Legal Dictionary

Leave, hide or conceal one’s self to avoid legal process.

History of the land ownership.

Judge’s decision contrary to logic and facts.

One who, having full knowledge a crime has been committed, conceals from authorities and helps or protects the  person charged or convicted of the crime.

One who conspires toward or induces the commission of a crime, but is not present, aiding, at its commission.

One who knowingly and willingly has helped someone else to commit a crime.

Invite another to commit prostitution or any other lewd or immoral act.

Explain what happened or caused things to happen the way they did.

Explanation of how one has used and kept money entrusted to them as a trustee–what money was spent for; a record of what has been done.

Formal written statement charging one with a crime.

Found not guilty by a jury or court.

For this/a special purpose.

Face and consider.

Halting of a court proceeding until another time; a temporary delay in or suspension of court proceeding (During this delay participants may normally leave the courtroom; this is not usually true of a recess during which the delay is of much shorter duration).

Can be heard and considered in a court of law or agency for the purpose of reaching a decision.

Warn, caution or advise.

Guidance and recommendation by attorney.

One who makes an affidavit; one who swears to the truth of a set of facts; applicant on a search warrant request.

A sworn statement of facts, made voluntarily and confirmed by oath–not subject to cross-examination during making; cf. Deposition.

Say that something is so, the equivalent of swearing an oath.

Relationship where one (agent) represents another (principal).

Person (or legal entity) representing another for business or legal purposes.

(Crime) made more serious.

Written statement of what is agreed upon in a document; formal promise or obligation given  by one to another for some consideration.

Helping, assisting or facilitating the commission of a crime.

Second or other name a person uses.

Assertion that the defendant was elsewhere than the place of the crime  at its occurrence so that he could not have committed it.

One not a citizen; born outside the United States and not naturalized.

Amount of money one spouse must pay to the other after divorce for the support of that spouse.

Statement or suggestion that a certain thing is true.

Correction of an error in a charge, addition of something-parties, legal grounds, etc..

Someone who is not a party to the lawsuit, who submits a brief or memorandum to a court in support of a given legal proposition or result.

Yearly payment of a sum of money, can be for life or for a term of years.

Make void or of no effect.

Reply to a formal written charge/complaint or question/ interrogatories.

Petition to a higher court to review the case because the trial court allegedly made a mistake.

Be in court as asked/ordered, either in person or through an attorney.

One who files an appeal; one who seeks a hearing in a court of appeals.

Brief which goes to appeals court.

An attorney in a criminal case chosen by the court to defend a person who cannot afford to pay for an attorney (law students are often used).

To arrest and escort into custody; seize.

Go to the judge’s bench for a consultation outside the hearing of all except the judge and attorneys.

Dispute between two parties.

Carrying a weapon — gun, hat pin, knife, etc..

Robbery committed by one who had a deadly weapon or weapon listed in the statute; e.g., firearm, knife, slingshot.

Preliminary appearance before judge to answer complaint; appearance in trial court to respond to information or indictment.

Arrest one not already in custody; seize.

Deliberate illegal burning of property.

One who assails or attacks.

Create a fear of corporal hurt or unconsented touching with a present ability to carry it out (felonious assault is assault with a weapon).

Create a fear of unconsented touching with a present ability to carry it out, and then carrying it out.

Legal evaluation of property as a basis for tax.

That which one has which is of value to others; that which can be converted to cash or other negotiable security.

Transfer of legal right or interest to another.

Task for performance; give the task, or receive it.

Put a legal hold on property of another by judicial order; e.g., wages, land, etc..

In criminal law — try to commit a crime but not accomplishing the thing intended.

Swear to; bear witness to.

Officials; those in charge.

Power and right to do something.

Examination of a body to determine the cause of death  (an autopsy involves taking the body apart after death and examining body tissues).

Check with no enforceable bank obligation behind it; no funds of writer to cover check.

Security — usually money — posted to guarantee performance of an obligation (often used to guarantee defendant’s appearance in court).

Court employee functioning as a guard.

Inability to meet financial obligations from current assets; insolvent.

Federal proceeding to distribute the bankrupt’s assets among creditors.

Unlawful touching.

Trial where a judge sits as a judge of fact and law.

Order to arrest someone issued by the court itself in the case of contempt, indictment, or failure to obey subpoena.

One who receives (benefit) proceeds from a contract, trust, or will.

