Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Commissioner of Social Services
Attorneys who represent Social Services in a Child Support Enforcement case.
Special education
Instruction made to meet the needs of a child whose disability affects his or her ability to learn in a regular classroom.
Special proceeding
A word for a type of case that asks for limited help or outcome (relief).
Special verdict
When a jury decides the facts in a case and the Judge decides how the law applies.
Spilt sentence
A sentence in which part of the time is served in jail and the rest on probation.
Spousal support
Court-ordered money given by one married person to the other or the ex-spouse.
See:
Spouse
Husband or wife.
Squatter
Someone who started living in the home without anybody's permission.
Standard proof
The level of proof required to win a type of case. For example, in criminal cases the level of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Standing
The right to take part in a case because you have a legal claim or want to enforce a duty or right.
State Case Registry (SCR)
A database (record) kept by each state that has information on individuals in all IV-D cases and all non-IV-D orders made or changed after October 1, 1998.
See:
State Directory of New Hires (SDNH)
A database (record) kept by each state, that has information about newly hired employees in that state.
See:
State Parent Locator Services (SPLS)
A unit in each state's child support agency that finds noncustodial parents to force child support payments, visitation, and custody orders or to establish paternity.
Statement in lieu of record on an appeal
A question to an appeals court where only the part of the record needed to answer a question is sent.
Statement of facts
Any written or oral list of facts in a court case. The part of a judge’s decision that says what the facts are in a case.
Statute
A formal rule or law.
Statute of limitations
The time period when a case must be started. For example, New York State has a 6 year statute of limitations for breach of a written contract. If John did not honor a contract with Susan on January 1, 2010, Susan must file her lawsuit before January 1, 2016. If the deadline passes, the "statute of limitations has run," or the claim is "time-barred," and Susan can't sue. There are very few conditions that let the time period be extended or kept from running (“tolled”).
Stay
An order by a court that stops the case until something else happens.
Stipulated judgment
An written document between the parties in a case where they agree to a judgment and other terms. After the agreement is signed by a Judge it is the final decision in a case.
Stipulation
An agreement on an issue between the parties in a court case.
Strike
To erase or take away. For example: “To strike a case from the court's calendar,” means to take the case off the calendar.
Sua sponte
Latin: “Of one’s own accord.” Voluntarily. Commonly used to describe when a Judge does something without being asked.
Sublease
A separate rental agreement between the original tenant and a new tenant that rents all or part of the original tenant’s place. The new tenant is called a "subtenant." The agreement between the original tenant and the landlord is still the same, and the original tenant continues to be responsible for paying the rent to the landlord and for other tenant obligations.
Subpoena
A court document used to make a witness testify (speak in court) or bring records. If a person does not do what the subpoena says, they may be in contempt of court.
Subpoena duces tecum
A court document that says that papers must be brought to certain place at a specific time.