Descriptionary

statutory rape engaging in sex with a minor.

stay a court-ordered postponement of an event or action.

stay of execution a court order in which a judg­ment is postponed for a specific amount of time.

strict liability liability for injuries or damages stem­ming from dangerous activities (such as the use of explosives) even if those activities are carried out law­fully and with extreme care. Liability without fault or negligence.

subornation of perjury the crime of persuading another to lie in court.

subpoena a court order to force a witness to appear at a judicial proceeding; a subpoena to testify.

subrogation one's fulfilling of an obligation on another's behalf.

suit a broad term for any court proceeding under­taken for the pursuit of justice.

suitor a litigant in a court case.

summation the closing arguments made by each party's counsel in a trial.

summons an order or notification served to a defen­dant to appear in court or risk a default judgment.

sunshine laws laws that require meetings held by government agencies to be open to the public.

superior court any court that reviews the decisions of lower courts.

suppression of evidence preventing the use of illegally seized evidence or any evidence that may unfairly bias a jury.

supreme court the highest appellate court in a juris­diction or state.

Supreme Court the highest court in the United States, consisting of nine justices and having jurisdic­tion over all other courts.

surety one who promises to fulfill certain obliga­tions, particularly financial ones, if his principal fails to do so; one who takes on a liability for another's debt; a bondsman.

surety bond a bond issued by a surety guaranteeing the fulfillment of another's obligations.

tacit implied.

tainted evidence evidence that cannot be relied upon because of its questionable source, based on the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine.

taking the Fifth

pleading the Fifth Amendment right not to provide evidence that will incriminate oneself.

testify to give statements while under oath in a court proceeding.

testimony statements or evidence given by a witness while under oath.

tort any wrongful act, damage, or injury associated with a breach of lawful social behavior as opposed to a breach of a contract.

tortfeasor one who commits a tort.

transcript a certified, written record of what occurred and what was said in a court proceeding.

trial, bench a trial with a judge but no jury.

unclean hands see clean hands.

usury an excessive or illegal rate of interest on a loan.

verdict, false a verdict unsupported by the facts.

vicarious liability the liability of an employer for the actions of an employee while conducting the duties of his job. Also known as respondent superior.

vice crimes immoral indulgences such as gambling, prostitution, and pornography.

vicinage an area of neighborhood where a crime was committed or where jurors are called from.

vis major a greater force, referring to an act of God or an act of nature.

voice exemplar a tape recording of a person's voice used as identification in a court proceeding.

voir dire examination an evaluation and a qualify­ing of prospective jurors.

volenti non fit injuria the volunteer suffers no wrong. In tort law, any person willingly engaging in an activity cannot collect damages if that activity causes injury.

wanton grossly negligent.

warrant a court order issued to have someone arrested.

writ a court order issued to compel someone to carry out some activity or to stop them from carrying out some activity.

writ of execution the court's enforcing of a judg­ment by levying the judgment debtor's property.

PROBATE LAW

advancement an advance granted to a child from a living parent's will.

bequeath the giving of a gift of personal property in a will.

bequest a gift of personal property.

causa mortis the law that states that a gift given in anticipation of death is void if the giver survives.

disinherit to cancel or terminate another's inheritance.

forced heirs heirs who cannot be disinherited, such as a spouse and children.

holographic will a will written, dated, and signed by the testator himself.

in extremis most often referring to the writing of a will when death is impending, but also referring to any contract written under "extreme circumstances" that could possibly alter the interpretation of that contract.

intestate one who has died without drawing up a will.

legacy bequest.