| Abduction |
Taking away by violence or fraud and persuasion;
kidnapping. Usually a female or wife, child or ward. |
| Abet |
See Aiding and Abetting. |
| Abstraction |
Taking away with intent to harm or deceive. |
| Accessory |
Not the perpetrator of the crime but in some way
involved without being present in the commission of
the crime. |
| Accessory After the Fact |
One who helps a criminal to elude arrest. |
| Accessory Before the Fact |
One who induces another to commit a crime. |
| Acquittal |
A not-guilty verdict absolving an accused party of
guilt. Release or absolution. |
| Adjudication |
The legal process by which a case or claim is settled.May also be the final pronouncement of judgment in
a case or claim. |
| Adjudication Withheld |
The court will withhold a decision until a future
date. Usually some sort of probation is added and if
the defendant complies with the conditions for a
specified period of time, the case will be dismissed. |
| Affidavit |
A voluntarily, written statement of fact, confirmed
by oath. |
| Affray |
Brawl or disturbance. Not premeditated. |
| Aggravated (assault, battery, arson, etc.) |
Circumstances surrounding the commission of a
crime or tort which increase or add to its injurious
consequences. |
| Aiding and Abetting |
To assist and/or incite another to commit a crime. |
| Alias |
False name used in substitution of a legal name on
official documents and for official purposes.
Nicknames are not considered aliases. May be noted
as AKA (Also Known As) on criminal records. |
| Antitrust Acts or Laws |
Laws to protect trade and commerce from unlawful
practice. |
| Appeal |
A complaint to a superior court to review the
decision of a lower court. |
| Appellant |
One who makes a complaint to a superior court to
review the decision of a lower court. |
| Appellate Court |
A court having jurisdiction of appeal and review.
Not a trial court. |
| Appropriate |
To take something from another for one’s own use
or benefit. |
| Archive/Archives |
The place where records are stored after a certain
specified period of time. The period of time a record
is held at a court of record may differ between courts
and states. |
| Arraignment |
A call to the accused to come before the court to
hear charges or enter a plea. |
| Arrest |
The taking of an individual into custody by law
enforcement personnel for the purpose of charging
them with an illegal act. |
| Arrest Record |
An official form completed by the police department
when a person is arrested. Also, a cumulative record
of all instances in which a person has been arrested. |
| Arson |
The attempted or intentional destruction of property
by fire or explosion. |
| Assault |
Intentional or threatened infliction of injury to
another. The classification of “aggravated” is
assigned when the injury is considered serious or
when injury is threatened or carried out with the use
of a deadly or dangerous weapon. The classification
of “simple” is assigned when the injury inflicted or
threatened is not serious and a deadly weapon is not
used. May be used with Battery. |
