Legal Terms: J

An extension of Batson barring peremptory strikes based on gender, established in J.E.B. v. Alabama ex rel. T.B.

A federal statute (18 U.S.C. 3500) requiring the government to produce prior statements of witnesses after they testify on direct examination, for use in cross-examination.

The joining of parties or claims in a single lawsuit to promote judicial efficiency.

The procedural mechanism for combining parties or claims in a single action, governed by Rules 18-20 for parties and claims and Rule 19 for required parties.

A legal doctrine making each defendant independently liable for the full amount of damages, regardless of their individual share of fault.

A doctrine permitting co-defendants and their counsel to share privileged information for a common defense without waiving the underlying privilege.

A legal doctrine in which two or more entities are considered to share control over an employee's terms and conditions of employment, making both liable for labor law compliance.

An order requiring both parents to share decision-making authority over major issues in the child's life, with disputes typically resolved through mediation or by court order.

An arrangement in which the child spends substantial time residing with each parent, often roughly equal but always more than mere visitation.

A form of co-ownership of property where two or more persons hold equal shares with the right of survivorship.

A form of co-ownership in which, upon the death of one joint tenant, that tenant's interest passes automatically to the surviving joint tenants outside of probate.

A work prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole, with each author owning an equal undivided interest.

A qualified privilege, recognized in many jurisdictions, protecting reporters from compelled disclosure of confidential sources and unpublished information.

A public official appointed or elected to preside over and decide cases in a court of law.

A military officer who is a licensed attorney serving as a legal adviser, prosecutor, or defense counsel within the military justice system.

The final decision of a court resolving the dispute between the parties and determining their rights and obligations.

A motion under Rule 50(a) at trial that, considering the evidence, no reasonable jury could find for the nonmoving party on a particular issue.

A judicial finding of not guilty entered when the prosecution's evidence is insufficient as a matter of law to sustain a conviction.

An admission in court pleadings or testimony that a contract was made, which under UCC 2-201(3)(b) may satisfy the statute of frauds for the quantity admitted.

An equitable doctrine that prevents a party from asserting a position in litigation that contradicts a position successfully asserted in a prior proceeding.

A court's acceptance of a well-known fact without requiring formal proof, such as the date of a holiday or a scientific principle.

A court's acceptance, without formal proof, of facts that are not subject to reasonable dispute because they are generally known or readily verifiable.

The power of courts to examine legislative and executive actions and determine whether they are constitutional.

The authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Includes subject-matter jurisdiction (types of cases) and personal jurisdiction (authority over parties).

A treaty or interstate compact resolving competing claims of authority between courts over the same family-law matter, ensuring that only one forum proceeds and others defer.

The theory and philosophy of law, or the body of legal knowledge and principles.

A group of citizens selected to hear evidence in a trial and render a verdict based on the facts presented.

The civic obligation to serve as a juror in a court of law when summoned. Federal law (28 U.S.C. § 1866) and state statutes prohibit employers from penalizing employees for jury service. Exemptions vary by jurisdiction but may include age, prior service, undue hardship, and certain occupations.

Directions given by a judge to a jury explaining the applicable law and how to apply it to the facts of the case.

The judge's directions to the jury explaining the applicable law, elements of the offense, and standards for evaluating evidence.

Latin for 'right of blood,' the principle under which citizenship is transmitted by descent from a citizen parent regardless of place of birth.

Latin for 'right of soil,' the principle under which citizenship is granted to virtually anyone born in U.S. territory, codified in the Fourteenth Amendment.

The payment the government must make to a property owner when taking private property through eminent domain, typically fair market value.

The fair market value that the government must pay a property owner when taking private property through eminent domain.

A person who has not yet reached the age of legal majority (typically 18). Juvenile proceedings are generally separate from adult criminal proceedings.