To sue or initiate legal proceedings against someone or an organization. He took the company to court for using his likeness without his permission. My father wants to take Olivia to court to force her to relinquish her role as executor of his estate. Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
in the UK, a lawyer who works for the government and tries to prove that someone has done something illegal. The usual American word is district attorney.
An attorney or lawyer. The rendition of advice and guidance concerning a legal matter, contemplated form of argument, claim, or action.The terms counsel and advise are frequently employed as synonyms for the term aid and abet to describe a person who, while not actually performing a criminal act, induced its performance or contributed to it.
the Bar. noun. legal the profession of being a barrister (=a lawyer who has the right to speak in a higher court of law). If someone is called to the bar, they become a barrister. A barrister who is called within the bar takes silk (=becomes a QC).
arraign. verb. to order someone to go to a court of law to be formally charged with a crime.
Definition of take to court : to bring (someone) before a court of law …
1. to bring civil action against: to sue someone for damages. 2. to make petition or appeal to.
(watch out for someone) to make sure that nothing bad happens to someone. People in my family have always watched out for one another. Synonyms and related words. To be careful.
extreme nervousness1 jitters\ ˈji-tərz \ plural : a sense of panic or extreme nervousness had a bad case of the jitters before his performance. 2 : the state of mind or the movement of one that jitters. 3 : irregular random movement (as of a pointer or an image on a television screen) also : vibratory motion. jitter. verb.
Each party is usually represented by a lawyer. That means that the lawyer will talk to the judge for the party. The party that starts the lawsuit is called the plaintiff because they are complaining about something the other side has done. This is also called "suing", or to "sue".
sue Add to list Share. If you sue someone, you're accusing them (in court) of doing something wrong or illegal and demanding that they pay for it. Almost every time someone sues, they're looking for money. One of the last things you want to hear is "I'll sue you!" People sue for a lot of reasons.
sue. verb. 1. (Law) take (someone) to court, prosecute, bring an action against (someone), charge, summon, indict, have the law on (someone) (informal), prefer charges against (someone), institute legal proceedings against (someone) The company could be sued for damages.
Recent Examples on the Web The trial will be the first time the family has been in the same room since January 2021, Reffitt's lawyer said in a recent hearing. — Holmes Lybrand And Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN, 8 Feb. 2022 Locke, who was not a resident of the apartment, was staying with his cousin at the time of the shooting, a family lawyer said.
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in England and Wales, a lawyer who works for the Crown Prosecution Service and who prosecutes in criminal cases
Attorney General: the most senior lawyer for the government in some countries
the Bar. noun. legal the profession of being a barrister (=a lawyer who has the right to speak in a higher court of law). If someone is called to the bar, they become a barrister. A barrister who is called within the bar takes silk (=becomes a QC).
the prosecution. noun. the lawyers who try to prove in court that someone accused of a crime is guilty. The people who try to prove that someone is not guilty are called the defence. The prosecution can be followed by a singular or plural verb.
noun. in the UK Supreme Court, a newly qualified lawyer who temporarily works as an assistant to a Supreme Court Justice, undertaking tasks such as researching and summarizing cases.
circuit judge. noun. a judge who visits a number of courts of law in an area regularly in order to deal with local cases.
the defence. noun. legal the people in a court case who try to prove that someone is not guilty. The people who try to prove that someone is guilty are called the prosecution. The defence can be followed by a singular or plural verb.
Appeal. A request made after a trial by a party that has lost on one or more issues that a higher court review the decision to determine if it was correct. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal.". One who appeals is called the "appellant;" the other party is the "appellee.".
The party who appeals a district court's decision, usually seeking reversal of that decision. Appellate. About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgment of a lower court (trial court) or tribunal. For example, the U.S. circuit courts of appeals review the decisions of the U.S. district courts. Appellee.
Acquittal. A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction. Active judge. A judge in the full-time service of the court. Compare to senior judge.
Adversary proceeding. A lawsuit arising in or related to a bankruptcy case that begins by filing a complaint with the court, that is , a "trial" that takes place within the context of a bankruptcy case. Affidavit. A written or printed statement made under oath.
The party who opposes an appellant's appeal, and who seeks to persuade the appeals court to affirm the district court's decision. Arraignment. A proceeding in which a criminal defendant is brought into court, told of the charges in an indictment or information, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
Affidavit. A written or printed statement made under oath. Affirmed. In the practice of the court of appeals, it means that the court of appeals has concluded that the lower court decision is correct and will stand as rendered by the lower court.
With some exceptions, hearsay generally is not admissible as evidence at trial
1) n. a lawyer, attorney, attorney-at-law, counsellor, counsellor-at-law, solicitor, barrister, advocate or proctor (a lawyer in admiralty court), licensed to practice law. In the United States they all mean the same thing. 2) v. to give legal advice. 3) v. in some jurisdictions, to urge someone to commit a crime, which in itself is a crime. (See: attorney)
Where of counselfollows an attorney's name on a letterhead or office sign, this designation indicates that the person is employed by the firm primarily as a consultant on specialized matters, not as a full-time partner or associate.
