Legal Terms and Definitions

Glossary of Legal Terms

Amicus curiae A friend of the court; a nonparty who interposes, with the permission of the court, and volunteers information upon some matter before the court. Restraining order Court-ordered payment to restore goods or money to the victim of a crime by the offender. Commit To send a person to prison or jail in criminal proceedings, or to another institution in civil cases by authority of a court. Peremptory challenge Each party to a suit tried to a jury has the right to peremptorily "challenge" (reject) a certain number of prospective jurors without giving a reason. By contrast, the parties have unlimited rights to challenge jurors for good cause, but the judge must approve "for cause challenges." Parties may not exercise peremptory challenges on the basis of race or gender. Extradition The surrender by one state to another of an individual accused or convicted of an offense outside its own territory, and within the territorial jurisdiction of the other. Abandonment A parent's or custodian's act of leaving a child without adequate care, supervision, support or parental contact for an excessive period of time. Also, the desertion of one spouse by the other with the intent to terminate the marriage relationship. Locus delicti The place of the offense. Warrant A written order issued and signed by a judge or magistrate which allows the police to search a place and seize specified items found there (search warrant), or to arrest or detain a specified person (arrest warrant

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	Did You Know?
	The mediation process may vary depending on the mediator. Generally, mediations commence with a general session with all parties, counsel and the mediator. At the general session, there will be a discussion of the case, the issues on appeal and other matters important to settlement. Then the mediator will meet separately with each party and their counsel in separate "caucuses." In these separate sessions, the mediator will seek to foster negotiations between the parties and develop agreement.