Legal Terminology C "Module2"

Calendar

Court schedule

Case in chief

Primary presentation of evidence by a party

Case law

Printed decisions and opinions of appellate jurisdictions

Cause of action

The situation causing a lawsuit

Chain of custody

Record showing proper maintenance of 'real' evidence, such as seized narcotics or weapons, as opposed to mere documents

Challenge

Objection to having someone serve as a juror; a challenge may be for cause, as when the person does not speak English, or peremptory, with no reason given

Chambers

A judge's office within a courthouse

Charge to the jury

Instructions from the judge concerning the law which governs a case

Chattel

An article of personal or movable property

Circuit court of appeal

Federal appellate level immediately below the Supreme Court

Class action

A suit joined in by a group of people who share a common interest in a matter

Closing statement

An attorney's final statement in a trial

Cloud on title

A claim or lien which impairs an owner's otherwise free right to use his property

Code of Federal Regulations C.F.R.

Federal regulatory agency rules and regulations which implement federal law; these regulations, once promulgated, have the force of actual law

Collateral estoppel

A bar or an impediment to prevent re-litigating issues which have already been tried

Colloquy

Any formal conference, conversation, or discussion between lawyers, the judge, or other parties during a judicial proceeding

Common law

Customary, old, or 'judge-made' law, as opposed to 'positive' or statutory law

Complaint

Plaintiff's initial pleading

Concurrent sentences

Two or more sentences served at the same time

Conflict of interest

Conflict between the private interests and public obligations of someone in a position of authority or trust

Confront accusers

The right of a person accused of a crime to face those making the accusation

Consecutive sentences

Two or more sentences which must be served one after the other

Contempt

Willfully disobeying a court order; obstructing a court's functions or lessening its dignity

Counter-claim

Defendant's claim against a plaintiff

Counts

Individual acts alleged to have broken the law contained within the indictment

Court minutes

Summary records of events in a case, kept by the court clerk

Cross-examination

Questions by an opposing party after the side calling the witness has examined them