| A | B |
|---|
| Arbitrator | One who makes a decision that is binding on parties in a dispute. |
| Answer | Defendant's statement in reply to the plaintiff's complaint. |
| Complaint | First paper in a civil action, filed by the plaintiff, stating the claim for judgment. |
| Contempt of Court | Willful disrespect to a court or disobedience of its order. |
| Defendant | Person against whom a criminal (or civil) action is brought. |
| Deposition | Pretrial questioning fo the opposing party and witnesses under oath. |
| Discovery Procedures | Court-ordered means of getting facts about the dispute from the opposing party and witnesses before the trial. |
| Evidence | Anything that provides information used to prove or disprove alleged facts. |
| Expert Witness | A witness who possesses superior knowledge about important facts. |
| Instructions to the Jury | Instructions given by the judge that tell the jury what rules of law apply to the case. |
| Jurisdiction | The authority to decide types of cases. |
| Juvenile Delinquent | A child under a specified age who commits a criminal act or is incorrigible. |
| Litigate | To take a dispute to court. |
| Mediator | An independent third party who tries to develop a solution acceptable to both sides of the dispute. |
| Opening Statement | The remarks by the attorneys which briefly outline what the plaintiff or defendant will try to prove in the trial. |
| Plaintiff | One who brings a civil action. |
| Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt | A standard of proof in which the vast majority of the evidence (perhaps 90%) supports the guilty verdict. |
| Subpoena | Written order commanding a person to appear in court as a witness. |
| Testimony | Statements made by witnesses under oath. |
| Verdict | Decision by a jury. |
| Witness | Person who has personal knowledge of the facts. |
| Writ of Execution | The proecss by which a judgement for money is enforced. |
