What are some common legal terms?

Defining 10 Commonly Used Legal Terms

Plaintiff – the person that initiates a lawsuit against someone else.
Defendant – the person, company, etc., that a lawsuit is brought against.
Deposition – a statement under oath, taken down in writing, to be used in court in place of the spoken testimony from a witness.

What is legal terminology?

Specialized terminology refers to words that are specific to the legal profession. Some specialized terms originated within the legal system for the purpose of conveying meanings specific to law.

What is the best legal dictionary?

Black’s Law Dictionary

What are the words used in court?

Learning Court Vocabulary

allegation: something that someone says happened.
continuance: Put off trial unitl another time.
cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
interview: A meeting with the police or prosecutor.
juror: A person who is on the jury.
oath: A promise to tell the truth.

What does R stand for in law?

Name of case is R v Carroll. R or Regina (or Rex) refers to the Crown (Regina or Rex mean “queen” or “king” in latin)

What does V mean in law?

versus

What does the SS mean in law?

scilicet

What is the plaintiff called in a criminal case?

The party against whom the complaint is made is the defendant; or, in the case of a petition, a respondent. Case names are usually given with the plaintiff first, as in Plaintiff v. Defendant. The similar term “complainant” denotes the complaining witness in a criminal proceeding.

Can a civil case turn criminal?

Can a Civil Case Turn Criminal? Yes, a civil case can turn criminal in the respect that the evidence uncovered in a civil case can prompt a criminal investigation. When the civil trial reveals information that one of the parties may have committed a crime, a criminal case might begin.

Does a plaintiff need a lawyer?

Since you are the plaintiff, your lawyer is the plaintiff attorney because they represent you. Whether you’re filing a car accident claim, work injury claim, or any other personal injury claim, you’ll want Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law as your plaintiff attorney.

Which comes first plaintiff or defendant?

(In the trial court, the first name listed is the plaintiff, the party bringing the suit. The name following the “v” is the defendant. If the case is appealed, as in this example, the name of the petitioner (appellant) is usually listed first, and the name of the respondent (appellee) is listed second.

What does V stand for in court cases?

In common law countries with an adversarial system of justice, the names of the opposing parties are separated in the case title by the abbreviation v (usually written as v in Commonwealth countries and always as v. in the U.S.) of the Latin word versus, which means against.

Is the plaintiff the victim?

In legal terms, the plaintiff is the person who brings a lawsuit against another party. This is not to be confused with being seen as the victim in a lawsuit, because being the plaintiff doesn’t mean you’re in the right. It’s simply the legal term for being the person who filed a lawsuit against the defendant.

Who defends plaintiff?

Defense attorney or public defender: The lawyer who defends the accused person.

What do lawyers call each other?

Opposing counsel call each other ‘friend’ in increasingly popular SCOTUS lingo. The Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. is increasingly using the word “friend” to refer to opposing counsel in oral arguments, a term also picked up by the lawyers appearing before the court.

What does a plaintiff prove?

In a civil lawsuit, the burden of proof rests on the plaintiff or the person filing the suit. The plaintiff should prove that the allegations are true and that the defendant, or the other party, caused damages. When it comes to establishing a civil case, the plaintiff must usually do so by a preponderance of evidence.

Does the victim need a lawyer?

Generally, a victim does not need his or her own attorney. The prosecuting agency (the Stae’s Attorney or District Attorney or other name depending on the state) will have a prosecutor who will work with you and do their best to…

Can victim talk to defendant?

The defense, like the police, may electronically record conversations without your knowledge or consent. A crime victim has the right to choose whether or not to have contact with a defense investigator. A crime victim has the right to have a prosecutor or other person present for any contacts.

What kind of lawyer defends the victim?

Defense Attorney: the lawyer who represents the defendant in legal proceedings. Victims are usually not required to speak with defense attorneys except in court, but may do so if they choose.

What do the judge say in court?

Judge will say, “Will the foreperson of the jury please stand? Have you reached a verdict?” The foreperson will answer, “Yes, your honor.” Judge then says, “Will the defendant please stand?” Defendants/defense lawyers stand. Judge says, “You may read the verdict.” Jury foreperson reads the verdict.

Can a victim refuse to testify?

Marsy’s Law generally allows victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child molestation to refuse to testify in a pretrial hearing without the fear of being placed in jail. They may, however, still be issued court fines for refusing to testify if the case moves on to a criminal trial.

What to do if your lawyer is not helping you?

If you think that your attorney has not been working diligently on your case, you can always request your case file from your attorney. You can either go to the attorney’s office and read the file there or request that the attorney make copies of everything and send them to you.

What should you not say to a lawyer?

Five things not to say to a lawyer (if you want them to take you seriously)

“The Judge is biased against me” Is it possible that the Judge is “biased” against you?
“Everyone is out to get me”
“It’s the principle that counts”
“I don’t have the money to pay you”
Waiting until after the fact.

How do I ask my lawyer about my case?

10 things to ask your lawyer in a case review

Have you handled this type of case before?
What is the best method for contacting you?
Who will be handling my case?
To whom may I speak with about my case?
What are your fees?
Are there other fees for which I will be held responsible?
What steps do I need to take after the retainer agreement has been signed?

What to do if your lawyer is overcharging you?

If you think that you were overcharged by your lawyer, you can apply to have the bill assessed. The Costs Assessment Scheme is used to make sure that legal fees were reasonable, and comparative to the amount, and type, of work carried out. The work must have also been done in a reasonable amount of time.

Is hiring a lawyer worth it?

Like any profession, lawyers are not appropriate or necessary in every situation, but they can be extremely useful and even necessary in certain situations. Many lawyers specialize and are knowledgeable in a particular area, so they can help you if you need representation or assistance in their area of expertise.

Why do lawyers bill in 6 minute increments?

Therefore, often the substance of our work is minimized to billable hour maximization. This is because most law firms require their attorneys to bill their clients in six-minute (1/10 of an hour) standard billing increments.

How do lawyers bill you?

The “hourly rate” is the amount an attorney charges on an hourly basis to perform work for the client. Hourly billing is the most common billing method used by attorneys. Many attorneys record their time by computer entries, and the bill which is generated and sent to the client is a summary.