| Case |
This is another ways of saying a cause of action, lawsuit, or the right to sue or, as used in "case law," the legal decisions that can be used as precedents.
|
| Causation |
Producing a particular outcome by a specific act.
|
| Cause |
This can mean either to make something happen, or the reason that something happens.
|
| Cause of Action |
This means that a lawsuit is based on legal grounds and alleged facts that would comprise all the "elements" needed by statute, if proven.
|
| Caveat Emptor |
This is Latin for the phrase "let the buyer beware," which means the buyer buys at his own risk and therefore should examine and test a product for obvious defects and imperfections.
|
| Character Witness |
This is a person who testifies in a trial on behalf of someone else to demonstrate that that individual has a moral and ethical reputation with his or her peers.
|
| Charge |
This refers to the specific statement of what crime someone is accused of in a complaint.
|
| Circumstantial Evidence |
This is trial evidence that is not directly from an eyewitness or participant in the events. In other words, the facts can only be proven using some reasoning.
|
| Civil Action |
This refers to any lawsuit that relates to civil matters (business, contracts, estates, etc.) and not criminal prosecution.
|
| Civil Law |
Body of law concerned with private rights and remedies, as contrasted with criminal law. Compare with criminal law.
|
| Claim |
A claim is a demand for money or property, for damages or penalties due to the violation of a right.
|
| Claim Petition |
A claim petition is filed by an injured employee who wishes to receive compensation for on-the-job injuries. This happens only when the worker has been denied workers compensation payments or medical benefits.
|
| Class Action Lawsuit |
A class action lawsuit is one filed by one or more people on behalf of themselves and a larger group of people who are facing the same issues.
|
| Closing Argument |
This is the final argument by an attorney on behalf of a client in a courtroom.
|
| Coinsurance |
This is an insurance policy where the owner and insurance company share the risk.
|
| Comparative Negligence |
A rule of law for accident cases which determines the responsibility and damages based on the negligence of every party directly involved in the accident.
|
| Compensation |
In legal use, this is the amount an injured party receives to help make reparations after a physical injury or loss, and is often paid by the insurance company of the party causing the damage.
|
| Compensatory Damages |
These are damages to pay for actual injury or economic loss, and does not include damages for malicious or grossly negligent behavior.
|
| Complainant |
A complainant is the individual or organization that initiates a lawsuit by filing a complaint.
|
| Complaint |
In the legal sense, the document that a complainant files with the court, containing a list of allegations and the damages he or she seeks.
|
| Compromise |
An agreement between opposing parties to settle a dispute or reach a settlement in which each gives some ground, rather than continue the dispute or go to trial.
|
| Compromise and Release |
For workers' compensation cases, compromise and release means that the injured worked is paid a lump sum of money by the insurance company to resolve the case.
|
| Conditional Sale |
When property or goods will only be sold if certain, agreed upon conditions are met by both parties.
|
| Conflict of Interest |
This is when a person has a duty to more than one individual or group, but both parties' varying interests make it impossible to act judiciously for either entity.
|
| Consent |
This is one individual's voluntary agreement to another's proposition.
|
| Consumer Protection Laws |
The federal and state government agencies and laws designed to protect the consumer from inferior, hazardous or falsely advertised or deceptive products and services.
|
| Contingent Fee Agreement |
This is the lawyer's fee that is only paid if there is a successful conclusion of the legal work, as in a won legal case.
|
| Contributory Negligence |
A common law that a person injured partially due to his own negligence is not entitled to collect damages from the accused party.
|
| Convict |
As a verb, this means to find someone guilty of a crime through trial proceedings.
|
| Counsel |
A person who is licensed to practice law. It means the same thing as a lawyer, attorney, attorney-at-law, counsellor, counsellor-at-law, solicitor, barrister, or advocate.
|
| Counter Offer |
A counter offer is one made in response to a previous offer by another party during contract negotiations.
|
| Counterclaim |
In a lawsuit, this is the claim a defendant makes against a plaintiff to off-set and/or reduce the amount of the plaintiff's claim.
|
| Court |
Refers to a specific court, such as The Supreme Court of Georgia, the Supreme Court of the United States, or may also refer to a judge.
|
| Court Costs |
These are fees for court expenses that are passed down from attorneys to their clients. They can include: filing fees, charges for serving summons and subpenas, court reporter
charges for depositions, court transcripts and copying charges.
|
| Court of Appeals |
Court of appeals refers to any court (state or federal) which hears appeals from judgments and rulings of trial courts or lower appeals
courts.
|
| Criminal Law |
Laws dealing with crimes against the public and members of the public.
|
| Cross Claim |
Claim brought by a defendant in a lawsuit against a co-defendant in the lawsuit.
|
| Cross-complaint |
Once a complaint is filed against an individual for damages, this defendant may file a written complaint against either the suing party or against a third party. The subject of the cross-complaint must relate to the original complaint.
|
