法律术语.docx

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