Glossary of Legal Terms & Definitions
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- Bail The release, prior to trial, of a person accused of a crime, under specified conditions designed to assure that person's appearance in court when required. Also can refer to the amount of bond money posted as a financial condition of pretrial release.
- Bail Is money or property put up to get a criminal defendant released from jail, which is supposed to ensure they appear at all required court appearances.
- Bankruptcy Is a federal legal proceeding involving people or businesses that cannot pay their debts and are seeking help from the court to rid them from those obligations, sometimes by paying a portion of each debt.
- Bar In the legal field, a bar refers the association that regulates the lawyers allowed to legally practice within a jurisdiction.
- Bench trial A bench trial is a trial without a jury where the judge makes the final determination. A jury trial is where a jury determines the facts of a case. A bench trial is only allowed in certain misdemeanor cases or when a Defendant waives their right to a jury trial.
- Beyond a reasonable doubt In a criminal case, the prosecution is required to prove this standard to the jury in order to convict the defendant of a crime.
- Binding precedent Refers to the decisions made by higher courts, which set the legal standards lower courts must apply when handling cases that are similar and have the same issues. All district courts are bound by the decisions of the appellate courts which review their cases, and all courts, state and(...)
- Brief A brief is a written document containing the summary of the facts of the case, pertinent laws, and a party’s argument applying the law to the facts.
- Burden of proof In a court case, the burden of proof is the obligation placed on one of the parties to prove their claims in order to get a decision in their favor. For example, a prosecutor has to prove a criminal claim beyond a reasonable doubt in order to convict a criminal defendant of a crime.