abjudicated
judgement in a lawsuit
answer
formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense
arbitration
nonjudicial determination of a dispute by a third party rather than by a judge or jury
award
binding decision in an arbitration
complaint
document listing the details of a lawsuit being filed and the relief sought
cross-examination
questioning a witness by the attorney who did not produce the witness
defendent
party against whom criminal charges or a lawsuit is brought
deposition
a witness's sworn statement in writing containing out-of-court testimony
direct examination
questioning a witness by the attorney who called the witness
discovery
pretrial steps taken to learn the details of the case
evidence
information submitted in testimony that is used to persuade a judge and/or jury to decide the case for one side or the other
interrogatories
series of written questions directed to the adversary in a civil trial who must answer by written replies made under oath
judgement
official decision by a judge in a lawsuit tried without a jury
mediation
intervention by a third person to settle a dispute between two parties
motion
request to a judge for a ruling on a point of law
peremptory challenges
right of each attorney in a court case to dismiss a prospective juror arbitrarily
petit jurors
jurors for civil or criminal trial
plaintiff
one who begins a legal action
pleadings
complaint and answers taken together
pretrial conference
hearing before a trial in which parties discuss the facts; may lead to settlement of the case
removal for cause
dismissal of a prospective juror during the selection process because of the juror's inability to be impartial
subpoena
court order requiring testimony in a case
summary judgement
motion for immediate judgement filed by either plaintiff or defendant, based on the information in the complaint and the answer
summons
written notification to the defendant that a lawsuit has been filed
voir dire
speak the truth"; questioning of potential jurors by the judge and opposing attorneys to determine prior knowledge of the facts of the case only on the evidence presented in court
verdict
decision of a jury
abjudicated
judgement in a lawsuit
answer
formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense
arbitration
nonjudicial determination of a dispute by a third party rather than by a judge or jury
award
binding decision in an arbitration
complaint
document listing the details of a lawsuit being filed and the relief sought
cross-examination
questioning a witness by the attorney who did not produce the witness
defendent
party against whom criminal charges or a lawsuit is brought
deposition
a witness's sworn statement in writing containing out-of-court testimony
direct examination
questioning a witness by the attorney who called the witness
discovery
pretrial steps taken to learn the details of the case
evidence
information submitted in testimony that is used to persuade a judge and/or jury to decide the case for one side or the other
interrogatories
series of written questions directed to the adversary in a civil trial who must answer by written replies made under oath
judgement
official decision by a judge in a lawsuit tried without a jury
mediation
intervention by a third person to settle a dispute between two parties
motion
request to a judge for a ruling on a point of law
peremptory challenges
right of each attorney in a court case to dismiss a prospective juror arbitrarily
petit jurors
jurors for civil or criminal trial
plaintiff
one who begins a legal action
pleadings
complaint and answers taken together
pretrial conference
hearing before a trial in which parties discuss the facts; may lead to settlement of the case
removal for cause
dismissal of a prospective juror during the selection process because of the juror's inability to be impartial
subpoena
court order requiring testimony in a case
summary judgement
motion for immediate judgement filed by either plaintiff or defendant, based on the information in the complaint and the answer
summons
written notification to the defendant that a lawsuit has been filed
voir dire
speak the truth"; questioning of potential jurors by the judge and opposing attorneys to determine prior knowledge of the facts of the case only on the evidence presented in court
verdict
decision of a jury