CourtHelp Legal Glossary

A person licensed to give court papers to a party in a lawsuit.

A list that tells the court the names of the people in custody that have hearings that day.

A written document that says that a person promises to pay money to another.

1. To announce a judgment in a formal way. 2. To state a judgment in a case.

Evidence that is used to prove the truth of a fact in a case.

Papers filed as proof that a person was served. May include affidavits of service and mailing receipts.

Anything that can be owned. There are two kinds of 1. Personal Bank accounts, cash, furniture, clothing, etc. 2. Real Land and any buildings on it.

The person who starts a probate proceeding.

1. To start and move on with a legal case. 2. To start and pursue a criminal case against a person.

A public officer who represents the government in criminal cases. Also known as a "district attorney" or an “assistant district attorney,” the People, or the prosecution.

A statement from the District Attorney which accuses someone of offenses, none of which is a felony, and is filed in city or county criminal court.

1. A cause that is legally strong enough to result in liability. 2. Something that directly produces an event and without it the event would not have happened.

Benefits, like money or food stamps, given by the government to help people or families in need.

A lawyer appointed by the court to represent a defendant in a criminal case that can't afford to hire a lawyer.

A crime. Any offense that can be punished under the criminal law. This is different from a private or a civil case that violates "civil laws," like when a contract is not being followed.

Any government paper that can be seen by the public.

1. To remove. 2. To apologize for not following a judge’s order and to obey it.

The person said to be the father of a child before being medically or legally proved to be the father.

An order or judgment made by a court and approved by a pension plan, that divides a pension plan in order to make a fair division of property or to pay for child or spousal support.

An order or judgment that gives medical support for a child of a parent covered by a group health plan or gives health benefit coverage for the child.

To stop, to vacate, to annul, to set aside. For example, to quash a subpoena means that the court will not enforce the subpoena because it has been voided.

Latin: “This for that.” What a person gets in return for something they have given or promises to give.

The right to use a place without interference.

A case where court decides who owns (or has title to) a property. To "quiet title" is to declare that a certain person is the legal owner of the real property in dispute.

Deed for real property which does not guarantee full ownership.