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Glossary of Car Accidents Law Terms
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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. |