In evidence, means fully satisfied, entirely convinced, or satisfied to a moral certainty; burden of proof in criminal cases.

Crime of willingly marrying a person while still knowingly legally married to another.

Draft of a statute before it becomes law.

Sum of money owed that one must pay.

Forcing someone to pay money under a threat to reveal something derogatory that would presumably bring disgrace or ruin if made public.

Examination of a sample of blood; e.g., for alcohol content.

Without deceit or fraud.

Committed to await prosecution, after preliminary examination, information or grand jury action.

Failure to do what one has legally agreed to do or not to do.

Machine that measures the content of alcohol in the blood by measuring how much is in exhaled air.

Document containing points of law pertinent to a specific case.

Responsibility of proving the existence of facts producing a legal consequence in favor of the party bearing the burden.

In modern usage, statutory crime of entering building or vehicle to commit a crime.

Size of a bullet and size of what a gun (rifle) will fire.

Announcement of order in which cases will be heard.

Announcement of specific case; e.g., to call case of ….

Writ requiring that somebody be taken into physical custody.

Sexual intercourse, usually heterosexual (only the slightest penetration necessary).

Carrying a weapon in a hidden manner.

Order issued by a court, the purpose of which is to stop the defendant from doing some act which is harmful to the plaintiff, usually issued by a court of equity as part of injunctive relief.

Paper from your insurance company that shows proof of insurance.

Document of ownership in property subject to recording.

To dispute what someone says or does.

Substitution of one plea for another.

Removal of suit begun in one county or district to another for trial.

Infliction of physical or psychological damage to a child through an act of commission or omission.

Payment from one spouse or former spouse to the other to support the children living with the recipient spouse.

The court in Michigan which is the state’s highest trial court; the trial court in Michigan between the District Court and the Court of Appeals.

Evidence derived from acts or deeds of parties, rather than from direct and positive proof; all evidence of indirect nature.

Official notice from police to appear in court.

Arrest one not already in custody; seize; contrast with peace officer arrest.

One who claims, or asserts right to money or property.

Not really a legal term but a descriptive term used to describe a body of evidence offered to a court.

In criminal law — the change from a greater to a lesser punishment; alteration; change.

Review of the evidence offered in a case , coupled with an argument as to how the jury should view this evidence offered at the close of a trial , by counsel for each side.

Body of statute law on a major area of concern; e.g., crimes, probate, commercial code.

Addition or supplement to a will.

Live together, usually as husband and wife.

Act of plotting/planning together; implication of existence of fraud of some kind for the accomplishment of some unlawful purpose.

Engage in some act or activity to the point where direction becomes clear.

Traditional law — growing out of a long series of judicial decisions.

Property owned in common by a husband and wife as a kind of marital partnership (it is usual at death that the surviving spouse retains only one half of the property).

Able to perform or act, legally, mentally or physically; duly qualified.

Weapon carried so that it is not visible (Always examine local law; e.g., in Michigan, carrying a gun in a car trunk is permissible).

Before the Fact One who conspires toward or induces the commission of a crime, but is not present, aiding, at its commission.

Adjudge property to be forfeited to the state; e.g., drugs obtained without prescription are subject to confiscation.

Guess; guess based on some degree of knowledge, but insufficient to form the rational basis of knowledge.

The right to know intimately one’s spouse; the right to sexual expression between married persons; the right to each other’s society, comfort, and affection.

Agree to something.

Disobedience of judicial order or disruption of judicial proceedings, which results in penalty.

Adjournment or postponement of an action pending in a court.

Allow one, after a criminal proceeding, to go free on the same surety arrangement as existed prior to the proceeding.

Things not allowed by law to be owned or possessed; e.g., things that are smuggled into the country, such as drugs, certain weapons.

Written statement of what is agreed upon in a document; formal promise or obligation given by one to another for some consideration.

Fault for incident on part of plaintiff or claimant.

Substances which are controlled by law; not always just drugs — may be poisons or other harmful substances such as atomic substances.

Keeping or using someone else’s property for one’s own benefit.

Passed or transferred legal title to another.

Adjudge someone guilty of a crime.

Official of the local government whose duty it is to report the circumstances of death which occur within his jurisdiction under other than clearly natural circumstances.

Formal proceeding to determine whether death occurred by criminal means.

Material substance upon which a crime has been committed; substantial fact that a crime has been committed.

Subparagraph in indictment or information charging a single crime.

