Crawford's Law
Firm of justice
Terms you'll need for trial...
Plaintiff - a person who brings a case against another in a court of law.
Defendant - an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
Complaint - the plaintiff's reason for proceeding in civil action.
Summons - an order to appear before a judge or magistrate.
Pleadings - a formal statement of the cause of an action or defense.
Pretrial conference - the parties will meet with a judicial officer in an attempt to narrow the witness count, narrow the issues, shorten the amount of time in the courtroom, and discuss the possibility of settlement.
Mediation - intervention in a dispute in order to resolve it.
Arbitration - the use of an arbitrator to settle a dispute.
Trial - A formal examination of evidence before a judge, to determine guilt in a case.
Verdict - a decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case.
Appeal - Apply to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court.
Preponderance of evidence - the greater weight of evidence required in a civil law suit for the trier of fact to decide in favor of one side or the other.