法律术语.docx
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法律术语
术语
定义
abatementofaction
Asuitthathasbeenquashedandended.
abeyance
Incompleteorundeterminedstateofaffairs.
abscond
Torunawayorhidefromthejurisdictionofthecourtinordertoavoidlegalproceedings.
abstractofrecord
Abbreviated,butcompletehistoryofacaseasfoundintherecord.
abstractoftitle
Concisechronologicalhistoryofallofficialrecordsandrecordeddocumentsaffectingtitletoaparcelofland.
AcceleratedRehabilitativeDisposition(ARD)
VoluntaryprogramestablishedbyPennsylvania'sSupremeCourtin1972forfirst-time,non-violentoffenderswherebyoffendersundergoaprobationsupervisionprogramfortwoyearswithoutconviction.Iftheprogramissuccessfullycompleted,chargesagainsttheoffenderaredismissed.
accessory
Personwhoaidsorcontributesincommissionofacrime,usuallybyconvincingsomeonetocommitacrimeorbyhelpingthesuspectescapeorhideevidence.Usuallynotpresentduringthecrime.Compareaccomplice.
accomplice
Personwhoknowinglyandvoluntarilyparticipateswithanotherinacriminalactthroughaiding,abetting,advisingorencouragingoffender.Seeaidandabet.Compareaccessory.
accordandsatisfaction
Methodofdischargingaclaimwherebypartiesagreetogiveandacceptsomethinginsettlementofclaim.Thenewagreementiscalledtheaccord.Thesatisfactionistheactionperformedtosettletheclaim.
acknowledgment
Shortdeclarationatendofalegalpapershowingpaperwasdulyexecutedandacknowledged.
acquittal
Verdictafteracriminaltrialthatdefendantisnotguiltyofchargedcrime.Compareguilty.
action
Ajudicialproceeding.Anactioninpersonamisagainstaperson.Anactioninremisagainstathing,usuallywherepropertyisinvolved.
actusreus(ACKtusREEus)
Proofthatacriminalacthasoccurred.Seeelementsofacrime.
adlitem(addLYEdem)
Forthepurposesofthelawsuit.E.g.,aguardianadlitemisappointedtoprosecuteordefendasuitonbehalfofanincapacitatedpersonoraminor.
additur(ADDihtur)
Increasebyjudgeinamountofdamagesawardedbyjury.
adjudication
Pronouncingjudgmentordecree;thejudgmentgiven.
administrator
Onewhoadministersestateofpersonwhodieswithoutawill.Seepersonalrepresentative.Compareexecutor.
admissibleevidence
Evidencewhichcanbelegallyandproperlyintroducedinatrial.
adversaryproceeding
Proceedinghavingopposingparties;contested.Differsfromexparteproceeding.
adversarysystem
TrialmethodusedinU.S.andsomeothercountries,basedonbeliefthattruthcanbestbedeterminedbygivingopposingpartiesfullopportunitytopresentandestablishevidenceandtotestbycross-examinationevidencepresentedbyadversariesunderestablishedrulesofprocedurebeforeanimpartialjudgeand/orjury.
affiant
Personwhomakesandsignsanaffidavit.
affidavit
Voluntarywrittenstatementoffactsgivenunderoath.Incriminalcasesaffidavitsareoftenusedbypoliceofficersseekingtoobtainsearchorarrestwarrants.Incivilcasesaffidavitsofwitnessesareoftenusedtosupportmotionsforsummaryjudgment.
affirmativedefense
Withoutdenyingthecharge,defendantraisesextenuatingormitigatingcircumstancessuchasinsanity,self-defenseorentrapmenttoavoidcivilorcriminalresponsibility.
affirmed
Decreeororderatissueisdeclaredvalidbyappellatecourtandwillstandasrenderedinlowercourt.
aggravatedassault
Seeassault.
aggravatingcircumstances
Circumstancesoccurringincommissionofanoffensewhichoccuraboveandbeyondtheoffenseitselfandwhichservetoincreaseoffense'sguiltorenormityoraddtoitsconsequences.Mayincreasesentenceofindividualconvictedofoffense.Comparemitigatingcircumstances.
aidandabet
Toactively,knowinglyorintentionallyassistanotherpersonincommissionorattemptedcommissionofacrime.Seeaccomplice.
alibi
Proofofferedbydefendantthathe/shewasatsomeotherplaceattimeofcrimeandthuscouldnothavecommittedcrimecharged.
allegation
Statementofissuesinapleadingthatapartyexpectstoprove.E.g.,anindictmentcontainsallegationsofacrimeagainstadefendant.allocatur(ALloCAHtur)
allocatur(ALloCAHtur)
"Itisallowed."Petitiontoappeal.
alternativedisputeresolution(ADR)
Settlingadisputewithoutfull,formaltrial.Methodsincludemediation,conciliation,arbitrationandsettlement,amongothers.
amicuscuriae(uhMEkusKYUreeEYE)
Friendofthecourt.Onenotapartytoacasewho,havingastronginterestintheoutcome,offersinformationonapointoflaworsomeotheraspectofthecase.
answer
Defendant'sresponsetoplaintiff'sallegationsasstatedinacomplaint.Item-by-item,paragraph-by-paragraphresponsetopointsmadeincomplaint.Partofthepleadings.
