{
 "source": "https://peabody.kids/flashcards/tp-law-terms",
 "id": "tp-law-terms",
 "title": "Legal Terms Everyone Should Know",
 "category": "test-prep",
 "subject": "Law",
 "levels": [
  "9-12",
  "college",
  "adult"
 ],
 "description": "Common legal vocabulary from US courts and contracts. General education, not legal advice.",
 "tags": [
  "law",
  "legal",
  "courts"
 ],
 "frontLabel": "Term",
 "backLabel": "Meaning",
 "cards": [
  [
   "Plaintiff",
   "The person or party who starts a civil lawsuit"
  ],
  [
   "Defendant",
   "The person or party being sued or accused"
  ],
  [
   "Prosecutor",
   "Lawyer who brings criminal charges for the government"
  ],
  [
   "Defense attorney",
   "Lawyer who represents the accused"
  ],
  [
   "Judge",
   "Official who presides over a court"
  ],
  [
   "Jury",
   "Group of citizens who decide the facts of a case"
  ],
  [
   "Grand jury",
   "Jury that decides whether there is enough evidence to bring charges"
  ],
  [
   "Petit jury",
   "Trial jury that decides a case"
  ],
  [
   "Verdict",
   "A jury's or judge's decision on a case"
  ],
  [
   "Sentence",
   "The punishment ordered after conviction"
  ],
  [
   "Civil law",
   "Law about disputes between private parties"
  ],
  [
   "Criminal law",
   "Law about offenses against society"
  ],
  [
   "Felony",
   "A serious crime, usually punishable by more than a year in prison"
  ],
  [
   "Misdemeanor",
   "A less serious crime"
  ],
  [
   "Infraction",
   "A minor violation, like a traffic ticket"
  ],
  [
   "Statute",
   "A law passed by a legislature"
  ],
  [
   "Common law",
   "Law developed from court decisions"
  ],
  [
   "Precedent",
   "An earlier ruling that guides later cases"
  ],
  [
   "Jurisdiction",
   "A court's authority to hear a case"
  ],
  [
   "Venue",
   "The location where a case is heard"
  ],
  [
   "Appeal",
   "Asking a higher court to review a decision"
  ],
  [
   "Appellant",
   "The party who appeals"
  ],
  [
   "Appellee",
   "The party who responds to an appeal"
  ],
  [
   "Burden of proof",
   "The duty to prove a claim"
  ],
  [
   "Beyond a reasonable doubt",
   "The standard of proof in criminal cases"
  ],
  [
   "Preponderance of the evidence",
   "The usual civil standard: more likely than not"
  ],
  [
   "Clear and convincing evidence",
   "A standard higher than preponderance but lower than beyond a reasonable doubt"
  ],
  [
   "Evidence",
   "Information presented to prove or disprove facts"
  ],
  [
   "Testimony",
   "Statements given under oath"
  ],
  [
   "Hearsay",
   "An out-of-court statement offered for its truth, generally restricted as evidence"
  ],
  [
   "Witness",
   "Person who gives testimony"
  ],
  [
   "Subpoena",
   "A court order to appear or produce documents"
  ],
  [
   "Deposition",
   "Sworn testimony taken outside court"
  ],
  [
   "Affidavit",
   "A written statement sworn to be true"
  ],
  [
   "Oath",
   "A solemn promise to tell the truth"
  ],
  [
   "Perjury",
   "Lying under oath"
  ],
  [
   "Objection",
   "A lawyer's formal protest against a question or evidence"
  ],
  [
   "Sustained",
   "Judge agrees with an objection"
  ],
  [
   "Overruled",
   "Judge rejects an objection"
  ],
  [
   "Plea",
   "A defendant's formal answer to charges"
  ],
  [
   "Plea bargain",
   "An agreement to plead guilty for a lighter outcome"
  ],
  [
   "Arraignment",
   "Hearing where charges are read and a plea entered"
  ],
  [
   "Indictment",
   "Formal charge issued by a grand jury"
  ],
  [
   "Bail",
   "Money or bond to secure release before trial"
  ],
  [
   "Probation",
   "Supervised release instead of prison"
  ],
  [
   "Parole",
