{"id":4184,"date":"2017-08-08T20:51:27","date_gmt":"2017-08-08T20:51:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=4184"},"modified":"2023-04-21T22:53:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T22:53:35","slug":"legal-term-definitions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=4184","title":{"rendered":"List of Essential Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<em>Below\u00a0<\/em>are some essential terms to help you wrap your head around some basic concepts before we begin.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t worry about memorizing anything!\u00a0 The definitions are linked throughout the site.\u00a0 Clicking on any term will lead to the full definition as well as (usually) definitions for related terms.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #993300;\">i. Various Types of Parties:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8954\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Party<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8887\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">natural person<\/a>\u00a0or <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8856\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">artificial person<\/a>\u00a0interested in the outcome of litigation, who may or may not be a party of record, &amp;\/or a person who has engaged in a transaction.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8887\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Natural Person<\/a><\/span> &#8211; a human being.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8856\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Artificial Person<\/span><\/a> &#8211; has rights but not privileges or immunities, and may be held liable.\u00a0<em>(i.e. &#8211; corporations, governmental bodies).\u00a0\u2014 aka <span style=\"color: #800000;\">fictitious person<\/span>; <span style=\"color: #800000;\">juristic person<\/span>; <span style=\"color: #800000;\">juridical person<\/span>; <span style=\"color: #800000;\">legal person<\/span>; <span style=\"color: #800000;\">moral person<\/span>.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8987\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Litigant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; the plaintiff or defendant in a court action.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #993300;\">Various Types of Parties on the Offense:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8939\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Plaintiff<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a party who brings a civil suit in a court of law.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8942\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Complainant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a person who files a formal accusation of a crime or a plaintiff in a civil suit (court of equity).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8972\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Petitioner<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a party who presents a petition to a court or other official body, especially\u00a0when seeking relief.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8976\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Appellant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a party who appeals a lower court&#8217;s decision, usually seeking reversal of\u00a0that decision.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #993300;\">Various Types of Parties on the Defense:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8945\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Defendant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a person sued in a civil proceeding or accused in a criminal proceeding.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8946\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Respondant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; the party against whom an appeal is taken to a higher court; the appellee or the defendant in a suit in equity.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Third-Party Defendant<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a party brought into a lawsuit by the original defendant.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8981\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Appellee<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a party against whom an appeal is taken from a lower court to a higher court &amp; whose role is to respond to that appeal.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">ii. <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=6692\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Essential Terminology Pertaining to Process<\/strong><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Process<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Procedure<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Proceeding<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Economic Substantive Due Process<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Procedural Due Process<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Substantive Due Process<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Due Process Clause<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Due-Process Rights<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #993300;\">iii. Jurisdiction:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5206\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Jurisdiction<\/span><\/a> &#8211;\u00a0a government\u2019s power to exercise authority over all persons and things within its territory, including a court\u2019s power to decide a case or issue a decree.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8897\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Personal Jurisdiction<\/a><\/span> &#8211; a court&#8217;s power to bring a person into its adjudicative process; jurisdiction over a defendant\u2019s personal rights rather than merely over property interests.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8899\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Subject-Matter Jurisdiction<\/span><\/a> &#8211;\u00a0jurisdiction over the nature of the case (the material which is the subject of a lawsuit) and the type of relief sought\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8905\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Territorial Jurisdiction<\/a><\/span> &#8211;\u00a0jurisdiction over cases arising in or involving persons residing within a defined territory.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=8907\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">in rem Jurisdiction<\/span><\/a> &#8211; a legal action brought against property (i.e. action to quiet title; civil forfeiture) as opposed to an action brought against the person.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=9042\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Federal-Question Jurisdiction<\/span><\/a> &#8211; the exercise of federal-court power over claims arising under the U.S. Constitution, an act of Congress, or a <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=7309\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">treaty<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5154\">Pleadings<\/a><\/span> and related terms:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Complaint<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Petition<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Answer<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Replication<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Joinder<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Joinder in Demurrer<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Demurrer<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Traverse<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Plea in Bar<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Similiter<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Rejoinder<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Surrejoinder<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Rebutter<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Surrebutter<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Estoppel<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5431\">Trust<\/a><\/span> and related terms:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Fiduciary Relationship<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Fiduciary<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong> Guardian<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Ward<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Beneficiary<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Trustee<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5497\">Injury<\/a><\/span> &#8211; &amp; related terms:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Personal Injury<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Bodily Injury<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Unjustifiable<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Wrongful Eviction Action<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Unlawful Detainer<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>False Arrest<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Unlawful Arrest<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5484\">Color of Law<\/a> &amp; related terms:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Color<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Color of Title<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=6513\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Statute of Limitations<\/a><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">and related terms:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Discovery Rule<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Limitation<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Laches<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Statute of Repose<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Screen-Shot-2017-11-06-at-10.51.22-AM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6943\" src=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Screen-Shot-2017-11-06-at-10.51.22-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"694\" height=\"1206\" srcset=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Screen-Shot-2017-11-06-at-10.51.22-AM.png 694w, https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Screen-Shot-2017-11-06-at-10.51.22-AM-173x300.png 173w, https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Screen-Shot-2017-11-06-at-10.51.22-AM-589x1024.png 589w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 694px) 100vw, 694px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Special thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/416301559285640927\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Faerie Forests on Pinterest<\/a> for posting the above art piece we&#8217;re utilizing in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=2191\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fair Use<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #993300;\">References:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Disclaimer:<\/span><\/span><\/strong> <strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">All material throughout this website is pertinent to people everywhere, and is being utilized in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=2191\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fair Use<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0All short descriptions of legal terms found throughout this page were compiled using<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5451\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Black&#8217;s Law Dictionary <\/a><\/span><\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=5451\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Deluxe Tenth Edition<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/em> <strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">by Henry Campbell Black, Editor in Chief Bryan A. Garner. ISBN: 978-0-314-61300-4<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Black&#8217;s Law Dictionary\u00a0Second Edition Online:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/thelawdictionary.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/thelawdictionary.org\/<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=7679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ballantine&#8217;s Law Dictionary <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/\/?page_id=7679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Legal Assistant Edition<\/a>\u00a0by Jack Ballantine\u00a0(James Arthur 1871-1949).\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawyeredu.org\/what-is-a-juris-doctorate-degree.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Doctored<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Jack G. Handler,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lawyeredu.org\/what-is-a-juris-doctorate-degree.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J.D.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a9 1994 Delmar by Thomson Learning.\u00a0 ISBN 0-8273-4874-6.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div id=\"sdfootnote1\" dir=\"LTR\">\n<div id=\"Section1\" dir=\"LTR\">\n<p align=\"CENTER\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Below\u00a0are some essential terms to help you wrap your head around some basic concepts before we begin.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t worry about memorizing anything!\u00a0 The definitions are linked throughout the site.\u00a0 Clicking on any term will lead to the full definition as well as (usually) definitions for related terms. i. Various Types of Parties: Party &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=4184\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">List of Essential Terms<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":18614,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4184","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4184"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18636,"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4184\/revisions\/18636"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}