Understanding the Legal Terms used by your attorney and in court my be difficult to understand, we have put together some of the most used terms with a brief description of what they mean.

Accused

The person / s charged with the crime

An attorney specializing on court litigation

To request that a superior court review the decision in a case

A qualified attorney who will handle legal issues, including those in court, on behalf of any person

A sum of money deposited to secure an accused person’s release from custody in order to guarantee that the person appears at court at a later date

The governing body of advocates

The person who lodges the complaint with the police

The order of cases for court for a specific day

A file containing all the evidence of a criminal case compiled by the police

The country’s body of judges and magistrates

To be actively involved in a court case representing one of the parties

A legally binding promise to tell the truth

An account of the facts relating to the crime

A written legal document calling a witness to attend court

Is a specific demand for an accused person to appear at court on a specific day at a stated time

The process of hearing evidence and legal argument in a court case

The finding of a court at the end of the trial 

The person who has been hurt or affected by the crime or the person who has suffered loss

Written authorization for the arrest of a person

The person who saw the crime or a criminal act being committed or who can provide other evidence to prove the crime