English Legal Glossary
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CIVIL JURISDICTION – A court’s right or power to hear noncriminal civil cases.
CIVIL PROCEDURE - The rules and process by which a civil case is tried and appealed, including the
preparations for trial, the rules of evidence and trial conduct, and the procedure for pursuing appeals.
CIVIL PROCESS – Court papers that tell the people in a civil case that it has started. Or papers that try to
force the court to reach a judgment.
CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS – Violations of the personal, natural rights guaranteed and protected by
the Constitution.
CLAIM - The statement of a right to money or property.
CLAIM OF EXEMPTION – A court paper filed by the JUDGMENT DEBTOR that lists each piece of
property that the judgment debtor claims is an exempt asset under certain provisions of the law and,
therefore, can’t be taken to pay the JUDGMENT.
CLAIM SPLITTING – When you split up a civil claim and file two lawsuits to stay below the limit of
how much money you can ask for. Not allowed in most cases.
CLASS ACTION - A lawsuit brought by one or more persons on behalf of a larger group.
CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE - Standard of proof commonly used in civil lawsuits and in
regulatory agency cases. It governs the amount of proof that must be offered in order for the plaintiff to win
the case.
CLEMENCY OR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY - Act of grace or mercy by the president or governor to
ease the consequences of a criminal act, accusation, or conviction. It may take the form of commutation or
pardon.
CLERICAL ERROR - An unintentional mistake, in writing, which may be made by clerk, counsel, or
court. (See NUNC PRO TUNC.)
CLERK - Officer of the court who files pleadings, motions, judgments, etc., issues process, and keeps
records of court proceedings.
CLERK’S TRANSCRIPT - Those pleadings, minute orders, affidavits, written opinions of the Court, trial
exhibits, etc., designated by the attorneys which have been filed during the course of the litigation process
are put together with the appeal documents and collectively form the Clerk’s Transcript.
CLOSING ARGUMENT - Counsel's final statement to the judge/and or jury after all parties have
concluded their presentation of evidence.
CODE - The law created by statutes. For example, the California Code of Civil Procedure, California Civil
Code, California Vehicle Code, California Penal Code, and California Health and Safety Code.
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY - The rules of conduct that govern the legal
profession. The Code contains general ethical guidelines and specific rules written by the American Bar
Association.
CO-DEFENDANT - In a criminal case, an individual charged with involvement in the same crime as
another.
CODICIL (kod'i-sil) - A legal paper that adds to or changes a will.
COERCION – Compulsion; constraint; compelling by force or arms or threat.