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Prejudicial evidence
Evidence which might unfairly sway the judge or jury to one side or the other. For example, photographs of a gory murder scene might inflame a jury without providing useful evidence. May be excluded in criminal cases if prejudicial effect outweighs probative value.
Punitive damages
Lawyers regularly employed by the government to represent people accused of crimes who cannot afford to hire their own. The term may also be used to refer to a private firm receiving public money to defend indigent criminal defendants.
Decree
A decision or order of the court. A final decree is one, which fully and finally disposes of the litigation. An interlocutory decree is a preliminary decree, which is not final.
Amicus curiae
A friend of the court; a nonparty who interposes, with the permission of the court, and volunteers information upon some matter before the court.
Lis pendens
A pending suit.
Proximate cause
A court order following a judgment on the ground of neglect or abuse, whereby the child is permitted to remain in his home, and supervision and assistance to correct the neglect or abuse is provided by the probation department or other agency designated by the court.
Eminent domain
The power to take private property for public use by the state and municipalities.
Concurrent sentence
Sentence under which two or more prison or jail terms are served simultaneously, and the prisoner is entitled to discharge when the longest term specified expires (i.e., sentences of 1 to 15 years and 0 to 5 years means a maximum sentence of 15 years). Differs from a consecutive sentence, which is when the sentences are served back-to-back. (A 1 to 15 and 0 to 5 consecutive sentence could mean up to 20 years).
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