appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal."
Court of Customs and Patent Appeals :: n. a federal court established (1929) to hear appe ... lso: Customs Court patent trademark
court of appeals :: n. any court (state or federal) which hears appeal ... eals courts. See also: appeal court
plain error :: n. a mistake by the trial court found by a court o ... ire reversal of the trial decision.
perfect :: : (with stress on the second syllable) v. 1) to co ... perfect. See also: mechanic's lien
pardon :: 1) v. to use the executive power of a Governor or ... also: amnesty commutation reprieve
party :: n. 1) one of the participants in a lawsuit or othe ... y real party in interest respondent
per curiam :: adj. Latin for "by the court," defining a decision ... dentified as the specif- ic author.
presiding judge :: n. 1) in both state and federal appeals court, the ... and chairs meetings of the judges.
record :: 1) v. (ree-cored) to put a document into the offic ... eeding race to the courthouse trial
public defender :: n. an elected or appointed public official (usuall ... to convicted indigents for appeals.
pro tem :: 1) adj. short for the Latin pro tempore, temporari ... as "Sam Collins is Pro Tem today."
overrule :: v. 1) to reject an attorney's objection to a quest ... : appellate court objection sustain
precedent :: 1) n. a prior reported opinion of an appeals court ... to perform. See also: stare decisis
opinion :: n. the explanation of a court's judgment. When a t ... which the author is not specified.
lower court :: n. 1) any court of lesser rank, such as municipal ... ruled Defendant had no basis for:."
mandate :: n. 1) any mandatory order or requirement under sta ... See also: mandamus writ of mandate
life without possibility of parole :: n. a sentence sometimes given for particularly vic ... or may someday reduce the sentence.
justice :: n. 1) fairness. 2) moral rightness. 3) a scheme or ... e appellate courts. See also: court
jury :: n. one of the remarkable innovations of the Englis ... hallenge sequester venire voir dire
memorandum :: n. 1) a brief writing, note, summary or outline. 2 ... r "The decision below is affirmed."
moot court :: n. law school exercise in which students argue bot ... fferent law schools. See also: moot
on all fours :: adj. a reference to a lawsuit in which all the leg ... ame conclusion. See also: precedent
recuse :: v. to refuse to be a judge (or for a judge to agre ... to the defendant. See also: recusal
obscene :: adj., adv. a highly subjective reference to materi ... en I see it." See also: pornography
nisi prius :: : (nee-see pree-us) adj. Latin for "unless first," ... : original jurisdiction trial court
motion for a new trial :: n. a request made by the loser for the case to be ... hstanding the verdict motion N.O.V.
original jurisdiction :: n. the authority of a court to hold a trial, as di ... l judgments. See also: jurisdiction
remand :: v. to send back. An appeals court may remand a cas ... ee also: appeal preliminary hearing
Tax Court :: n. a federal agency with courts in major cities wh ... Appeals. See also: court income tax
timely :: adj. within the time required by statute, court ru ... ed on the 61st day is not "timely."
Supreme Court :: n. 1) the highest court in the United States, whic ... rt in other states. See also: court
suppression of evidence :: n. 1) a judge's determination not to allow evidenc ... the prosecutor. See also: evidence
supersedeas :: (sooh-purr-said-ee-uhs) Latin for "you shall desis ... . See also: appeal court of appeals
transcript :: n. the written record of all proceedings, includin ... unless transcription is requested.
trial court :: n. the court which holds the original trial, as di ... a court of appeals. See also: trial
Workers' Compensation Acts :: n. state statutes which establish liability of emp ... rs' compensation insurance company.
writ of coram nobis :: : (writ of core-uhm noh-bis) n. from Latin for "in ... ment if known at the time of trial.
void :: adj. referring to a statute, contract, ruling or a ... udgment is void. See also: voidable
verdict :: n. the decision of a jury after a trial, which mus ... nt quotient verdict special verdict
trial de novo :: n. a form of appeal in which the appeals court hol ... from small claims court judgments.
small claims court :: n. a division of most municipal, city or other low ... od example of a small claims court.
Shepardize :: n. a method of locating reports of appeals decisio ... m prior case law. See also: reports
reprieve :: n. a temporary delay in imposition of the death pe ... commutation of sentence or pardon.
respondent :: n. 1) the party who is required to answer a petiti ... "appellant") in the appeals court.
reports :: n. the published decisions of appeals courts in al ... ilable in almost all law libraries.
reply brief :: n. the written legal argument of the respondent (t ... ee also: appeal appellee respondent
remittitur :: n. 1) a judge's order reducing a judgment awarded ... party on appeal). See also: remand
retrial :: n. a new trial granted upon the motion of the losi ... al or reversed by an appeals court.
reversal :: n. the decision of a court of appeal ruling that t ... e of damages is ordered to dismiss.
session :: n. 1) a meeting (or "sitting") of a court for a pa ... pring Term" or the "October Term").
rules of court :: n. a set of procedural regulations adopted by cour ... s counsel. See also: procedure rule
ripe :: adj. in constitutional law, referring to a law cas ... or more issues raised by the case.
