Law firm Guide Words
Vocabulary guiding you in what's ahead!
Our law firm suggests that learning these terms will help prepare clients for the near future
Plaintiff: a person or party filling a law suit.
Defendant: an individual or group being sued or charged with crime.
Complaint: a formal notice that a law suit is being brought.
Summons: a notice directing someone to appear in court to answer a complaint or a charge.
Pleadings: the complaint and answer combined in a civil case.
Mediation: situation in which a third party helps the plaintiff and defendant reach an agreement.
Arbitration: situation In which a third party listens to the plaintiff and defendant, reviews that case and makes a final decision that is binding for both parties.
Trial: a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.
Verdict: Decision In a case made by a judge or jury.
Appeal: If the lose party believes something went wrong in the case, they can ask for a review from a higher court.
Pretrial Conference: if the defendant answers the complaint, the case will be scheduled for a pretrial conference. parties will meet with a judicial officer in an attempt to narrow the issues, determine the number of witnesses to be called, the length of the trial, and to discuss the possibility of settlement.
preponderance of evidence: based on the more convincing evidence and its probable truth or accuracy, and not on the amount of evidence.