Glossary of Legal Terms

This glossary contains useful definitions of legal terms that you may encounter. I could suggest just reading through, as you will encounter many interesting concepts along the way. Or click on the letter of the word you are looking for to go to the definition.

Understanding the precise language used by lawyers in discussing cases is critical to understanding the case and defending yourself. People joke about “legalese,” but legal terms usually mean something VERY specific and are not needlessly complicated or specialized. You will want to make sure you think about things just as precisely. These words pretty much ALL mean something specific that is not meant by another word.