inquisitorial system
a judicial system in which the judge(s) conducting the trial decides the questions to be asked and the scope of the case
adversarial system
a judicial system where two sides disagree and oppose each other
argument
a reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action, theory or case: 'there is a strong argument for submitting a formal appeal'
attorney
a person, typically a lawyer, appointed to act for another in business or legal matters.
Compare with barrister, solicitor
regulations
rules issued by a government agency to carry out the intent of the law; authorised by a statute, and generally providing more detail on a subject than a statute
ordinance (by-law)
law enacted by a town, city or county government
bill
draft document before it is made into law
directive
legal device used by the European Union to establish policies at the European level to be incorporated into the laws of the Member States
statute
formal written law enacted by a legislative body
appellate court
where a case is reviewed which has already been heard in a lower court
crown court
where serious criminal cases are heard by a judge and jury in the UK
high court
usually the highest court in a jurisdiction, the court of last resort
juvenile court
where a person under the age of 18 would be tried
lower court (or court of first instance)
the court of primary jurisdiction, where a case is heard for the first time
magistrate's court
where small crimes are tried in the UK
moot court
where law students argue hypothetical cases
small-claims court
where cases involving a limited amount of money are handled
tribunal
where a group of specially chosen people examine legal problems of a particular type, such as employment disputes
supreme court
replaced the House of Lords as the highest court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and hears appeals from the Court of Appeal and the High Court (only in exceptional circumstances).
expert witness
person who has specialised knowledge of a particular subject who is called to testify in court
appellant (US: petitioner)
person who appeals a decision to a higher court
advocate
person who pleads cases in court
clerk
employee who takes records, files papers and issues processes
bailiff
officer of the court whose duties include keeping order and assisting the judge
reasonable prudent person
hypothetical person who uses good judgement or common sense in handling practical matters; such a person's actions are a guide in determining whether an individual's actions were reasonable
defendant/respondent
person who is sued in a civil lawsuit
judge
public official who has authority to hear and decide cases
claimant
person who initiates a civil lawsuit
affidavit
a written statement that somebody makes after they have sworn officially to tell the truth
answer
the principal pleading by the defendant in response to a complaint
brief
a document or set of documents containing details about a court case
complaint
in civil law, the first pleading filed on behalf of a plaintiff, which initiates a lawsuit, setting forth the facts on which a claim is based
injunction
an official order from a court for a person to stop doing something
motion
an application to a court to obtain an order, ruling or decision
notice
a document providing notification of a fact, claim or proceeding
pleading
a formal written statement setting forth the cause of action or the defence in a case
writ (claim form)
a document informing someone that they will be involved in a legal process and instructing them what they must do
to issue a document
to produce something official
to file a document with an authority
to officially record something, especially in a court of law
to serve a document on someone
(to serve someone with a document)
to deliver a legal document to someone, demanding that they go to a court of law or that they obey an order
to submit a document to an authority
to deliver a document formally for a decision to be made by others