about form and procedure, not the substantive law that gives people the right to sue or defend a lawsuit. | General Terms | |||
| Civil process | Court papers that tell all the people in a civil case that it has started. Notice of a case starting. | General Terms | |||
| Civil rights | Rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments to the Constitution. Civil rights include civil liberties, such as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion, as well as due process, the right to vote, equal and fair treatment by law enforcement and the courts, and the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a democratic society, such as equal access to public schools, recreation, transportation, public facilities, and housing. | human rights | rights, human rights, legal rights | General Terms | |
| Civil surgeon | A medically trained, licensed and experienced doctor practicing in the U.S. who is certified by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service). These doctors receive specific immigration training for physical exams, as required by the CDC and USCIS. Exams not done by a Civil Surgeon in the U.S. are not accepted by USCIS. | immigration doctor | Immigration doctor | General Terms | |
| Civil union | A legal relationships, similar to marriage, that is available in many states. Typically, it provides the same rights and responsibilities as a marriage but for same-sex couples who register their civil union. | same-sex marriage | General Terms | ||
| Claim | 1. A creditor's statement that s/he has a right to payment from a debtor or the debtor's property. 2. The assertion of a right to money or property. | request | request, declare | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |
| Claim of exemption | A court paper filed by a judgment debtor that lists each piece of property that the judgment debtor claims is protected (exempt) from being taken. | exempt property list | General Terms | ||
| Claimant | A person who files a claim. | petitioner | applicant, claimer, petitioner | General Terms | |
| Class | A group of people who are similarly situated, for example people who were harmed by a certain product. | group | grouping, collection | General Terms | |
| Class action | 1. A lawsuit in which one or more members of a large group, or class, of individuals or other entities sue on behalf of the entire class. 2. A lawsuit that allows a large number of people with a common interest in a matter to sue or be sued as a group. 3. A suit joined in by a group of people, sometimes quite a large number, who share significant interest in the outcome of a matter. | General Terms, Court Reporting | |||
| Clear title | Ownership of property that is not disputed. Clear title is needed before property can be sold. | no lien | General Terms | ||
| Clearly erroneous | A standard of review in civil appellate proceedings. Under this standard, an appeals court must accept the lower court's findings of fact unless the appellate court is firmly convinced that a mistake has been made. | clear error | General Terms | ||
| Clerk | An official or employee who handles the business of a court, maintains files of each case, and issues routine documents. Some clerks work in courtrooms to update court records and help the judge by providing information from the records. | General Terms | |||
| Clerk magistrate | County court official with some judicial responsibilities. | General Terms, News Reporter Guide, Court Reporting | |||
| Closing | The final step in a real estate transaction, in which the seller's deed of title is exchanged for the buyer's payment. Some of the final documents, including the deed and mortgage or deed of trust, are then recorded in the county recorder's office. Depending on local practice, the closing is handled by a title company, escrow officer, or attorney. Also called settlement. | General Terms | |||
| Closing argument | A speech made at trial after all the evidence has been presented. The closing argument reviews and summarizes the evidence, and forcefully explains why the verdict should be in favor of the arguing party. | summary | final statement | General Terms | |
| Closing costs | All charges (above and beyond the actual cost of the property) that home buyers (or sellers) need to pay at the close of escrow when the property is transferred. These typically include lender's fees and points or prepaid interest, a prorated share of the property taxes, transfer taxes, credit check fees, homeowners' and title insurance premiums, deed filing fees, real estate agent commissions, inspection and appraisal fees, and attorney's fees. Some closing costs are tax-deductible. | General Terms |