Vide To open; Opening. COUNSEL, an officer of court. One who undertakes to conduct suits and actions in court.
Counsel. An attorney or lawyer. The rendition of advice and guidance concerning a legal matter, contemplated form of argument, claim, or action.The terms counsel and advise are frequently employed as synonyms for the term aid and abet to describe a person who, while not actually performing a criminal act, induced its performance or contributed ...
The term junior counsel refers to the younger member of the team of attorneys retained on the same side of a case, or the one lower in the hierarchy of the firm, or one who is assigned to the preparation or trial of less significant aspects of the case. The term of counsel refers to the description given to an attorney who is not ...
1) n. a lawyer, attorney, attorney-at-law, counsellor, counsellor-at-law, solicitor, barrister, advocate or proctor (a lawyer in admiralty court), licensed to practice law. In the United States they all mean the same thing. 2) v. to give legal advice. 3) v. in some jurisdictions, to urge someone to commit a crime, which in itself is a crime.
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.
The plaintiff initially decides where to bring the suit, but in some cases, the defendant can seek to change the court. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases. A federal court in one state, for example, can usually only decide a case that arose from actions in that state.
To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal.". Both the plaintiff and the defendant can appeal, and the party doing so is called the appellant. Appeals can be made for a variety of reasons including improper procedure and asking the court to change its interpretation of the law.
Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons. plaintiff - The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit. plea - In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges in open court.
bail - Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
A. acquittal - Judgment that a criminal defendant has not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. affidavit - A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it. Affidavits must be notarized or administered by an officer of the court with such authority.
appellate - About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgment of another lower court or tribunal. arraignment - A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
charge to the jury - The judge's instructions to the jury concerning the law that applies to the facts of the case on trial. chief judge - The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court. The chief judge also decides cases, and the choice of chief judges is determined by seniority.
Settlement. A settlement is what occurs when either the plaintiff or defendant decides to come to terms in regards to their dispute outside of court. Settlements are usually in the form of a monetary payment to the affected party that satisfies them but does not require the party offering the settlement to admit fault.
The complaint is the catalyst of a legal case and the reason that a court appearance must happen. The complaint comes from the plaintiff, is against the defendant, and is a written statement detailing the plaintiff’s claims against the defendant.
20 Important Pieces of Courtroom Terminology. 1. Plaintiff. The plaintiff is one side of every legal case. The plaintiff is the person, group, or business who files a complaint with the courts. 2. Defendant. The defendant is the opposite of the plaintiff and the other party in every legal case. The defendant is defending ...
Summons. A summons is a legal document that requests a defendant appear in court. Summons are different than a subpoena in that it requests an appearance and is solely intended for a case defendant. A summons can be hand delivered by a sheriff, a server, or it can be mailed. 8.
The defendant is the opposite of the plaintiff and the other party in every legal case. The defendant is defending the complaint filed against them by the plaintiff.
5. Jurisdiction. The jurisdiction refers to the court that will hear the civil case. For most civil cases, the court that has jurisdiction decides on which court will hear the case. In federal court cases, jurisdiction is decided upon when the plaintiff and defendant are from different states and the claim exceeds $75,000. 6.
A misdemeanor is a crime or punishable offense that requires one year, or less, of imprisonment. Common misdemeanor crimes include DUI, burglary, perjury, an assault that results in bodily injury, some cases of domestic violence, and obscenity. 12. Felonies.
Case law is a way of citing legal precedent. Civil case vs. criminal case: The most commonly cited distinction between civil and criminal cases is that the latter are generally offenses ...
Recusal: A recusal is the voluntary action by a judge or prosecutor to remove themselves from presiding in a case. Recusals are often based on things like bias, conflict of interest or prejudice—for example, a state prosecutor may choose to recuse from a proceeding if the case is against their former employer.
Affidavit: A term you’ve likely heard referenced often, an affidavit is simply a written or printed statement made under oath.
jury trial: While a jury trial is exactly what it sounds like—a traditional court trial in which the case’s outcome is decided by a jury of peers—a bench trial is a trial in which the judge fulfills the role of the jury.
summons: While both entail a requirement for the recipient to appear in court, a subpoena is a process that directs a witness to give testimony or submit evidence, while a summons is a document that orders a person to appear before the court in response to a complaint.
If the defendant pled “not guilty,” then the judge will use the pretrial hearing to set a date for the trial. Additionally, this hearing allows legal teams to challenge the permissibility of evidence, come to settlement agreements and discuss other important pretrial matters.
Grand jury: A grand jury consists of 16–23 citizens who, upon listening to evidence presented by prosecutors, determine whether there is probable cause to believe the accused party committed an offense. The decision of a grand jury will determine if a case will be brought to trial.
It is often done to give security for money owed or to make sure that something is done as promised.
The language used in law is changing. Many lawyers are now adopting a plain English style. But there are still legal phrases that baffle non-lawyers. This guide is intended to help in two ways: