CourtHelp Legal Glossary

The law that gives the court the power to make and force its child and/or spousal support orders in different states.

A rental unit that has problems or repairs so serious that they hurt the tenant's health or safety. This happens when the space is not fit for people to live in, or if does not follow important building and safety rules that can hurt the tenants' health and safety.

1. When a person continues to hold some real property (land, apartment, house) that they no longer have the right to use. 2. A common law term for a case where a landlord tries to evict a tenant for the reason that the tenant no longer has the right to live on the property.

The money paid by the government to cover the support of a child that a parent that was ordered to pay, but the parent has not yet paid back.

A person who comes to court without an attorney. Also called a pro se party or self-represented litigant.

When an appellate court agrees with the lower court’s decision.

A medical test of a urine sample to see if it shows alcohol or some other drug.

Also called “U and O.” Payment for the use of a space by a person. The person is not a tenant, but they may have been one in the past.

To cancel or end an order of a court.

Removing a judgment that was based on a person not coming to court or answering a case.

Latin: “To come.” The group of people called for jury duty, and the jurors picked from the group. Also called the jury pool.

The place (county, city or state) where a case can be heard.

The decision made by a jury.

A statement in writing, made under oath, that says something is true.

When a document is sworn to be true and is signed in front of a notary public saying that the facts made in that document are true.

Comments from the victim or the victim’s family made during sentencing proceedings to let the Judge know how the crime affected the victim and/or his or her family.

1. A breach of a right, duty or law. 2. Criminal Court: An offense where a person can be sentenced to no more than 15 days in jail. 3. In Housing Court: A condition defined by the NYC Housing Maintenance code.

1. The right of a non-custodial parent to be with the child. 2. A plan that says when a parent will spend time with his or her child. Also called time-share.

French: “To speak the truth.” The process by which Judges and lawyers choose members of the jury by questioning them to make sure they can decide the case in a fair way.

A person allowed to settle a small estate.

When a parent or guardian can't care for a child, they can sign a voluntary agreement to allow the child to be placed in temporary foster care through a social services agency. The foster parents who a child is placed with can be relatives of the child. The child can also be placed in a group home. If the child is to stay in foster care for longer than 30 days, the social services agency that is responsible for supervising the child's foster care must file an L petition in Family Court.

A proceeding to ask the court to suppress the identification of a defendant because the police identification procedure was illegal or suggestive.

A voluntary agreement by an employee to send (or assign) parts of future earnings (money) to pay a debt, like child support.

An involuntary (person does not want to) transfer of a portion of an employee's salary to repay a debt. 

1. The legal steps to make an employer of a judgment debtor hold back a portion of his or her salary to satisfy a judgment. 2. The money held back by an employer to pay off an employee’s debt.