Colorado Judicial Branch
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Glossary of Legal Terms
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A Accomplice - A person who knowingly helps someone commit a crime. Acquittal - A verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty....
Jurisdiction A court’s power to decide a case or issue a decree.
Glossary of Terms - Lien
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Lien A claim that a person has upon the property of another as security for a debt owed.
Glossary of Terms - Plaintiff
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Plaintiff The person who starts a lawsuit. This person may also be known as "claimant", "petitioner", or "applicant".
Glossary of Terms - Garnishee
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Garnishee The person or entity (often a bank or employer) that receives a court order garnishing wages or funds it owes to a debtor.
Glossary of Terms- - Judgment
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Judgment A court’s final determination of the rights and obligations of the parties in a case. The term includes a decree and any order that can be appealed.
Glossary of Terms - Garnishment
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Garnishment A court-ordered procedure for taking money or property from someone to satisfy a debt....
Glossary of Terms - Petitioner
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Petitioner A person who is completing and filing a written Petition (application) with the Court....
Glossary of Terms- - Caption
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Caption The heading or title on legal paperwork usually including the name of the court and the court's address, the names of the people involved in the case, the case number, and the attorn...
Glossary of Terms - Objection
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Objection A protest by the other party about the legal propriety of a question which has been asked of a witness by the opposing attorney/party, with the purpose of making the trial judge de...
Glossary of Terms- - File
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File To deposit with the clerk of the court a written complaint or petition which is the opening step in a lawsuit and subsequent documents, including an answer, motions, petitions, orders e...
Glossary of Terms- - Serve
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Serve To give court paperwork that starts a court case or is part of a court case to the person that is being sued or the other person in the case. This is done by a person who isn't involv...
Judgment debtor The person(s), company or group who owes a specific amount of money according to the Court’s order.
Judgment creditor The person(s), company or group who should receive a specific amount of money according to the Court’s order.
Authenticated Copy Means certified, when used in reference to copies of official documents, and only certification by the official having custody is required.
Personal Service Delivering a summons, complaint, or other legal document which must be served by handing it directly to the person named in the document.
Exemplified copy A copy of a court document that has a court seal or certification from the out-of-state court verifying the authenticity of the document(s).
District Court District Courts hear civil cases in any amount, as well as domestic relations, criminal, juvenile, probate, and mental health cases....
Real property Land and all the things that are attached to it, like a garage or barn....
Notary Public A person authorized by the state in which the person resides to certify documents ....
Return of Service Written proof under oath by a process server saying that they delivered legal documents (such as a summons and complaint). "Return of Service" is also referred to as "Proo...
Transcript of Judgment A one-page document from the Court that gives the name of the Judgment Debtor (person or company who owes money), Judgment Creditor (the person or company who is owed ...
Clerk and Recorder The Clerk and Recorder issues and records marriage licenses, records all real estate transactions, issues liquor licenses, registers voters, manages all primary, general a...
The Terms and Conditions of probation are the requirements set by the Court as part of the probation sentence. Some conditions, like the necessity to remain law abiding, are required by law and others may be more directly related to the specific individual, like attending mental health counseling or paying restitution.