Glossary of Legal Terms
J
- joinder
- Joining parties or claims in a suit.
- joint and several liability
- Legal doctrine which makes any number of members of a party responsible for
a liability, at adversary's discretion.
- joint tenancy
- Form of legal co-ownership of property which gives the survivors, when one
of the owners dies, the rights to the decedent's shares of the property.
Tenancy by the entirety is a special form of joint tenancy between husband and
wife. Compare tenancy in common.
- judge
- Elected or appointed public official with authority to hear and decide
cases in a court of law. A judge pro tem is a temporary or visiting judge.
- judgment
- Final disposition of a lawsuit. Default
judgment is judgment rendered because of defendant fails to answer or
appear. Summary judgment is judgment
entered when there is no dispute as to the facts of a case, and one party is
entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Consent judgment occurs when a judge sanctions
an agreement reached between parties. See also declaratory judgment and non obstante veredicto.
- judicial officer
- An officer of a court; someone charged with upholding the law, administering the judicial system.
- judicial review
- Authority of court to review and declare unconstitutional actions of other
branches of government.
- Judiciary Act Repealer Act (JARA)
- Act of 1978 that enacted 42 Pa.C.S., Pennsylvania's Judicial Code.
- juridical (juh RID ih kul)
- Relating to law, judicial proceedings and administration of justice.
- juridical day
- Day on which a court is in session.
- Juris Doctor
- Doctor of Law. Law degree bestowed on those who have successfully graduated
from law school.
- jurisdiction
- Court's authority to hear and/or decide a case. Also, territory for which a
court is authorized to hear cases.
- jurisprudence
- Study of law and legal system. See also caselaw.
- jurist
- One who is skilled or versed in the law.
- jury
- Group of people selected according to law and sworn to decide questions of
fact and render a decision about these matters. See grand jury and petit
jury.
- jury commissioner
- Court officer responsible for choosing the panel of potential jurors for a
particular court term.
- justiciable (jus TISH ee uh b'l)
- Of issues and claims which may be properly examined in court.
- juvenile
- Person who has not yet reached age (usually 18) at which he/she can be
treated as adult for purposes of criminal law.
- juvenile court
- Court having jurisdiction over cases involving children under a specific
age, usually 18.
Last updated 8-11-00 1622 by gle