Legal Terms
Legal Terms – Terms you should be familiar with
- Acquittal: Finding the defendant “Not Guilty”
- Arraignment: A hearing where the suspect appears before a judge, is formally accused of the crime, and enters a plea
- Bail: Upon payment of a fee set by the judge and a promise to appear in court, the suspect may remain free until the trail
- Ballistics: The science of analyzing firearms and ammunitions
- Circumstantial Evidence: Evidence that is not conclusive
- Closing Argument: The final summary of the case by each side
- Continuance: Officially postponing or delaying the trai
- Conviction: Finding the defendant guilty of the crime
- Dismissal: A decision by the court not to continue the trial
- Hearsay: A statement based on information heard from another
- Indictment: The formal written accusation of the suspect presented by the Grand Jury after deciding the case has merit
- Mistrial: Ending the trial if something happens to jeopardize a fair trial or makes the trial unable to continue
- Motion: A request by either attorney that the judge make a decision on a point of law
- Noll Prosequi: A decision by the Prosecutor not to continue with the prosecution of a case at this time
- Opening Statement: At the beginning of the trial each side presents a summary of what they intend to prove in the trial
- Plea: The defendant’s formal answer to the charges
- Perjury: A witness intentionally lying under oath. Punishable
- Probable Cause: Facts that lead one to reasonably believe that the accused actually committed the crime
- Subpoena: A written order to appear in court
- Testimony: Oral evidence presented during the trial
- Verdict: the final decision of the judge or jury