Court where one may have a legal issue heard which has been decided by a lower court in a manner unsatisfactory to his interest; court which adopts as true the facts, but decides through law.

Command issued by a court under law that something be done or not done.

Court employee who makes a record of all that takes place officially during a judicial proceeding.

Believability.

Reduction of period of maximum sentence corresponding to period of pre-conviction detention.

One to whom money is owed.

Act committed which violates law; action done contrary to law.

Criminal act directed toward a person which involves touching or threat of touching; e.g., Assault, Robbery, as opposed to crime against property.

Acting in a manner that is against the law.

One who commits an act prohibited by a criminal law or statute, and has been legally convicted of a crime.

Questioning of witness by opposing party after Direct Examination

Responsibility in law; fault; sometimes guilt.

Compensation awarded for injury or loss.

Weapon designed for inflicting serious physical harm or death

Judicial disposition of litigation (technically, in equity, and thus contrasted with common-law judgment).

Document of ownership in property subject to recording; e.g., land.

Failure to respond to suit, resulting in Default Judgment in favor of person starting civil action; failure to perform.

Gradation of offenses in ascending/descending order of priority.

Evaluation of the evidence in private session to reach a verdict.

Word to describe behavior by juvenile that is in violation of law, usually recognized in juvenile court proceedings.

One who derives support from another; deriving existence, support or direction from another.

One who gives testimony under oath at a deposition proceeding.

Written record of sworn answers to direct and cross-examination/ interrogatories in a Deposition Proceeding; an inquiry not conducted in court, but done by court order.

Questioning by party which calls witness.

Judicial order requiring a jury to decide case a certain way; jury in fact does not act.

Pretrial procedure to gain access to relevant admissible material in the hands of the opponent.

Case cannot be begun again.

Case can be begun again.

Final ruling, judgment or order in a dispute (judicial or administrative proceeding).

Listing or calendar of cases ready for hearing or trial.

Place where one has significant legal interest or relationships; true, permanent home spot — usually equated with “residence”.

Command; require by writ of injunction from court of equity.

Improper inducement by law enforcement agent for another to commit a crime.

Law administered in Chancery courts; contrast Common Law; now combined with courts of law.

Thing of value, frequently a deed or money representing a deed, delivered to a third person to be delivered by him to the grantee upon the happening of a certain condition.

Whole of the property owned by anyone, the real as well as the personal.

Procedure to establish facts on which (usually preliminary) a judicial ruling will rest.

“One-sided,” without adversary proceeding.

Factors warranting a reduction in the severity of crime or punishment.

Threat on someone to get money; transferring through force or threat of immediate force.

Unlawful restraint of the person by another without warrant, or with illegal warrant, or warrant illegally executed.

Designed misrepresentation of existing fact or condition whereby person obtains another’s money or goods.

Act in violation of federal law as opposed to state law for which the federal government may punish.

Rule applied if criminal kills someone while perpetrating or attempting another felony (considered first degree murder.

Serious crime, punishable by more than one year’s imprisonment; cf. Misdemeanor.

To require an employer or creditor to turn over money or property owed to a debtor, pursuant to court order; e.g., to garnish a judgment debtor’s wages or bank account.

Larceny of goods beyond specific statutory value.

Basis for a legal action, the legal authority upon which one may base a claim for relief at law.

One legally responsible for the affairs of a person or estate of one legally incapable of acting; e.g., minor or mentally-ill person.

Responsible for a delinquency or a crime.

Procedure to bring petitioner before the court to determine the legality of detention, custody, or confinement.

Opportunity to come before a court or agency to state one’s position with respect to some claim.

Recital of another’s statements without personal knowledge of the matters recited.

Confirmed as subject to legal control while additional proceedings are begun.

Request by the court to have a defendant state to the court that he is .

Show the involvement of another in an act.

Not allowed to be heard at trial according to evidence law.

Exposing to an accusation or charge of crime.

Accusation in writing by grand jury; cf. Information — formal criminal charge filed by district or prosecuting attorney.

One without sufficient funds to pay for legal needs.

Legal deduction or conclusion based on an admitted or assumed fact.

Formal criminal charge in trial court filed by prosecuting attorney.

A court order prohibiting or requiring certain actions; issued traditionally by court of equity.

Written questions to be answered under oath, taken on deposition; see: Deposition.

Killing of a human being without intent, in doing some unlawful act not amounting to a felony, or some lawful act in an unlawful manner.

