- Debtor
- One who owes an obligation or debt to another.
- Deceased
- A person who has died.
- Decedent
- A person who has died.
- Declaration
-
A formal statement, generally in writing.
(In Probate Matters) A document that governs legal rights to certain types of real property, such as a house.
- Decree
- Final judgment; the written document; a declaration of the court announcing the legal consequences of the facts found.
- Decree of Dissolution of Marriage
- Document signed by a judge terminating a marriage.
- Default
- The failure to perform a legal duty, observe a promise, or fulfill an obligation.
- Default Judgment
-
Judgment taken against a party upon default of that party.
A judgment in favor of the plaintiff because the defendant failed to show up for the trial.
- Defendant
-
A person against whom a legal action is brought.
See also Respondent, Petitioner and Plaintiff.
- Delinquent
- Overdue and unpaid; willfully and intentionally failing to carry out an obligation.
- Dependent
- One who is supported by another.
- Dependent Child
-
Any person who has not reached the age of majority or been legally declared emancipated.
See also Emancipate/Emancipation.
- Deposition
- The testimony of a witness taken upon interrogatories, not in open court, but in pursuance of a commission to take testimony, reduced to writing and duly authenticated under oath or affirmation, and intended to be used upon the trial of an action in open court.
- Deputy Clerk
- A person duly authorized by an officer of the court to exercise some or all of the functions pertaining to the office in the place of the officer of the court; responsible for the keeping of court records.
- Descent
- Hereditary succession; succession to the ownership of an estate by inheritance.
- Descendant
- Those persons who are in the blood line of the ancestor; persons who proceed from a body of another, such as a child, grandchild, etc.
- Discovery
-
The disclosure of that which was previously unknown; the pre-trial devises that can be used by one party to obtain facts and information about the case from the other party in order to assist the party's preparation for trial; includes depositions, interrogatories, production of documents or things, permission to enter upon land or other property, physical and mental examinations, and requests for admission.
See also Deposition, Interrogatories and Production of Documents.
- Dismissal
- A court order or judgment that puts a case out of court; a type of disposition.
- Dismissal With Prejudice
- Dismissing a case without being able to file another case for the same issue.
- Dismissal Without Prejudice
- Dismissing the case at the present time but reserving the right to re-file a new petition on the same issue, within a specific time period.
- Disposition
- The result of the case; disposed: no further action is necessary in the case; the court's decision of what should be done about a dispute that has been brought to its attention.
- Dwelling
- The house or another structure in which a person lives; a residence.
- Party / Parties
- The person(s) involved in any legal proceeding; in a judicial proceeding, a person directly interested in the subject matter of the case; one who could assert a claim, make a defense, control proceedings, examine witnesses, or appeal a judgment.
- Payee
-
One to whom money is paid or payable.
(In Child Support Matters) Used interchangeably with obligee or custodial parent; designates to whom payment should be directed.
- Payor
-
One who pays.
(In Child Support Matters) Used interchangeably with obligor or non-custodial parent; designates who must pay.
- Perjury
- The act or an instance of a person's deliberately making false or misleading statements while under oath.
- Petition
- A written request to the court for a specific action.
- Petitioner
-
Person who initiates the legal proceeding.
See also Plaintiff, Defendant, and Respondent.
- Plaintiff
-
Person who initiates a legal proceeding against another person.
See also Petitioner, Defendant, and Respondent.
- Plea
- The defendant's formal answer to a criminal charge.
- Pleadings
- Documents filed in a case; statement of facts, presented in a logical and legal form, which constitute a plaintiff's cause of action or defendant's grounds of defense.
- Political Subdivision
- A division of a state that exists primarily to discharge some function of local government.
- Principal
- The amount of a debt, investment or other fund, not including interest, earnings or profits.
- Pro Se
- To act on one's own behalf; appearing for oneself; representing oneself; to represent oneself in a court action without an attorney.
- Probate
- The legal process of recording a will with the court.
- Probate Court
- A division of the Circuit Court that handles matters dealings with wills, administration of estates, guardianships, conservators, mental health procedures, sexually violent predator actions, and inheritance.
- Proceeding
- A case or business in court; the form and manner of conducting judicial business before a court or hearing officer.
- Process
-
The court document in the delivery of service.
See also Service.
- Production of Documents
-
The process or act of providing copies of documents or other written material at the request of another party in a case.
See also Discovery.
- Prosecutor or Prosecution
- One who represents the state or government in a criminal action; a proceeding instituted and carried on by due process of law for the purpose of determining the guilt or innocence of a person charged with a crime.
- Protectee
- (In Probate Matters) A person for whose estate a conservator has been appointed, or with respect to whose estate a transaction has been authorized by the court without appointment of a conservator or limited conservator.
- Pursuant to
- In compliance with; in accordance with; as authorized by.