Unit 6BVocabulary - Law and Legal Process

1 / Acquittal / a setting free or deliverance from the charge of an offense by verdict of a jury, judgment of a court, or other legal process
2 / Affadavit / a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.
3 / Arraignment / A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted by law
4 / Arrest / using legal authority to deprive a person of his or her freedom of movement
5 / Bail / the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money be lodged to guarantee their appearance in court
6 / Deposition / part of permitted pre-trial discovery (investigation), set up by an attorney for one of the parties to a lawsuit demanding the sworn testimony of the opposing party (defendant or plaintiff), a witness to an event, or an expert intended to be called at trial by the opposition.
7 / Discovery / a pre-trial procedure in alawsuitin which each party, through the law ofcivil procedure, can obtain evidence from the other party or parties by means of discovery devices such as a request for answers tointerrogatories,request for production of documents, request for admissions anddepositions. Discovery can be obtained from non-parties usingsubpoenas. When a discovery request is objected to, the requesting party may seek the assistance of the court by filing amotion to compeldiscovery.
8 / Due process / The principle that an individual cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards.
9 / Grand jury / a jury, normally of twenty-three jurors, selected to examine the validity of an accusation before trial.
10 / Hung jury / a judicialjurythat cannot agree upon a verdict after extended deliberation and is unable to reach the required unanimity or supermajority.
11 / Indictment / a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime
12 / Injunction / a judicial order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing an action threatening or invading the legal right of another, or that compels a person to carry out a certain act, e.g., to make restitution to an injured party.
13 / Parole / the release of a prisoner temporarily (for a special purpose) or permanently before the completion of a sentence, on the promise of good behavior
16 / Plea bargain / an arrangement between a prosecutor and a defendant whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge in the expectation of leniency.
17 / Probation / the release of an offender from detention, subject to a period of good behavior under supervision
18 / Prosecution / the act or process of holding a trial again3st a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty.
19 / Settlement / Theactofadjustingordeterminingthedealingsordisputesbetweenpersonswithoutpursuingthematterthroughatrial.
20 / Subpoena / a request for the production of documents, or a request to appear in court or other legal proceeding.
21 / Warrant / a document issued by a legal or government official authorizing the police or some other body to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice