How Do You Understand Basic Legal Terms?
Like other specialized fields of study, the legal field has its own jargon. If you are ever involved in a legal action, it is crucial to know the lingo, whether you’re the plaintiff or the defendant. If you’re involved in a divorce, you want to sue your landlord or you’re just trying to follow another episode of “Law and Order,” it’s helpful to understand basic legal terms. Know the parties involved. Someone who brings an action is a “plaintiff,” while the person the action is brought against is the “defendant.” If you sue your landlord for breach of contract, you are the plaintiff. If your husband sues you for divorce, you are the defendant. Take it to the right court. Before bringing an action, you must know the “jurisdiction,” or which court has authority over the matter. If you want to sue your landlord and you live in a village, bring your action to the village court. If you want to sue your wife for divorce, you go to family court, which is usually at the county level. If you’re
