Criminal Defense Terms and Definitions

Misdemeanor A minor offense, lower than a felony, which is punishable by a county jail term of up to one year and/or a fine, but not prison. Misdemeanors are classified into three categories: Class A, B, and C. Subpoena An official order to appear in court (or at a deposition) at a specific time. Failure to obey a subpoena to appear in court is punishable as a contempt of court. Fourth Amendment The 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects every person against unreasonable search and seizure by government officials. Burglary The unlawful breaking into or entering of a building or dwelling with the intent to commit a serious crime or theft. Allegation The assertion, declaration, or statement of a party to an action, made in a pleading, establishing what the party expects to prove. Embezzlement The fraudulent appropriation by a person to his own use or benefit of property or money entrusted to him by another. Tort An injury or wrong committed, either with or without force, to the person or property of another, for which civil liability may be imposed. Admissible evidence Evidence which can legally and properly be used in court. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Methods of resolving disputes outside of official court proceedings. These methods include mediation arbitration, and conciliation. Bench warrant An order issued by the court for the arrest of a person

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	Did You Know?
	Res Ipsa Loquitur - Literally, "a thing that speaks for itself." In tort law, the doctrine which holds a defendant guilty of negligence without an actual showing that he or she was negligent. Its use is limited in theory to cases in which the cause of the plaintiff's injury was entirely under the control of the defendant, and the injury presumably could have been caused only by negligence.