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Calendar: List of cases arranged for
hearing in court.
Caption: The caption of a pleading, or
other papers connected with a case in court, is the
heading or introductory clause which shows the names
of the parties, name of the court, number of the
case, etc.
Case: Any proceeding, action, cause,
lawsuit or controversy initiated through the court
system by filing a complaint, petition, indictment
or information.
Caseload: The number of cases a judge
handles in a specific time period.
Cause of action: A legal claim.
Certiorari: Procedure for removing a case
from a lower court or administrative agency to a
higher court for review.
Challenge for cause: A request by a party
that the court excuse a specific juror on the basis
that the juror is biased.
Citation: Summons to appear in court. 2.
Reference to authorities in support of a legal
argument.
Civil law: All law that is not criminal
law. Usually pertains to the settlement of disputes
between individuals, organizations or groups and
having to do with the establishment, recovery or
redress of private and civil rights.
Claim: The assertion of a right to money
or property.
Clerk of the court: An officer of a court
whose principal duty is to maintain court records
and preserve evidence presented during a trial.
Closing argument: The closing statement,
by counsel, to the trier of facts after all parties
have concluded their presentation of evidence.
Collision Insurance: This covers loss to
the insured person's own auto caused by its
collision with another vehicle or object.
Code: A collection, compendium or revision
of laws systematically arranged into chapters, table
of contents and index and promulgated by legislative
authority.
Commit: To lawfully send a person to
prison, a reformatory or an asylum
Common law: Law which derives its
authority solely from usage and customs of
immemorial antiquity or from the judgments and
decrees of courts. also called "case law."
Comparative negligence: Negligence of a
plaintiff in a civil suit which decreases his
recovery by his percentage of negligence compared to
a defendant's negligence.
Competency: In the law of evidence, the
presence of those characteristics which render a
witness legally fit and qualified to give testimony.
Complaint: In a civil case, it is the
initial document entered by the plaintiff which
states the claims against the defendant.
Contempt of court: Any act that is meant
to embarrass, hinder or obstruct a court in the
administration of justice. Direct contempt is
committed in the presence of the court; indirect
contempt is when a lawful order is not carried out
or refused.
Continuance: Adjournment of the
proceedings in a case from one day to another.
Corroborating evidence: Evidence
supplementary to that already given and tending to
strengthen or confirm it.
Costs: An allowance for expenses in
prosecuting or defending a suit. Ordinarily does not
include attorney's fees.
Counter claim: Claim presented by a
defendant in opposition to, or deduction from, the
claim of the plaintiff.
Court: Place where justice is
administered.
Court administrator: Manager of
administrative, non judicial affairs of the court.
Court commissioner: A judicial officer at
both trial and appellate court levels who performs
many of the same duties as judges and justices.
Court of appeals: Intermediate appellate
court to which most appeals are taken from superior
court.
Court superior: State trial court of
general jurisdiction.
Court supreme: "Court of last
resort." Highest court in the state and final
appellate court.
Courts of limited jurisdiction: Includes
district, municipal and police courts.
Comprehensive Coverage: Covers damage to a
vehicle caused by an event other than a collision or
overturn. Examples include fire, theft, vandalism,
and falling objects.
Criminal law: Body of law pertaining to
crimes against the state or conduct detrimental to
society as a whole. Violation of criminal statues
are punishable by law.
Cross examination: The questioning of a
witness by the party opposed to the one who produced
the witness.
