The Law and Order Code of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation
Received: 1988
APPENDIX
A - GLOSSARY OF LEGAL TERMS
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Abet | To encourage, incite, or assist another to commit a crime |
Abortion | The illegal procuring of a miscarriage. |
Abrogate |
To annul, repeal, or cancel, such as to repeal a former law by legislative act or by usage. |
Abscond |
To depart from the jurisdiction of the courts; to hide, conceal, or absent oneself with the intent of avoiding legal process. |
Accessory |
Any person who, while not actually present, assists in a criminal act or one who aids or shelters an offender in order to defeat justice. |
Accomplice |
One who is involved in the commission of a crime, though not as a principal. |
Acquittal |
The dismissal of a criminal charge resulting from a verdict of Not Guilty. |
Acquitted | Set free, discharged, found not guilty of a crime. |
Ademption |
Withdrawal of a gift by some act of the person making the will equivalent to or indicating an intent to make a withdrawal. |
Administrator |
The person who has authority to administer the estate of a deceased person. |
Admission |
A statement made by a person that can be used in evidence against him. |
Adultery |
The act of sexual intercourse between two people, at least one of who is married to someone else. |
Advancement |
Property given in advance of death in anticipation of a share of an inheritance and intended to be deducted from the donee's share of the inheritance. |
Affidavit |
A sworn statement made before a person who has the legal authority to administer an oath. |
Affirmation
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A solemn declaration made before an authorized magistrate by persons who conscientiously decline taking an oath. In law, it is equal to an oath. |
Affray | The fighting of two or more persons in a public place, to the terror of others. |
Alias | A name used instead of the real name of the person. |
Alibi |
An excuse in which the accused insists that he was in another place at the time an alleged crime was committed. |
Amend | To correct an error or deficiency. |
Annulment |
A judicial declaration that a marriage has been invalid from the beginning. (Compare with divorce.) |
Appeal |
A complaint to an appellate or superior court of an injustice or error committed by an inferior court. The superior court above is called upon to correct or reverse the judgment or decision of the inferior court. |
Appraisement | A just and true valuation of property. |
Arbitrary | Not done according to logic, reason or judgment. |
Arraignment |
A legal procedure whereby a court informs a defendant of the charges against him, ascertains if defendant is the person wanted, advises defendant of his legal rights, and asks for his plea. |
Arrest | The taking of a person into custody in a manner authorized by law. |
Arson | The malicious and intentional burning of property. |
Assault |
An unlawful attempt coupled with the present ability to commit violent injury on the person of another. |
Attempt | A try to commit a crime. |
Attestation |
The act of witnessing the signature or execution of a deed or other instrument and of subscribing the name of the witness in testimony of such fact. |
Autopsy |
The dissection of a dead human body by an authorized person in order to determine the cause of death. |
Bail |
Security required to guarantee appearance of a person for trial at a later date so that he can be released from jail. |
Bail
Bond |
Bond given by the defendant with one or more sureties conditioned on the appearance of the defendant at a specified time. |
Bailee |
One to whom goods are given or entrusted upon conditions which include the return or other specified disposal of the goods following fulfillment of the conditions |
Bailor | The person who delivers goods to a Bailee. |
Ballistics |
The science of projectiles. The use of guns, shells, powder marks, and bullets in tests as a means of criminal identification. |
Battery |
The unlawful use of force by one person upon another; this includes beating, wounding, and touching, no matter how trifling, of another's person or clothes in an angry, insolent or hostile manner. Legally, the offense may be an civil wrong, a tort, or a criminal offense. |
Bench
Warrant |
A warrant issued by a court of law. Generally issued by the judge when an individual fails to appear in answer to a court request. |
Beneficiary |
One for whose benefit a trust is created or to whom an insurance policy is payable. |
Bequeath | To leave or to give personal property by will. |
Bias |
To foster prejudice; also the tendency to favor and support a certain point of view. |
Bigamy | The act of marrying one person while married to another. |
Blackmail |
To extort money by threats of exposure to a public accusation, censure, or disgrace; also, money extorted from one by threats of exposure, force, and fear. |
Bona Fide | In good faith or with good faith. |
Bond | A certificate or evidence of debt. |
Bribery |
Act of giving or taking a favor with a view to corrupting the conduct of a person in a position of trust. |
