| 法律英语：Understanding the U.S. Federal Courts （4） |
| 作者：佚名 文章来源：不详 点击数： 更新时间：2007-2-26 12:49:08 |
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achment
1. The process of calling a witness's testimony into doubt. For example, if the attorney can show that the witness may have fabricated portions of his testimony, the witness is said to be "impeached;"
2. The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government, who are then tried by the Senate.
indictment
The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies. See also information.
in forma pauperis
"In the manner of a pauper." Permission given by the court to a person to file a case without payment of the required court fees because the person cannot pay them.
information
A formal accusation by a government attorney that the defendant committed a misdemeanor. See also indictment.
injunction
A court order prohibiting a defendant from performing a specific act, or compelling a defendant to perform a specific act.
interrogatories
Written questions sent by one party in a lawsuit to an opposing party as part of pretrial discovery in civil cases. The party receiving the interrogatories is required to answer them in writing under oath.
issue
1. The disputed point between parties in a lawsuit;
2. To send out officially, as in a court issuing an order.
judge
An official of the judicial branch with authority to decide lawsuits brought before courts. Used generically, the term judge may also refer to all judicial officers, including Supreme Court justices.
judgment
The official decision of a court finally resolving the dispute between the parties to the lawsuit.
jurisdiction
1. The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case;
2. The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
jury
The group of persons selected to hear the evidence in a trial and render a verdict on matters of fact. See also grand jury..
jury instructions
A judge's directions to the jury before it begins deliberations regarding the factual questions it must answer and the legal rules that it must apply.
jurisprudence
The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
lawsuit
A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty which resulted in harm to the plaintiff.
litigation
A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
magistrate judge
A judicial officer of a district court who conducts initial proceedings in criminal cases, decides criminal misdemeanor cases, conducts many pretrial civil and criminal matters on behalf of district judges, and decides civil cases with the consent of the parties.
misdemeanor
An offense punishable by one year of imprisonment or less. See also felony..
mistrial
An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again with the selection of a new jury.
motion
A request by a litigant to a judge for a decision on an issue
nolo contendere
No contest. A plea of nolo contendere has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose
opinion
A judge's written explanation of the decision of the court. Because a case may be heard by three or more judges in the court of appeals, the opinion in appellate decisions can take several forms. If all the judges completely agree on the result, one judge will write the opinion for all. If all the judges do not agree, the formal decision will be based upon the view of the majority, and one member of the majority will write the opinion. The judges who did not agree with t上一页 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] 下一页
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