The persuasiveness of certain evidence when compared with other evidence that is presented.

A witness whose relationship to the opposing party is such that his or her testimony may be prejudiced against that party. A witness declared to be hostile may be asked leading questions and is subject to cross- examination by the party that called him or her.

A witness who can give testimony relating to a particular matter that very few others, if any, can give.

The person whose complaint commences a criminal prosecution and whose testimony is mainly relied on to secure a conviction at the trial.

See WORK RELEASE.

A correctional program which allows inmates, primarily one's being readied for discharge, to leave the institution for the purpose of continuing regular employment during the daytime but reporting back on nights and weekends.

A court's written order commanding the addressee to do or refrain from doing some specified act.

A writ to put in force the judgment or decree of a court.

The division of a city by legislative regulation into districts, and the design of regulations having to do with structural and architectural design and use of buildings.

An action against the person, founded on a personal liability. In contrast to action in rem, an action for the recovery of a specific object, usually an item of personal property such as an automobile.

Proceeding "against the thing" as compared to personal actions (in personam ). Usually a proceeding where property is involved.

A legal declaration that disposes of a person's property when that person dies. See TESTAMENT.

A Latin term meaning for the purposes of the lawsuit. For example, a guardian ad litem is a person appointed by the court to protect the interests of a minor or legally incompetent person in a lawsuit.

An increase by a judge in the amount of damages awarded by a jury.

A friend of the court. One not a party to a case who volunteers to offer information on a point of law or some other aspect of the case to assist the court in deciding a matter before it.

A warning; a note of caution.

"Let the buyer beware." Encourages a purchaser to examine, judge, and test for himself.

A means of getting an appellate court to review a lower court's decision. The loser of a case will often ask the appellate court to issue a writ of certiorari, which orders the lower court to convey the record of the case to the appellate court and to certify it as accurate and complete. If an appellate court grants a writ of certiorari, it agrees to take the appeal. This is often referred to as granting cert.

Body of the crime. The objective proof that a crime has been committed. It sometimes refers to the body of the victim of a homicide or to the charred shell of a burned house, but the term has a broader meaning. For the state to introduce a confession or to convict the accused, it must prove a corpus delicti, that is, the occurrence of a specific injury or loss and a criminal act as the source of that particular injury or loss.

A new. A trial de novo  is a new trial of a case.

And others.

An abbreviation for et sequentes, or et sequentia, "and the following," ordinarily used in referring to a section of statutes.

A "willful" act is one done intentionally, as distinguished from an act done carelessly or inadvertently.

Arising from a contract.

Applied to orders of judgment dismissing a case, meaning that the plaintiff is forever barred from bringing a lawsuit on the same claim or cause.

A claim or cause dismissed without prejudice may be the subject of a new lawsuit.

1. One who testifies to what they have seen, heard or otherwise observed. 2. (v) To subscribe one's name to a document for the purpose of authenticity.

The space in the courtroom occupied by a witness while testifying.

A non-hostile witness that is called by the defense counsel to assist in proving the defense's case.

A witness who is qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education to provide a scientific, technical or specialized opinion of the subject about which he or she is to testify. That knowledge must generally be such as is not normally possessed by the average person.