CR CVR: J List

All vocab words starting with J: mix of law, medical, court reporting, business, etc.

Jeering

making rude and mocking remarks, typically in a loud voice

Jencks Act

1957 federal law requiring prosecutors to disclose a witness's prior, relevant, and verbatim statements to the defense after the witness testifies on direct examination at trial; allows the defense to use these statements for cross-examination and impeachment purposes

Jeopardy

danger of loss, harm, or failure

Jetsam

under maritime law, cargo, equipment, or parts of a ship that are deliberately thrown overboard (jettisoned) to lighten a vessel in distress and that sink or is washed ashore; remains the property of the original owner unless abandoned, but finders may claim salvage rights

Jettison

throw or drop something from an aircraft or ship

Jibe

agree; conform; be in harmony

Jihad

"struggle" or "effort"

Jive

swing music and dance; slang; deceptive talk

Joie de Vivre

joy of living; exuberance; gaiety

Joinder

coupling or joining together; uniting with another person in some legal step or proceeding

Joint and Several

legal liability doctrine where multiple parties are independently responsible for the full amount of a debt or injury, allowing a plaintiff to recover 100% of damages from any single defendant; protects plaintiffs by ensuring full compensation even if some parties are insolvent, though it may unfairly burden minimally liable parties

Joint Tenancy

form of co-ownership where two or more parties hold equal, undivided interests in an asset with a right of survivorship; when one owner dies, their share automatically passes to the surviving owners, bypassing probate

Joint Venture

legally binding, temporary business arrangement where two or more parties collaborate to achieve a specific project or goal, sharing resources, risks, profits, and management control while remaining separate entities

Judge

public official appointed or elected to preside over court proceedings, decide legal disputes, and administer justice impartially; interprets law, evaluates evidence, and determines facts or sentencing; the Court; the Bench

Judge Pro Tem

lawyer appointed by a judge to sit on the bench when regular judge cannot be there

Judge’s Charge

set of legal guidelines and definitions given by a judge to the jury, outlining the laws they must apply to the evidence; occurs after closing arguments; directs jurors on how to evaluate evidence and conduct deliberations to reach a lawful verdict; important because more appeals are made from this than from anything that occurs during the trial itself; Jury Charge; Jury Instructions

Judgment

court's final ruling on a legal action, determining the rights and obligations of each party involved; settles a dispute by specifying which side won and what remedies are awarded; can be monetary, requiring compensation or property transfer, or non-monetary, such as requiring a service to be performed

Judicial

of, by, or appropriate to a court or judge

Judicious

done with good judgment; sensible; wise

Jumble

messy collection or pile; mix up in a confused or untidy way

Jurat

specific type of notarization where a signer swears or affirms under oath that the contents of a document are true; requires the signer to appear in person, sign the document in front of a notary, and speak an oath aloud; this verifies the truth of a document's contents, which is different from an acknowledgment (verifies the identity and willingness of the signer) and a certification page (verifies the authenticity of a copy or record)

Jurisdiction

legal authority, power, or right of a court or governmental body to inquire into facts, apply the law, make decisions, and declare judgement, as well as to legislate or enforce laws within a specific territory; determines which court system has the power to handle a particular dispute, with judgments made without proper jurisdiction often considered void

Jurisprudence

philosophy, science, or study of law

Jury

selected from US citizens, who are locals of the jurisdiction, of majority age; can be selected from voting registration, motor vehicle registration, or tax records; in most state courts, composed of 12 members; some civil cases may require only six members; most states require a three-fourth’s or two-third’s majority vote in civil cases, but unanimous in criminal cases

Jury Charge

set of legal guidelines and definitions given by a judge to the jury, outlining the laws they must apply to the evidence; occurs after closing arguments; directs jurors on how to evaluate evidence and conduct deliberations to reach a lawful verdict; important because more appeals are made from this than from anything that occurs during the trial itself; Judge’s Charge; Jury Instructions

Jury Instructions

set of legal guidelines and definitions given by a judge to the jury, outlining the laws they must apply to the evidence; occurs after closing arguments; directs jurors on how to evaluate evidence and conduct deliberations to reach a lawful verdict; important because more appeals are made from this than from anything that occurs during the trial itself; Jury Charge; Judge’s Charge

Jury View

jury in a trial is transported to a specific location relevant to the case to allow them to observe the site of a crime or accident to better understand evidence; Jury Visit; View of the Scene

Jury Visit

jury in a trial is transported to a specific location relevant to the case to allow them to observe the site of a crime or accident to better understand evidence; Jury View; View of the Scene

Jus

the law, taken as a system, aggregate, or whole; also means a right or power; Latin for “law," "right," or "justice"

Jus Ad Rem

inchoate or imperfect right to property, typically arising from a contract or obligation rather than direct possession; personal right enforceable against a specific person, not against the world at large; Latin for "a right to a thing"

Jus Civile

body of the civil law; Latin for "civil law" or "citizen law"

Jus Civitatis

specific body of laws governing the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of citizens within a particular state or community; defines who is a member of the civitas and grants them legal protections not available to foreigners or non-citizens; Latin for "law of the state" or "right of citizenship"

Jus Commune

body of the common law or the common right; Latin for "common law"

Jus Divinum

laws or principles believed to be ordained by God, rather than created by humans; in legal and historical contexts, it signifies a mandate originating from a divine source, often used to justify authority, such as the "divine right of kings"; Latin for "divine law"

Jus Gentium

body of customary law that applied universally to all people regardless of citizenship; served as an early form of international law, based on shared reason and common practices among different nations; Latin for "law of nations" or "law of peoples"

Jus Naturae

system of universal moral and ethical principles believed to be inherent in human nature and discovered through reason, rather than enacted by legislation; signifies fundamental, unchanging rights applied to all humanity, often distinguishing itself from positive (man-made) law; Latin for "natural law"

Jus Proprietatis

legal, absolute right of ownership or title to a property, distinct from the mere possession or right to possess it; often called "jus merum" (the mere right), it signifies the underlying, absolute, or "naked" ownership, even if another person currently holds the item or land; Latin for "right of property"

Jus Rerum

branch of law regulating the rights, powers, and duties of persons over property and assets; defines how ownership is acquired, possessed, enjoyed, and transferred, focusing on permanent dominion over objects; key component of civil law and jurisprudence; Latin for “law of things”

Justice

ethical and legal principle of treating individuals impartially, fairly, and reasonably, ensuring legal rights are upheld and wrongs are redressed; involves applying established laws to cases to achieve a morally right, proportionate outcome, encompassing due process, equality before the law, and the administration of punishments or rewards

Justice Reporters

in some large cities, the prosecutor’s office hires a number of these reporters who are either pooled or assigned to a certain examiner for a given term; in a U.S. district court, they are often hired on a contract basis by the U.S. attorney

Justifiable Homicide

lawful killing of another person, often in self-defense, defense of others, or in the line of duty, which exempts the actor from criminal liability; must generally be a reasonable, necessary, and proportionate response to an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm

Juvenile Court

specialized court with jurisdiction over minors accused of committing delinquent acts or involved in dependency/neglect cases; primary purpose is rehabilitation, focusing on the child's best interests, with less harsh, community-based punishments compared to the adult criminal system