Ashlyn's Law Firm
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The Basics
Defendant: the person who is being accused of a crime and being prosecuted
Complaint: legal document that lists the reasons a person is bringing a defendant to court
Summons: legal document from the court that says to appear in court
Pleadings: statements made by the party that formally introduce the cause/defense
Pretrial Conference: meeting of the two parties before the actual trial begins
Mediation: instead of making a decision in court, a decision is reached through a mediator
Arbitration: technique used outside of court to come to a decision through another person
Trial: examining evidence before a judge and jury to decide if the defendant is guilty
Preponderance: the greater amount of evidence that is needed to decide a case
Verdict: the decision on a case
Appeal: appealing a case to a higher court so that the verdict can be re-examined