Burglary |
Forcible entry into any house, store, or building with intent to commit larceny or felony. |
Calendar | A list of cases scheduled for trial. |
Circumstantial Evidence | Conditions and surroundings from which the existence of the main fact may be inferred logically and reasonably. |
Coercion | The act of forcing someone to commit a crime or some other act. |
Collusion |
A deceitful agreement or compact between two or more persons for one party to bring an action against another for some evil purpose or to defraud a third person of his rights. |
Commitment |
A court order that officially directs the taking of a person to a jail, prison, or institution. |
Common
Law |
Unwritten law is derived chiefly from the laws of England. The common law has been superseded by statute in most of our states. |
Competent | Duly qualified, either legally or naturally. |
Complaint |
A charge made to a court of law that a crime or civil wrong has been committed. A police citation is considered a complaint. |
Compounding |
An act by which a person having knowledge of the actual commission of a crime takes some reward or forbears to assist in the prosecution of a criminal or allow him to escape. |
Concurrent |
Existing at the same time. For example, if two courts each have jurisdiction of an action, it may be said that they have concurrent jurisdiction. |
Confession |
A voluntary statement by an accused person acknowledging the he committed a crime. |
Consent | Agreement; the act or result of coming into accord. |
Conspiracy |
A criminal partnership wherein two or more persons agree to commit a crime. |
Construction |
The process of determining the real meaning of words in cases in which such meaning is not clear. |
Contempt |
Willful disrespect or disregard of the order or process of the Court. It is an offense against the dignity of the Court. |
Continuance | A postponement of any specific step in any judicial proceeding. |
Contraband |
Goods which the law forbids to be processed, sold, or purchased, imported or exported. |
Conveyance |
A carrier such as a taxi, bus, or private vehicle. Also, in law, an instrument in writing by which property or title to property is transferred from one person to another. |
Conviction | A ruling by a court that a person is guilty of the crime alleged. |
Coroner |
An officer whose duty is to determine the cause of violent or unusual death. |
Corpus Delicti | The basic facts necessary to prove the commission of a crime. |
Corroboration | Additional evidence to confirm or support the testimony of a witness. |
Counterfeit |
To make an imitation of something genuine, such as a coin, without lawful authority and with intent to deceive. |
Credibility | The extent of worthiness of belief. |
Crime | A public offense against the government, punishable upon conviction. |
Criminal
Negligence |
An aggravated form of negligence. It is conduct which shows a wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others. |
Cross-Examination |
The questioning of a previously examined witness by the side that did not produce him as a witness. |
Culpability | Guilt; blame. |
Custody | The care and keeping of anything. |
Decedent | One who has died. |
Decree |
A declaration of the Court announcing the legal consequences of the facts found to be true. |
Defamation |
Injuring one's reputation, fame or character by false and malicious statements. |
Default | An omission to do that which should be done. |
Defendant | The party against whom a court action is maintained. |
Deposition |
A written statement signed and sworn to and obtained through questions and answers. |
Devisee | The person to whom lands or other real property are given by will. |
Direct Examination | The examination of a witness by the party producing the witness. |
Direct
Verdict |
In jury trials, an order by the judge to the jury to find a certain fact or result. |
Disbarrment | To take away an attorney's authority to practice law. |
Discovery | Obtaining disclosure of facts not previously known. |
Discretion | Power or privilege to act unhampered by fixed legal rules. |
Divorce | A dissolving of the marriage contract by judicial order. |
Docket | A book kept by the Clerk of the Court containing a list of the cases to be tried. |
Donee | One to whom a gift or power is given. |
Donor | One who makes a gift or confers a power. |
Double
Jeopardy |
The danger which a person is exposed to when being tried the second time for the same offense. |
Duress | Restraint bye force on a person to do something against his will. |
Embezzlement | The taking by a person of money or other property entrusted to him. |
Entrapment |
The act by police of inducing a person to commit a crime not contemplated by him for purpose of prosecuting him. The idea of the crime originates with the police. |
Estate | The interest which one has in property. |
Evidence |
All the means by which an alleged fact is established or disproved. Evidence consists of testimony of witnesses, documents, and other physical matter that can be seen. Evidence may be direct, real, and circumstantial. |
