Legal Terms and Definitions

Glossary of Legal Terms

Original jurisdiction The court in which a matter must first be filed. Burden of proof The duty to establish a claim or allegation by admissible evidence. This is usually the duty of the plaintiff in a civil case and always is the duty of the state in a criminal case. Bail In criminal cases, a sum of money posted by or on behalf of a defendant to guarantee his appearance in court after being released from jail Citation An order of the court requiring the appearance of a defendant on a particular day to answer to a particular charge. Prejudicial error Synonymous with "reversible error"; an error which warrants the appellate court in reversing the judgment before it. Public defender In a civil tort action such as a medical malpractice suit, the plaintiff must show that an act or omission of the defendant was a proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury or loss. Similarly, in a criminal action, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant's action was the direct cause of the crime Instruction A direction given by the judge to the jury concerning the law to be applied in the case. Trial A judicial examination of issues between parties to an action.

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	Alternative Dispute Resolution describes problem-solving processes Alternative Dispute Resolution describes problem-solving processes that promote creative solutions to disputes that are unavailable in traditional dispute resolution forums. May include a specialist