|
Glossary
of Criminal Defense Terms
A
B C
D E
F G
H I
J K L
M N
O P
Q R S
T U
V W
X Y Z #
-
C -
Capital
Crime: A crime punishable by death.
Capital
offense: A crime punishable by death.
Case
law: The law as laid down in cases that have been
decided in the decisions of the courts.
Charge:
The criminal offense which is contained in the
indictment.
Chambers:
A judge's office.
Charge
to the jury: The judge's instructions to the jury
concerning the law that applies to the facts of the case
on trial.
Chief
judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for
the administration of a court but also decides cases;
chief judges are determined by seniority.
Circumstantial
evidence: All evidence except eyewitness testimony.
Clerk
of court: An officer appointed by the court to work
with the chief judge in overseeing the court's
administration, especially to assist in managing the
flow of cases through the court and to maintain court
records.
Common
law: The legal system that originated in England and
is now in use in the United States. It is based on
judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Complaint:
A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs
allegedly committed by the defendant.
Commit:
To send a person to prison, asylum, or reformatory by a
court order.
Contract:
An agreement between two or more persons that creates an
obligation to do or not to do a particular thing.
Consecutive
Sentences: Successive sentences, one beginning at
the aspiration of another, imposed against a person
convicted of two or more violations.
Counsel:
Legal advice; a term used to refer to lawyers in a case.
Court:
Government entity authorized to resolve legal disputes.
Court
reporter: A person who makes a record of what is
said in court.
Conviction:
A determination by a judge or jury that the defendant is
guilty of the alleged crime.
|
