|
Comparative negligence
The degree to which a person contributed to his/her own injury, damage or death. Usually measured in terms of percentage. Contributory negligence is the failure to exercise care by a plaintiff, which contributed to the plaintiff's injury.
Civil case
A lawsuit brought to enforce, redress, or protect private rights or to gain payment for a wrong done to a person or party by another person or party. In general, all types of actions other than criminal proceedings.
Jury commissioner
An officer charged with the duty of selecting the names to be put into a jury wheel, or of drawing the panel of jurors for a particular term of court.
Privileged communications
Confidential communications to certain persons that are protected by law against any disclosure, including forced disclosure in legal proceedings. Communications between lawyer and client, physician and patient, psychotherapist and patient, priest, minister or rabbi and penitent are typically privileged.
Defamation
The making of false, derogatory statements about a person's character, morals, abilities, business practices or financial status. (Includes libel, which is written, and slander, which is spoken).
Reporting statutes
An order by a court directing the transfer of a case to another court. For example, when a case is proper for jurisdiction in federal court, the federal court may remove the case from the state court in which it was originally filed.
Appeal
The bringing of a case to a higher court for review of a lower court's order or judgment.
Allegation
The assertion, declaration, or statement of a party to an action, made in a pleading, establishing what the party expects to prove.
|
Did You Know?