CourtHelp Legal Glossary

When a person must give up money or property because they did not meet a legal obligation.

1. A court or other judicial group. 2. The right place to bring up an issue.

Care provided by an authorized child care agency to a child who has been taken from his or her home by court order or voluntarily by a parent. The agency gives money to a person, family, or institution to raise someone else's child.

Any agency that has a contract with NYC Children Legal Service or New York State to give foster care services to children and young adults. Other names for this are “contract agency,” “provider agency,” or “the agency.”

A private home where youth live until a Judge or referee thinks it is safe for them to return home.“Foster parents” are the adults in the home. Sometimes a relative may serve as the foster parent.

An intentional lie told to get a person to act in a way which will harm them.

When a court decides that a parent does not have any legal right or obligation over his or her children anymore and the children can be adopted by others. When a parent loses these rights it is known as “termination of parental rights.”

A person suspected of doing something wrong who runs away or tries to escape the law.

The constitutional requirement that a state must honor an order or judgment of another state's court.

To take part of a person’s money or property to pay off a money judgment.

The person who has money taken from them to pay off a judgment.

A legal process that allows part of a person's wages and/or assets to be taken to pay off a judgment.

A statement by the respondent that the claims in the petition are not true.

A conservator's formal plan for taking care of the conservatee's personal and financial needs. This plan must be filed with the court within 90 days after the conservator has been appointed by the court. Both conservators of the person and conservators of the estate must prepare and file general plans.

An order by the court that says an alleged father, mother, and child must submit to certain medical testing to find out who the parents are of a child born out of wedlock.

A good reason. For example, a person must have “good cause” (better reason than not having a car or forgetting the court date) for not coming to a court hearing.

Honesty of intention; with no plan to lie.

A group of 16 to 23 citizens who listen to the prosecution’s evidence then decide if there is probable cause (a reason) to believe a person committed a crime and to charge them with that crime.

A legal reason to bring a case.

A home, run by an agency, where youth will live with other youth. The youth is owed certain rights by the staff and volunteers working in the group home.

A person that promises to be responsible for the debt of another person if that person does not pay the debt on time.

A person appointed by the court to care for another.

A court-appointed adult that represents a minor child or legally incompetent person. The GAL is only a guardian for a specific lawsuit.

A court proceeding where a Judge appoints someone to care for a person or to manage that person’s estate (property), or both. In Family Court it only means guardianship of the person. It is called a “G Petition.”

A person who does not have the same rights as a tenant, for example, someone who stays in a residence for less than 30 days.