Exception | A formal objection to an action of the court. |
Execution |
The act of complying with court orders against a person or his property. Also, the death of a person by the government for a capital offense. |
Exoneration |
The act of removing a debt or obligation which is charged against certain property. |
Ex
Post Facto |
After the fact; pertains to a law that is designed to punish acts that were committed before the passage of the law. |
Extradition |
The process of returning an accused or convicted person to a jurisdiction in which he is wanted by another jurisdiction. |
False Imprisonment | An unlawful violation of the personal liberty or freedom of another. |
False
Pretense |
A deceitful and fraudulent act used to gain money or other property owned by another unlawfully. |
Felony |
A major crime that is punishable by death or imprisonment in a state or Federal prison. |
Fence |
A person who knowingly receives stolen property to aid in its disposition. |
Fiduciary |
One who holds property or goods in trust for another or has a special obligation to another. |
File |
To deliver to the Court or Clerk something to be kept in the Court files. |
Finding | A decision on an issue of fact. |
Fine | A money penalty for committing an unlawful act, such as a traffic violation. |
Foreclosure |
A termination of debtor's rights in property given to secure an obligation. |
Forfeiture |
The loss of goods or other property as a punishment for a criminal act. |
Forgery | The like making or altering of a writing, such as a check or other instrument with intent to defraud. |
Fornication | Unlawful sexual intercourse on the part of an unmarried person. |
Forum | A court of justice. |
Fraud |
A false or misleading representation of a factual matter which intentionally deceives another so that he will act upon it to his legal injury. |
Gaming |
A contract between persons by which they gamble with dice, cards, or other contrivances. |
Garnishee |
A party in whose hands money or property is attached by the creditor of another and who has had warning of garnishment not to pay or deliver it to the defendant. |
Garnishment |
A warning to a person who holds the attached property or money of another not to pay or deliver it to the defendant but to appear and answer the plaintiff's suit. |
Gross Negligence | Obvious failure to exercise care demanded by circumstances |
Guardian |
A person lawfully given the power and charged with the duty of taking care of the person and managing the property of another, who, for some reason is considered incapable of administering his own affairs. |
Habeas
Corpus |
A writ commanding a person having another in his custody to produce the detained person before a court. |
Habitual
Criminal |
A person sentences to prison for a long term or for life because of multiple previous convictions. |
Hearsay |
Information received indirectly such as evidence which a witness had heard from others but which did not originate with him. |
Heir | One who inherits property. |
Holographic
Will |
A will written entirely in the handwriting of the person making the will. |
Homicide | The killing of a human being by another human being. |
Incarceration | Imprisonment; confinement in jail. |
Incest | The offense of intermarriage or sexual relations between persons closely related. |
Inchoate | Begun but not completed. |
Indictment |
An indictment is a formal charge of crime based on legal testimony of witnesses and the concurring judgment of the Grand Jury. |
Information |
An accusation or complaint of a felony crime, presented by the prosecuting attorney to the court. The Grand Jury is not involved. |
Injunction | A judicial order requiring a person to whom it is directed to do or refrain from doing a particular thing. |
Inquest |
A judicial inquiry by a court or coroner into the cause of sudden or unusual death. |
Interrogatory | A written question. |
Intestate | One who dies without making a will. |
Jeopardy | See Double Jeopardy. |
Joinder | Joining together. |
Joint | United; combined; undivided. |
Judgment |
The sentence or final order of a court in a civil or criminal proceeding. The official declaration by a court of the result of a lawsuit. |
Judicial
Notice |
The notice a judge takes of facts of common knowledge which it is not necessary to prove. |
Jurisdiction |
The power and authority by which judicial officials recognize and decide cases; also used to indicate a government having jurisdiction. |
Juvenile |
An offender under a specified age; usually tried under special procedures. |
Kidnapping |
The forcible stealing, taking, enticing or carrying away of a human being for the purpose of extorting money or property. |
Kleptomaniac | A person with an uncontrollable, morbid impulse to steal. |
Larceny |
The crime of intentionally taking and carrying away the property of another pares against his will. |
Libel |
A malicious defamation expressed in writing or by signs or pictures tending to blacken the memory of a dead person or the reputation of a living person. |
Lottery |
A scheme or device for the distribution of prizes by chance among the buyers of the chances. |