   "Early supervised release from prison"
  ],
  [
   "Acquittal",
   "Finding that a defendant is not guilty"
  ],
  [
   "Conviction",
   "A finding or plea of guilty"
  ],
  [
   "Mistrial",
   "A trial ended without a verdict due to a serious problem"
  ],
  [
   "Hung jury",
   "A jury unable to reach a decision"
  ],
  [
   "Double jeopardy",
   "Being tried twice for the same crime, generally prohibited"
  ],
  [
   "Miranda rights",
   "Warnings police give about the right to remain silent and have a lawyer"
  ],
  [
   "Search warrant",
   "Court order allowing police to search a place"
  ],
  [
   "Probable cause",
   "Reasonable grounds to believe a crime has occurred"
  ],
  [
   "Due process",
   "Fair legal procedures required by law"
  ],
  [
   "Habeas corpus",
   "A court order to bring a detained person before a judge"
  ],
  [
   "Tort",
   "A civil wrong causing harm"
  ],
  [
   "Negligence",
   "Failure to take reasonable care, causing harm"
  ],
  [
   "Liability",
   "Legal responsibility"
  ],
  [
   "Damages",
   "Money awarded to compensate for harm"
  ],
  [
   "Punitive damages",
   "Money awarded to punish wrongdoing"
  ],
  [
   "Injunction",
   "A court order to do or stop doing something"
  ],
  [
   "Settlement",
   "An agreement resolving a dispute without a trial"
  ],
  [
   "Summary judgment",
   "A ruling without a full trial when facts are not in dispute"
  ],
  [
   "Class action",
   "A lawsuit brought on behalf of a large group"
  ],
  [
   "Contract",
   "A legally enforceable agreement"
  ],
  [
   "Offer",
   "A proposal to make a contract"
  ],
  [
   "Acceptance",
   "Agreement to the terms of an offer"
  ],
  [
   "Consideration",
   "Something of value exchanged in a contract"
  ],
  [
   "Breach of contract",
   "Failing to perform as promised"
  ],
  [
   "Statute of limitations",
   "Deadline for bringing a lawsuit"
  ],
  [
   "Void",
   "Having no legal effect"
  ],
  [
   "Voidable",
   "Valid unless canceled by one party"
  ],
  [
   "Libel",
   "Written false statement harming reputation"
  ],
  [
   "Slander",
   "Spoken false statement harming reputation"
  ],
  [
   "Defamation",
   "False statement that damages a reputation"
  ],
  [
   "Copyright",
   "Legal protection for original creative works"
  ],
  [
   "Trademark",
   "Protection for brand names and logos"
  ],
  [
   "Patent",
   "Exclusive right to an invention for a time"
  ],
  [
   "Intellectual property",
   "Creations of the mind protected by law"
  ],
  [
   "Will",
   "Document stating how property goes after death"
  ],
  [
   "Estate",
   "All property a person owns"
  ],
  [
   "Probate",
   "Court process to validate a will and distribute an estate"
  ],
  [
   "Intestate",
   "Dying without a valid will"
  ],
  [
   "Executor",
   "Person named to carry out a will"
  ],
  [
   "Trust",
   "Arrangement where one holds property for another's benefit"
  ],
  [
   "Power of attorney",
   "Legal authority to act on another's behalf"
  ],
  [
   "Guardian",
   "Person appointed to care for someone unable to care for themselves"
  ],
  [
   "Easement",
   "Right to use another's land for a purpose"
  ],
  [
   "Deed",
   "Document transferring property ownership"
  ],
  [
   "Lien",
   "Claim on property as security for a debt"
  ],
  [
   "Mortgage",
   "Loan secured by real estate"
  ],
  [
   "Landlord",
   "Owner who rents property"
  ],
  [
   "Tenant",
   "Person who rents property"
  ],
  [
   "Eminent domain",
   "Government's power to take private property for public use with compensation"
  ],
  [
   "Pro bono",
   "Legal work done for free for the public good"
  ],
  [
   "Pro se",
   "Representing oneself in court"
  ]
 ]
}