Legal dictionary

Damages		The money which is sought from a defendant by a plaintiff in a lawsuit, and which is awarded to the plaintiff as a remedy for some injury or wrongdoing.


Debtor		A person or organization who owes money.


Deed		A legal document that describes a piece of property and represents ownership of that property.


Defamation		The act of injuring someone's reputation by publishing, either in writing or orally, damaging information about them.


Default judgment		A judgment in a lawsuit against a defendant who fails to appear in court.


Defendant		A person who is charged with a crime in a criminal case, or who has a claim against them in a civil case.


Deponent		A person who gives a deposition.


Deportation		Legally ordered removal from the United States.


Deposition		A pre-trial statement given under oath in front of a court reporter, but without a judge present. A deposition can be used as evidence in a trial.


Depreciation		A reduction in value of an asset over time.


Directed verdict		A verdict handed down by a judge in a trial without consideration of the jury because the facts presented and the applicable law left no question as to the outcome necessary in the case. If the complaining party fails to prove a prima facie case by exhibiting the minimum elements necessary to show liability, the defendant can move for a directed verdict without offering a defense.


Director		One of a group of people known as a board of directors, responsible for managing the affairs of a company.


Discovery		A pre-trial process in which each side requests relevant information and documents from the other. Parties must provide the requested information or documents or show good cause to the court why they should not have to do so.


Discrimination		A law, rule, or practice that treats groups of people differently, when no reasonable difference can be found between those groups. Unreasonable differences can include race, religion, sex, age, and nationality.


Dissolution		The dissolving or ending of a relationship, be it a business, partnership, or contract.


District Attorney		An attorney for the local government, responsible for prosecuting state-level crimes in court. Sometimes also called state's attorneys.


Divorce		The legal ending of a marriage.


Docket		A brief record of all important actions in court, from the beginning to the end of a case. 2. A list of calendar of causes to be tried during a specific term of the court.


Domicile		The fixed and permanent home of person, for legal purposes.


Double jeopardy		Facing judgment twice for the same crime. The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution protects citizens from double jeopardy.


Due Process of Law		Procedural due process: A course of official actions or proceedings that follows established rules and principles. Substantive due process: A judicial requirement that laws and regulations be related to a legitimate government interest and do not contain provisions that lead to unfair or arbitrary treatment of individuals.