Legal Terminology 3 (copy)

Contempt of court

Acts which impede the court. It can be failure to carry out an order, or it can be disrespectful conduct.

De jure

Legitimate; lawful.

Canon

A system of correlated rules or standards.

Allocution

Formality of court's inquiry of prisoner as to whether he/ she has any legal cause to show why judgment should not be pronounced against him/her on verdict of conviction.

Dictum

In a court's decision, the statement of a rule or principle of law which is not essential to the determination of the issues in a particular case but is used to explain the court's reasoning.

Ex parte

By or for one person, not adversary.

Easement

A right of access onto, over, under, or across real property.

Joint tenancy

An ownership of property by two or more persons; when one joint tenant dies, his/her interest passes to the other tenants.

Interlocutory

Temporary or immediate; not final.

Guardian ad litem

Appointed to protect a minor defendant's interest during specific litigation.

Et seq.

And following.

Mandamus

Order of a higher court directing a lower court to take certain action.

Res gestae

Things done; especially the acts and declarations admissible in evidence that form the environment of a litigated issue, considered as exception to hearsay rule.

Retainer

The arrangement (or the fee) where a lawyer undertakes to represent a client; usually refers to a continuing arrangement.

Supra

Above, earlier in this document.