chambers
- A judge's private office in the
courthouse.
change of
venue - The removal of a suit
begun in one county or district to another for trial, or from one court to another in the same county or district.
In criminal cases, for example, a change of venue will be permitted if the court feels the defendant cannot receive
a fair trial where the court is located.
charge
- The statement accusing a person of
committing a particular crime. Also the judge's instructions to the jury on its duties, on the law involved in the
case and on how the law in the case must be applied.
child
abuse - Any form of cruelty to
a child's physical, moral or mental well-being.
circumstantial
evidence - All evidence of an
indirect nature. Testimony not based on actual personal knowledge or observation of the facts in controversy.
citation
- An order of the court requiring the
appearance of a defendant on a particular day to answer to a particular charge.
civil
case - A lawsuit brought to
enforce, redress, or protect private rights or to gain payment for a wrong done to a person or party by another
person or party. In general, all types of actions other than criminal proceedings.
clerk of the
court - Court official who
keeps court records, files pleadings, motions, and judgments, and administers the oath to jurors and
witnesses.
code
- A collection, compendium or revision of
laws, rules and regulations enacted by the legislature, i.e., Utah Code Annotated.
codicil
- A supplement or an addition to a will.
It may explain, modify, add to, subtract from, qualify, alter, restrain or revoke provisions in the existing
will.
commit
- To send a person to prison or jail in
criminal proceedings, or to another institution in civil cases by authority of a court.
common
law - General provisions of
law existing before codification or interpretation by courts.
commutation - The change of a punishment from a greater degree to
a lesser degree, as from death to life imprisonment. In Utah this may be done by the Board of Pardons.
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