- ACTION: A lawsuit or proceeding in a court of law.
- ADJUDICATION: Giving or pronouncing a judgment or decree over an action.
- ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE: Evidence that can be legally and properly introduced in court.
- ADMISSION: Statement made by, adopted by, or made by person authorized to speak for opposing party.
- AFFIANT: Person who makes and signs an affidavit or declaration.
- AFFIDAVIT: A written statement of facts under oath, by a party. Can also be referred to as a declaration.
- AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE: Defendant provides an excuse to escape responsibility without denying plaintiff's claim.
- AGREEMENT: The mutual consent, whether written or verbal, of two or more contracting parties to the same terms through a meeting of the minds.
- ALLEGATIONS: A statement of the issues in a pleading that a person intends to prove in court.
- AMENDMENT: Making a change in the complaint, answer or countercomplaint.
- ANSWER: Response filed by the defendant contesting all or part of the plaintiff's claim and/or providing an affirmative defense.
- APPEAL: A request by either party to take a case to a higher court for review. No new evidence may be introduced in the appellate court. The reviewing court only considers whether errors occurred during the prior proceedings.
- APPEARANCE: The act of a party or an attorney showing up in court.
- APPELLATE JURISDICTION: The power of a court to review a case that has already been tried by a lower court.
- ARBITRATION: A forum of alternate dispute resolution where all parties present their dispute to an impartial third party for a determination after a hearing where each side has an opportunity to be heard. Arbitration may be binding or nonbinding based on the agreement of the parties.
- AT ISSUE: The time in a lawsuit when the plaintiff or countersuing defendant has stated a claim and the other party has responded with a denial or affirmative defense and the matter is ready to be tried.
- ATTORNEY-AT-LAW: An advocate, counsel employed in preparing, managing and trying the case in court.
- ATTORNEY-IN-FACT: A private person (not necessarily a lawyer) authorized by another to act on his or her behalf, for a specific purpose, or for the transaction of business in general, not of a legal character. This authority is conferred by an instrument in writing, called a power of attorney.
- ATTORNEY-OF-RECORD: Principal attorney or attorneys in a lawsuit who signs all formal documents relating to the suit.
- AUTHENTICATION: Confirming that the document is what it purports to be.