appeal
Requesttohaveadecisionmadebyalowercourtreviewedbyahighercourt.
appearance
Comingintocourt.Formalactbywhichadefendantsubmitstothejurisdictionofacourt.Comparearraignment.
appellant
Partywhoinitiatesanappeal.
appellatecourt
Courthavingjurisdictiontoreviewdecisionsoflowercourtsoradministrativeagencies.
appellee
Partyagainstwhomanappealistaken.Sometimescalledarespondent.
arbitration
Formofalternativedisputeresolutioninwhichpartiesbringdisputetoaneutralthirdpartyandagreetoabidebydecisionreached.Decisionsusuallycannotbeappealed.
arraignment
Proceedinginwhichanaccusedpersonappearsbeforeajudgetohearthecriminalchargesfiledagainsthim/herandtoenterapleaofguiltyornotguilty.Comparepreliminaryhearingandinitialappearance.Seealsoappearance.
arrest
Totakeintocustodybylegalauthority.
arrestofjudgment
Actofdelayingtheeffectofajudgmentalreadyentered.
assault
Threattoinflictinjurywithanapparentabilitytodoso.Also,anyintentionaldisplayofforcewhichwouldgivevictimreasontofearorexpectimmediatebodilyharm.Aggravatedassaultmustincludeanotheractwhichisalsocriminal,e.g.,anattempttocauseseriousbodilyinjuryorcommitanothercrimeoruseofadeadlyweapon.Comparebattery.
atissue
Pointinalawsuitwhencomplainingpartyhasstatedclaimandothersidehasrespondedwithadenial.Contestedpointsaresaidtobe"atissue."
attachment
Legalseizureandholdingofperson'spropertypendingoutcomeofalawsuit.Also,arrestofpersonguiltyofcontemptofcourt.
attempt
Efforttocommitacrime,carriedbeyondpreparation,butnotexecuted.
attorney-at-law
Advocate,counselorofficialagentemployedinpreparing,managingandtryingcasesinthecourts.
attorney-in-fact
Privateperson,notnecessarilyanattorney,authorizedbyanothertoactinhisplaceandstead,eitherforaparticularpurposeorfortransactionofbusinessingeneralthatisnotoflegalcharacter.Authorityisconferredbyaninstrumentinwritingcalledaletterofattorneyor,morecommonly,powerofattorney.
attorneyofrecord
Principalattorneyinalawsuitwhosignsallformaldocumentsrelatingtosuit.
Abatement
∙Areductioninsomeamountthatisowed,usuallygrantedbythepersontowhomthedebtisowed.Forexample,alandlordmightgrantanabatementinrent.Inestatelaw,thewordmayrefermorespecificallytoasituationwherepropertyidentifiedinawillcannotbegiventothebeneficiarybecauseithadtobesoldtopayoffthedeceaseddebts.Debtsarepaidbeforegiftsmadeinwillsaredistributedandwhereaspecificgifthastobesoldtopayoffadebt,itissaidto"abate"(comparewith"ademptionn.撤消遗赠").
术语
定义
backlog
Numberofpendingcasesexceedingthecapacityofacourtwhichisengagedinactingonothercases.
bail
Moneyorothersecurity(suchasabailbond)giventoacourttotemporarilysecureaperson'sreleasefromcustodyandassurehis/herappearanceincourt.Maybeforfeitedshouldindividualsubsequentlyfailtoappearbeforethecourt.Bailandbondareoftenusedinterchangeably.
bailauthority
InPennsylvaniathedistrictjustice,magistrate,Philadelphiabailcommissionerorjudgewithjurisdictionoverthecaseinquestionauthorizedbylawtoset,modify,revokeordenybail.
bailbond(oftenreferredtosimplyasbond)
Obligation,signedbyaccused,tosecurehis/herpresenceattrialandwhichhe/shemaylosebynotproperlyappearingfortrial.
bailiff
Courtattendantwhokeepsorderinthecourtroomandhascustodyofthejury.
bankruptcy
Statutesandjudicialproceedingsinvolvingpersonsorbusinesseswhocannotpaydebtsandseekassistanceofcourtingettingafreshstart.
bar
Historically,partitionseparatinggeneralpublicfromspaceoccupiedbyjudges,lawyersandotherparticipantsinatrial.Morecommonly,thewholebodyoflawyers.A"caseatbar"isacasecurrentlybeingconsidered.
barexamination
Stateexaminationtakenbyprospectivelawyersinordertobeadmittedtopracticelaw.
batteredchildsyndrome
Medicalandpsychologicalconditionofachildwhohassufferedcontinuinginjuriesnotinflictedaccidentallyandthusarepresumedtohavebeeninflictedbysomeoneclosetothechild.
batteredwomansyndrome
Medicalandpsychologicalconditionofawomanwhohasbeenphysically,sexuallyand/oremotionallyabusedbyaspouseorlover.Alsocalledbatteredwifesyndromeorbatteredspousesyndrome.
battery
Physicalcontactintendedtoharmsomeone.Threattouseforceisassault;useofitisbattery,whichusuallyincludesanassault.Aggravatedbatteryisunlawfuluseofforcewithunusualorseriousconsequences,e.g.,useofadangerousweapon.
bench
Seatoccupiedbythejudge.Morebroadly,thecourtitself.
benchtrial
Trialwithno