Glossary Of Basic Legal Terms

Adjournment: is a temporary postponement to a case

Administrator: the person appointed to oversee an estate in the event that no will is written

Affidavit: A sworn written statement

Alimony: also known as “maintenance” and “spousal support”, alimony is the money paid by one spouse to another following a divorce

Annul: to void

Annulment: is a legal decree stating that a marriage was not valid – not to be confused with “divorce”

Appeal: a request to a higher court to overturn the judgment of a lower one

Arbitration: a method of amicable dispute resolution

Arraignment: the initial appearance before a judge in a criminal case – it is at this hearing that a defendant can enter a plea, ask to post bail, and, if the defendant cannot afford one, have a court lawyer appointed

Article of Incorporation: is a document filed with the state incorporating a limited liability company

Assignment: is the transfer of legal rights from one person to another – not the same as an novation, which is the transfer of legal obligations from one person to another

Award: a decision, usually by an arbitrator, in favor of a plaintiff or defendant, as the case may be

More Legal Terms:

Back to Law, Attorney, and Legal Information

To teach and learn money skills, personal finance, money management, business, careers, and life skills please go to the Money Instructor home page.