Statement which is not of value or information to a court regarding a particular cause in law.

Subjection to criminal trial proceedings, after valid indictment, and petit jury impaneled and sworn.

Officer who presides and administers law in a court.

Official and authentic decision of a court on the case it has heard.

Power of a court to hear a case and give a decision; power and authority to act.

A body of people sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court.

Appropriation of property without owner’s consent.

Question which suggests to the witness the desired answer.

Reasons for judicial or administrative action found in legal norms.

That which is lawful, conforming to the law.

Responsible; duty to compensate for damage, hurt or injury.

Written statement impairing or defaming someone’s reputation in the community.

Interest in or claim against property, in the nature of a property right, to secure the payment of money or performance of an obligation.

Evil intent ahead of an action.

Intent of ill feelings or wickedness.

Incompetent performance of professional duties, usually causing injury; unreasonable lack of skill or fidelity in professional or fiduciary duties.

Authoritative order for performance, etc..

One who has first hand knowledge of what happened.

Criminal intent or mental attitude.

Crime punishable by one year’s imprisonment or less; cf. Felony.

Trial terminated because of misconduct or error.

Annoy with intent to trouble or harm; make improper advances of a sexual nature.

Act of baseness, vileness or depravity.

Formal request to a court to decide a procedural matter or determine a case on other than the merits.

Intentional homicide without justification.

Response which describes in non-technical or non-stereotyped fashion a past occurrence, transaction, etc; contrast with “Q & A” form of examination.

One acting for benefit of infant, married woman or other person without being regularly appointed guardian.

In a criminal case, nolo contendere has similar effect as guilty plea; related procedure, in which defendant does not acknowledge guilt but submits to punishment.

Action not in accordance with a law, court order, contract, etc..

No defense, by design or otherwise, made to an adverse claim in court of law.

Attested by a notary, as sworn to by maker or source.

Communication that legal action or event is pending.

To take an oath, swearing or affirming that something is true.

Protest to evidence or procedural act denied (The matter is suitable.).

Protest to evidence or procedural act accepted (The matter is not suitable.).

Protest to evidence or procedural act.

Hamper law enforcement or litigation.

Discussion of matters during a trial which all sides agree should not be recorded.

Statement by attorney to jury, before evidence is taken, outlining what the attorney/party expects to prove.

Formal statement of the conclusion reached by a court in its consideration of a legal proceeding.

Command issued by a court under law that something be done or not done.

Oral or verbal evidence.

Release from confinement in prison before expiration of maximum term of confinement, usually subject to supervision.

Action which is waiting to be decided.

Challenge which prosecution or prisoner is allowed to have against a certain number of jurors, without assigning any cause; see: Challenge.

Lying under oath; a criminal offense.

Larceny of property below specified amount, depends on value of goods taken.

Complaining or moving party in a civil suit.

Request for official or judicial action, usually written complaint in probate or other special proceeding.

Answer or response to indictment or information.

Device or instrument that measures physical reactions to questions, used to evaluate truth of responses.

Report on a convicted defendant, personal history and background to be used by the court in assessing sentence.

A meeting of both parties involved in a legal dispute prior to the trial.

Decision establishing legal doctrines controlling later cases.

Preconceived opinion favorable, or more usually unfavorable.

Thinking before acting; cf. Intent.

On its face; data which if true and uncontested, will establish the existence of a crime, claim, etc..

Chief actors or figures in transactions.

Freedom to act or remain inactive without infringing on a right or claim by someone else.

Reasonable ground for belief in existing facts; legal term for an adequate evidentiary basis to enter a certain order; e.g., issue a warrant, hold the defendant for later proceedings.

Act or process of proving a will by a court having competent jurisdiction.

Prosecuting attorney responsible for bringing and processing criminal charges.

Lawyer hired by the government to defend people in criminal cases when they cannot afford their own lawyer.

Nuisance which interferes with the good of, or offends, or inconveniences, the public.

Court procedure which any member of the public may attend.

Wipe out, take away; rescind or dismiss action; make void.

Group police entry into premises used for criminal purposes or in which evidence of crime is/may be found.

The unwanted sexual penetration of a woman.

Logical; commonly accepted.

Thinking that is common to persons in similar circumstances.

Facts or acts which would cause a person of sound mind to believe in the possibility.

Response to opponent’s proof or argument.

Acceptance of stolen goods knowing that they were stolen.

A habitual criminal.

