The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Family court is a delegation of authority from the states’ superior courts, tasked with hearing matters specific to family law, such as divorce and child custody. First established in the U.S. in 1910, the purpose of family law court is to provide families specialized services and obtain the best possible results in family law matters. Each state has specific laws […]
Read moreThe court system in the U.S. is governed by sets of rules that specify how procedures in each court are processed and handled. Federal courts use the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, each state has specific rules for state courts, and local county, district, and municipal courts, adopt “local rules of court,” which are often based on the state’s rules. […]
Read moreA family law facilitator is a legal professional who is experienced in dealing with family law related court cases. Facilitators often work for the court system, and represent neither the petitioner nor the respondent. Many jurisdictions offer the services of a family law facilitator to act as a neutral party to provide a variety of services. In some jurisdictions, the […]
Read moreThe Latin term ex parte is used in law to refer to court proceedings for the benefit of one party to a controversy, without the other being present. This is an exception to basic court procedure, which requires that both parties be present at any argument or proceeding, and that neither party may have contact with a judge without previously […]
Read moreSentencing guidelines provide a system for handing down uniform or consistent sentences for similar crimes in various jurisdictions. Created by the United States Sentencing Commission to be incorporated in each state’s criminal code, sentencing guidelines help eliminate confusion among judges in determining the proper punishment for a person convicted of a crime. Sentencing guidelines take into consideration the nature of […]
Read moreThe courts use pretrial conferences, attended by the parties to a legal proceeding and their respective attorneys, for a variety of legal and procedural purposes. One commonly used pretrial conference is the “status conference,” which is held after all of the initial pleadings have been filed in the case. The status conference allows the parties to establish a time frame […]
Read moreA formal, written statement asking the court to grant relief, or to decide a dispute, is referred to as a “pleading.” The written complaint filed by a plaintiff to initiate a civil lawsuit, or filed by a prosecutor to initiate criminal proceedings, as well as the written answer filed by a civil defendant are generally the first pleadings in any […]
Read moreA summary judgment is a decision made by the court on the basis of evidence and statements presented in the documents and legal pleadings filed with the court, without a full trial. Summary judgment, also referred to as “judgment as a matter of law,” may be requested by the submission of a motion for summary judgment by either party. The […]
Read moreA judgment is the official decision made by the court at the end of a lawsuit, criminal trial, or other legal proceeding. In certain cases, a party to the proceeding may make a “motion for judgment, requesting that the court make a decision. After issuing a judgment, the judge may impose a sentence on a guilty defendant, award damages to […]
Read moreThe term “hearsay” refers to an out-of-court statement made by someone other than the witness reporting it. For example, while testifying in John’s murder trial, Anthony states that John’s best friend told him that John had killed the victim. Anthony did not hear John make the admission firsthand, making testimony of this statement “hearsay.” To explore this concept, consider the […]
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