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 #

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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.