A judicial body duly constituted to decide legal disputes and administer justice in accordance with the law. Courts are generally established and dissolved by legislation or other equivalent constituting instruments. Their practical authority is known as their jurisdiction, which describes the court’s power to decide certain kinds of questions or petitions put to it. There are many different types of courts, including trial and appellate courts.
A written decision made by a judge after hearing a case in which the parties present their evidence and arguments, and the court makes its decision. The judge’s decision can be changed only by another court with the same jurisdiction, or in some cases, an appeals panel may suggest that the entire circuit court hear an en banc hearing of a particular issue.
Testimony that is not based on the witness’s personal knowledge or observation of the facts, but is inferred from other information. For example, a witness’s testimony that the defendant came inside wearing a raincoat with wet feet and an umbrella dripping water can be inferred as evidence that it was raining outside at the time of the incident.
The amount paid to a person to cover expenses such as filing fees, service of process costs, deposition expenses, expert witness fees and photocopying costs associated with a lawsuit or other legal proceeding. Costs must be paid before a judgment is entered in a civil case and before a sentence is imposed in a criminal case.