bind over - A judge's decision to hold a criminal defendant for trial.   

brief - A lawyer's written statement of a client's case filed in court. It usually contains a summary of the facts in the case, the pertinent laws, and an argument of how the law applies to the facts supporting the client's position.   

burden of proof - The duty to establish a claim or allegation by admissible evidence. This is usually the duty of the plaintiff in a civil case and always is the duty of the state in a criminal case.   

burglary - The unlawful breaking into or entering of a building or dwelling with the intent to commit a serious crime or theft.   

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calendar - A court's list of cases for arraignment, hearing, trial or arguments.   

caption - The heading or introductory clause of papers connected with a case in court, which shows the names of the parties, name of the court, docket number of the case, etc.   

case law - The law made by courts interpreting cases and laws as opposed to law made by legislatures. In the American system, the primary sources of law are 1) constitutions, 2) statutes/regulations, and 3) case law.   

cause of action - A claim in law in fact sufficient to justify a legal right to sue.   

certification - Generally used to refer to the process of transferring a minor's case from the Juvenile Court to the adult court for trial. Usually reserved for capital or first degree felonies or for chronic offenders.   

certiorari - See writ of certiorari.   

challenge to the array - Questioning the qualifications of an entire jury panel, usually on the grounds of partiality or some fault in the process of summoning the panel.