Legal Terms- P Flashcards
PANEL
A group of jurors selected to serve during a term of the court.
PARENS PATRIAE
Sovereign power of a state to protect or be a guardian over children and incompetents.
PAROL
Oral or verbal.
PAROLE
To release one in prison before the expiration of his sentence conditionally.
PARITY
Equality in purchasing power between the farmer and other segments of the economy.
PARTITION
A legal division of real or personal property between one or more owners.
PARTNERSHIP
An association of two or more persons to carry on as co-owners a business for profit.
PATENT (adj.)
Evident.
PATENT (n.)
A grant of some privilege, property, or authority.
PECULATION
Stealing.
PECUNIARY
Monetary.
PENULTIMATE
Next to the last.
PER CURIAM
A phrase used in the report of a decision to distinguish an opinion of the whole court from an opinion written by any one judge.
PER SE
In itself; taken alone.
PERCEIVE
To acquire knowledge through one’s senses.
PEREMPTORY
Imperative; absolute.
PERJURY
To lie or state falsely under oath.
PERPETUITY
Perpetual existence; also the quality or condition of an estate limited so that it will not take effect or vest within the period fixed by law.
PERSON
Includes a natural person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, or public entity.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidence of debt.
PERSONALITY
Short term for personal property.
PETITION
An application in writing for an order of the court, stating the circumstance upon which it is founded and requesting any order or other relief from a court.
PLAINTIFF
A person who brings a court action.
PLEA
A pleading in a suit or action.
PLEADINGS
Formal allegations made by the parties of their respective claims and defenses, for the judgement of the court.
PLEDGE
The party to whom goods are delivered in pledge.
PLEDGEE
The party to whom goods are delivered in pledge.
PLEDGOR
The party delivering goods in pledge.
PLENARY
Full; complete.
POLICE POWER
Inherent power of the state or its political subdivisions to enact laws within constitutional limits to promote the general welfare of society or the community.
POLLING THE JURY
Call the names of persons on a jury and requiring each juror to declare what his verdict is before it is legally recorded.
POST MORTEM
After death.
POWER OF ATTORNEY
A writing authorizing one to act for another.
PRECEPT
An order, warrant, or writ issued to an officer or body of officers, commanding him or them to do some act within the scope of his or their powers.
PRELIMINARY FACT
Fact upon the existence or nonexistence of which depends the admissibility or inadmissibility of evidence. The phrase “the admissibility or inadmissibility of evidence” includes the qualification or disqualification of a person to be a witness and the existence or nonexistence of a privilege.
PREPONDERANCE
Outweighing.
PRESENTMENT
A report by a grand jury on something they have investigated on their own knowledge.
PRESUMPTION
An assumption of fact resulting from a rule of law which requires such fact to be assumed from another fact or group of facts found or otherwise established in the action.
PRIMA FACUE
At first sight.
PRIMA FACIE CASE
A case where the evidence is very patent against the defendant.
PRINCIPAL
The source of authority or rights; a person primarily liable as differentiated from “principle” as a primary or basic doctrine.
PRO AND CON
For and against.
PRO RATA
Proportionally.
PROBATE
Relating to proof, especially to the proof of wills.
PROBATIVE
Tending to prove.
PROCEDURE
In law, this term generally denotes rules which are established by the Federal, State, or local Governments regarding the types of pleading and courtroom practice which must be followed by the parties involved in a criminal or civil case.
PROCLAMATION
A public notice by an official of some order, intended action, or state of facts.
PROFFERED EVIDENCE
The admissibility or inadmissibility of which is dependent upon the existence or nonexistence of preliminary fact.
PROMISSORY (NOTE)
A promise in writing to pay a specified sum at an expressed time, or on demand, or at sight, to a named person, or to his order, or bearer.
PROOF
The establishment by evidence of a requisite degree of belief concerning a fact in the mind of the trier of fact or the court.
PROPERTY
Includes both real and personal property.
PROPRIETARY (adj.)
Relating or pertaining to ownership; usually a single owner.
PROSECUTE
To carry on an action or other judicial proceeding; to proceed against a person criminally.
PROVISO
A limitation or condition in a legal instrument.
PROXIMATE
Immediate; nearest.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE
An officer, agent, or employee of a public entity.
PUBLIC ENTITY
Includes a national, state, county, city and county, city, district, public authority, public agency, or any othe political subdivision of public corporation, whether foreign or domestic.
PUBLIC OFFICIAL
Includes an official of a political subdivision or such state or territory and of a municipality.
PUNITIVE
Relating to punishment.
