Unit 1 Flashcards
Plaintiff
The initiator of the lawsuit
Defendant
The person against whom a lawsuit is filed
Retainer
The up front payment a client gives a lawyer to accept a case.
Tort
A civil wrong that result in an injury to a person or property
Affidavit
A written statement made under oath
Immunity
Exemption from a legal duty, penalty or prosecution
Appeal
Legal proceedings to review the decision of a lower court
Mediation
A method of alternative dispute resolution in which a neutral third party helps resolve a dispute
Notary Public
A person authorized to witness the signing of documents
Bail
The money a defendant pays to gain release before trial
Easement
Gives one party the right to go onto another party’s property
Perjury
A crime in which a person knowingly makes a false statement while under oath in court
Felony
Serious crime punishable by incarceration for a year or more.
Misdemeanor
Crime that is punishable by less than one year in jail
Lien
A claim against someone’s property
Bankruptcy
A process to help those who cannot pay their debts
Foreclosure
When a borrower cannot repay a loan and the lender seeks to sell the property
Jurisdiction
The practical authority or reach of a legal body
Malpractice
Improper or negligent behavior by a professional, such as a doctor or a lawyer
Precedent
Previously decided case that establishes a principle in further cases
Defamation
The publication of a statement that injures a person’s reputation
Warrant
An official order authorizing a specific act, such as an arrest or the search of someone’s home
