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Legal Lingo

Acquit: To find not guilty.

Adjudicate: To decide in court.

Appeal: A formal request that a higher court change the judgment of a lower court.

Bail: Security (usually money) to insure that the accused person appear at trial.

Docket: A written list of all important acts done in court with regard to an individual case from beginning to end.

Ex Parte: By, or for, or on the request of one party only, without notice to any other party.

Hearing: A court proceeding before or after the trial of a lawsuit.

Judgment: The decision of a court of law.

Motion: A formal request that a court do something, or order someone to do something.

Parole: Conditional release from prison before the end of sentence.

Perjury: A deliberate lie said under oath.

Plaintiff v Defendant: This is the way a case is always set up in writing. The name of the person or organization filing a lawsuit goes first; the name of the person or organization being charged goes last. The “v” is an abbreviation for the word “versus”.

Plead: To answer an allegation.

Proceeding: Any hearing or court appearance related to the adjudication of a case.

Remand: To send a case back to the court from which it came for further proceedings.

Reverse: To set aside a judgment on appeal or proceedings in error.

Sentence: The punishment imposed on the defendant following a conviction in a criminal proceeding.

Warrant: A written order from a judge or magistrate that allows the police to arrest a person or to conduct a search.

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