Forensics Vocab #1

civil law

a system of rules that handles disputes between private people, groups, or businesses.

criminal law

a system of legal rules that defines crimes, regulates investigations, and sets punishments for offenders.

misdemeanor

a lower-level crime

felony

the most serious type of crime

probable cause

a reasonable basis for believing that a crime may have been committed or that evidence of a crime may be found.

miranda rights

Constitutional rights (to remain silent before having an attorney) read to suspects during an arrest.

expert witness

a person with specialized knowledge or expertise who provides testimony in a legal case.

admissible

allowed, permitted, or valid to be considered

corroborate

to provide evidence that a statement is true

exonerate

to clear someone from blame or fault, especially in a legal context.

probative value

the ability of evidence to prove something relevant in court.