Legal Terminology
What this domain tests
Legal Terminology tests precise recognition of civil, criminal, appellate, and procedural terms. The exam often asks you to choose the term that matches a definition or to interpret a short courtroom statement.
Core distinctions
- Plaintiff/petitioner starts a civil case; defendant/respondent defends. In criminal cases the government prosecutes; the accused is the defendant.
- Complaint/petition alleges claims; answer responds; a motion asks the court for an order; an order is the court’s direction.
- Summons commands appearance; subpoena commands a person to appear or produce evidence.
- Indictment is a grand jury charge; information is a prosecutor’s charge filed without grand jury action.
- Verdict is a jury’s finding; judgment is the court’s final determination. Arraignment is the initial criminal appearance for charges and plea.
- “Sustained” means the judge agreed with an objection and the answer is excluded; “overruled” means the objection is denied.
Worked example
A witness begins to answer, and opposing counsel says, “Objection, hearsay.” The judge says, “Sustained.” The correct meaning is that the judge agreed the statement is inadmissible as hearsay, so the witness should not answer. It does not mean the judge supported the witness or that the case is dismissed.
Traps
Mixing civil and criminal labels; treating “verdict” and “judgment” as synonyms; assuming “subpoena” and “summons” are interchangeable; and reading “sustained” as approval of the witness. When a term is unfamiliar, use the surrounding procedure-who filed, what stage, what remedy-to eliminate wrong choices.