review :: n. the judicial consideration of a lower court jud ... ate court reversal reversible error
jurisdiction :: n. the authority given by law to a court to try ca ... Superior Court Supreme Court venue
judge :: 1) n. an official with the authority and responsib ... ice justice of the peace magistrate
capital punishment :: n. execution (death) for a capital offense. The U. ... or death. See also: capital offense
case :: n. short for a cause of action, lawsuit, or the ri ... ny, the court stated the rule as:."
brief :: 1) n. a written legal argument, usually in a forma ... another person. See also: precedent
bias :: n. the predisposition of a judge, arbitrator, pros ... ire. See also: hometowned voir dire
bar examination :: n. the examination given in each state by either t ... n that district. See also: attorney
case law :: n. reported decisions of appeals courts and other ... es. See also: case system precedent
certiorari :: n. (sersh-oh-rare-ee) a writ (order) of a higher c ... cedents (previously decided cases).
compromise verdict :: n. a decision made by a jury in which the jurors s ... ning the verdict. See also: verdict
consent decree :: n. an order of a judge based upon an agreement, al ... he same. See also: consent judgment
clerk :: n. 1) an official or employee who handles the busi ... stocking shelves, or counter sales.
circuit courts :: n. a movable court in which the judge holds court ... alled the Circuit Courts of Appeal.
challenge :: n. the right of each attorney in a jury trial to r ... ess. See also: peremptory challenge
bank :: n. 1) an officially chartered institution empowere ... erred to as "in bank" or "en banc."
authorities :: n. 1) previous decisions by courts of appeal which ... also: brief cite decision precedent
administrative law judge :: n. a professional hearing officer who works for th ... higher pay in being called "judge."
Administrative Procedure Act :: n. the federal act which established the rules and ... strative hearing administrative law
administrative law :: n. the procedures created by administrative agenci ... judge Administrative Procedure Act
actual controversy :: n. a true legal dispute which leads to a genuine l ... al outcome. See also: friendly suit
abuse of discretion :: n. a polite way of saying a trial judge has made s ... partner's realistic ability to pay.
affirm :: v. what an appeals court does if it agrees with an ... confirms a lower court's decision.
agreed statement :: n. occasionally the two parties on opposite sides ... gument and not of the actual facts.
arguendo :: prep. Latin meaning "for the sake of argument," us ... rs most commonly in appeals briefs.
appellee :: n. in some jurisdictions the name used for the par ... ndent." See also: appeal respondent
appellate court :: n. a court of appeals which hears appeals from low ... court of appeals. See also: appeal
appellant :: n. the party who appeals a trial court decision he ... e/she/it has lost. See also: appeal
contempt of court :: n. there are essentially two types of contempt: a) ... roduce evidence. See also: sanction
court :: n. 1) the judge, as in "The court rules in favor o ... cost and wait of full court trials.
frivolous :: adj. referring to a legal move in a lawsuit clearl ... ing the courts to resolve disputes.
go bail :: v. slang for putting up the bail money to get an a ... arrest or pending trial or appeal.
first impression :: adj. referring to a legal issue which has never be ... s for both sides to assist him/her.
final settlement :: n. an agreement reached by the parties to a lawsui ... rneys present. See also: settlement
final judgment :: n. the written determination of a lawsuit by the j ... : final decree interlocutory decree
harmless error :: n. an error by a judge in the conduct of a trial w ... ar to be harmless." See also: error
headnote :: n. the summary of the key legal points determined ... not the court's. See also: reports
judgment :: n. the final decision by a court in a lawsuit, cri ... ous with judgment. See also: decree
abstention doctrine :: n. when the Supreme Court refuses to exercise its ... being appealed from a state court.
jeopardy :: n. peril, particularly danger of being charged wit ... ar Evers. See also: double jeopardy
insufficient evidence :: n. a finding (decision) by a trial judge or an app ... l court. See also: evidence finding
federal courts :: n. the court system which handles civil and crimin ... rans' appeals. See also: bankruptcy
excessive bail :: n. an amount of bail ordered posted by an accused ... ppeal for reduction. See also: bail
death row :: n. nickname for that portion of a prison in which ... o: capital punishment death penalty
decide :: v. for a judge, arbitrator, court of appeals or ot ... rding to the law as he/she sees it.
de novo :: adj. Latin for "anew," which means starting over, ... n, de novo. See also: trial de novo
Customs Court :: n. a federal court established (1926) to hear appe ... Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
court-martial :: 1) n. a military court for trying offenses in viol ... the U.S. Court of Military Appeals.
dismissal :: n. 1) the act of voluntarily terminating a crimina ... f the settlement. See also: dismiss
dissent :: n. 1) the opinion of a judge of a court of appeals ... sagreement with prevailing thought.
error :: n. a mistake by a judge in procedure or in substan ... or. See also: harmless error remand
enter a judgment :: v. to officially record a judgment on the "judgmen ... ounced. See also: entry of judgment
en banc :: (on bonk) French for "in the bench," it signifies ... he case and agreed to by the court.
distinguish :: v. to argue that the rule in one appeals court dec ... arity (i.e. it is "distinguished").
judicial discretion :: n. the power of the judge to make decisions on som ... iscretion beyond his/her authority.