More serious than careless or negligent, usually involving disregard of known potential consequences.

Obligation of record to appear in court, to pay a debt (in some states a species of bond or bail or security, given by prisoner either being bound over for trial or on his taking an appeal.

Order of examination: (a) direct examination — by party calling witness; (b) cross-examination — by opponent; (c) redirect — by party calling witness to go into new facts brought out on cross-examination; (d) recross — by opponent for new matter on redirect.

Order of examination: (a) direct examination — by party calling witness; (b) cross-examination — by opponent; (c) redirect — by party calling witness to go into new facts brought out on cross-examination; (d) recross — by opponent for new matter on redirect.

Restoration of credibility (after cross-examination, lawyer may ask to rehabilitate witness).

On issue; important information that is to the point.

Send a case back to the original court for additional consideration.

Doing anything that would stop a policeman from placing or retaining a person under arrest.

Brought to a conclusion by decision of issues in conflict.

One who responds to the petition.

To make right or whole; restore loss.

Court order to prohibit or prevent something from happening; see: Injunction.

Anything near or on the body which restricts movement.

Sum of money paid to an attorney for legal services to be performed.

A repeated trial after successful appeal or mistrial.

Having application to actions, etc., in existence before date of decision or modification.

Turn around; the act of an appeals court in upsetting or vacating the holding of a lower court.

To make void by recalling or taking back; cancel; reverse.

Act of looking for and taking contraband or evidence under authority of law.

The taking of goods, money or property by process of law.

Testimony or statements which tend to show the commission of a crime.

Penalty after criminal conviction; e.g., imprisonment, fine.

Keep the jurors together in isolation for duration of a trial.

Act of transmitting document or notice to party of pending action.

Order to appear as directed and present to the court reasons and considerations one has to offer why something should not be confirmed, take effect or be executed.

Request or invitation to another to commit a crime unsuccessfully (successful solicitation is Inducement).

Jury recital of the specific facts which it finds to be true, leaving it to the court to assess the legal significance of those facts.

Constitutional right to a trial without unreasonable delay.

Refusal to plead (not guilty plea is then entered by court).

Legal eligibility to commence action.

Government in general; also meaning a particular unit of the United States.

Sexual intercourse with consenting minor, that is, below statutory age of consent.

Stop; arrest; halt.

Formal acknowledgment of fact or event.

Police on-the-scene halting of citizen under suspicious circumstances, to identify citizen or check on possibility of crime.

Court order to produce documents, tangible objects, etc., in court.

Court order calling one to appear as a witness.

Order to defendant to appear in court to answer a suit which has been begun against him.

Furnish funds or means to another to meet basic needs.

Judicial order preventing the use of evidence because of the way it was obtained; e.g., wiretapping, search.

Person believed to be guilty of something; one under suspicion.

State information under oath.

Statement of a witness in court under oath.

Slang: intensive questioning designed to break down the suspects will to resist, and bring forth a confession.

One who commits a civil.

Written copy of proceedings or testimony.

Commit unlawful or lawful act in unlawful manner to injury of another’s person or property.

Document containing points of law pertinent to a specific case; document guiding attorney in presentation of case at trial.

Court which hears the testimony of witnesses.

Formal adversary proceeding, the purpose of which is the resolution of a legal conflict.

Someone administering property in a position of trust for someone else.

Property given by owner to second person to be held or administered for the benefit of a third.

Hold on adversary proceeding, the purpose of which is to resolve a legal conflict.

Agreed to by all.

Something that cannot be done because the Constitution forbids it.

Not allowed by law.

That beyond which the common agreement of society feels to be the acts of reasonable people in the normal affairs of life.

Not capable of legal responsibility.

Exacting an illegal interest rate.

To wipe out; set aside, cancel or rescind.

Act of going around from place to place without visible means of support.

True; worthy of legal recognition or effect.

Destruction of someone else’s property without lawful reason.

Place where case is tried.

Result of deliberations of a jury or court.

Testing a witness or juror for competency, interest, etc..

Intentional or voluntary relinquishment of a known right.

Epithetical phrase substantially the same as “reckless”; see: Gross Negligence.

Judicial order authorizing search of identified premises and seizure of listed property.

Instrument to inflict physical harm.

One who sees or receives direct sensory impressions of an event; one formally called to testify under oath in any kind of proceeding – judicial, administrative or legislative.

 Legal paper ordering someone to do something.