Court Systems Vocabulary

formal agreement between prosecution and defense concerning the defendant’s offering of a guilty plea in exchange for some form of sentencing leniency

• Indictment

• No Contest

• Plea Bargain

• Arraignment

the decision-making power of prosecutors based upon the wide range of choices available to them in the handling of criminal defendants

• General Discretion

• Prosecutorial Discretion

• Legal Discretion

• Judicial Discretion

the official proceeding in which a defendant is formally confronted by criminal charges and enters a plea, and a trial date is established

• Arraignment

• Preliminary Hearing

• Initial Appearance

• Sentencing

the first series of questions asked of the witness by the prosecutor or defense attorneys when they are presenting their case

• Cross Examination

• Re-Cross

• Re-Direct

• Direct Examination

the questioning of a witness by the opposing counsel or party during a trial.

• Re-Direct

• Cross Examination

• Direct Examination

• Re-Cross

prevents illegal questioning when the other side is violating proper courtroom procedure

• Motion to Suppress

• discretion

• objection

• Motion to Dismiss

a witness who is not an expert witness

• non-expert

• regular witness

• typical

• lay

a witness who by virtue of special knowledge, skill, training, or experience is qualified to provide testimony in matters that exceed common knowledge

• expert witness

• alibi witness

• qualified witness

• material witness

The process of exchanging relevant information between the prosecution and defence. Can occur in a criminal or civil action

• discretion

• deposition

• discovery

• admission

the suspension or postponement of a trial or court proceedings

• Severance

• Invoking the Rule

• Continuance

• Ex Post Facto