Magistrate | A judge, usually of a lower court. |
Malice |
A wish to vex, annoy, or injure another. An evil state of mind leading to the intentional performance of a wrongful act. |
Mischief | Maliciously injuring or destroying any real or personal property. |
Manslaughter |
The unlawful killing of a person without malice, usually through negligence or in heat of passion. |
Mayhem |
The maiming of a person by maliciously and willfully depriving him of the use of a part of his body, such as putting out an eye. |
Misdemeanor |
Any crime not a felony is a misdemeanor. This is a lesser crime, usually punishable by county jail sentence and/or a money fine. |
Misprision | The concealment of a crime, especially of treason or a felony. |
Mistrial |
Where the judge orders the trial to be discontinued, either because of some prejudicial event during the trial or because the jury cannot agree on a verdict. |
Modus Operandi | The method operation of a criminal. |
Motion |
A written or oral request to the Court for a specified order or other relief in an existing action. |
Murder | The unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought. |
Negligence |
The failure to use the degree of card that an ordinarily prudent man would use under similar circumstances. |
Nolo
Contendere |
A plea by a defendant in a criminal action that he will not contest the accusation. It is not an admission of guilt. |
Non Compos Mentis | Mentally unsound. |
Notice | Knowledge or information of the existence of something. |
Nuisance |
A condition which annoys, vexes, or interferes with the use of property by others, such as smell, noise, or a health hazard. |
Oath |
A pledge of the truth of a statement which renders one purposely asserting untrue statements punishable for perjury. |
Obstructing
Justice |
The crime of interfering with the activities of those who see justice in a court or of those who have the power or duty of administering justice or enforcing the law. |
Ordinance | A law, order, or decree of a municipal body such as a city or county. |
Overt Act | An open act from which intent to commit a crime can be implied. |
Parole |
The conditional release from prison of a person who has served part of his sentence in an institution. |
Penal |
A word pertaining to punishment for crime, e.g., penal institution or penal code. |
Perjury |
The criminal offense of willful giving of false testimony while under oath. |
Perpetrator | The person who actually commits an act. |
Petit Jury | A trial jury. |
Petition |
An application made to the Court in an action in which there are no opposing parties, asking for the exercise of the Court's judicial powers in relation to some matter which is not the subject of an existing action or for authority to do some act which requires the permission of the Court. |
Plaintiff |
Used in civil cases, the title of the party who commences an action. Used interchangeably with "complainant." |
Plea |
An allegation made by either party in a case. A criminal defendant may plead guilty or not guilty. |
Pleadings |
Papers filed with the Court containing the claims and defenses of the parties. |
Police
Power |
The broad power under which the government can restrain private rights for the general welfare of the people. Authority delegated to the police by the people. |
Posse |
A force of men called by a sheriff to assist him in pursuing a criminal, quelling a riot, or making an arrest. |
Post
Mortem |
After death; pertains to an expert examination, called an autopsy, to determine the cause of death. |
Preliminary
Examination |
A hearing before a magistrate to decide if an accused person should be held on a criminal charge and whether or not a crime was actually committed. |
Presumption |
The inference of a fact. It is assumed that a fact is so until proved to the contrary. The presumtion of innocence is an example. |
Pretermitted Child | A child not mentioned in the will of a testator. |
Prima
Facie |
At first view; the evidence which, unless contradicted, is enough to establish a fact. |
Prima
Facie Evidence |
Evidence which is sufficient to establish a particular fact unless rebutted or overcome by other evidence. For example, a blood test for alcohol of a given percentage is prima facie evidence, under most statues, of intoxication or being under the influence of alcohol. |
Principal |
Any person involved in the criminal act, whether it be a felony or a misdemeanor. |
Privileged
Communication |
Conversation that may not be introduced in evidence, as communication between husband and wife or with a priest, doctor, or a lawyer. |
Probable
Cause |
A finding that there is evidence that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime had been committed and that a certain person committed it. |
Probate |
The process of determining interests in the property of one who has died. |
Probation |
A method of permitting a convicted person to stay out of jail, instead of imprisoning him, on condition that he observe specific terms and conditions. |
Process |
A judicial writ or order issued by a court, such a a summons, citation, or subpoena. |
Prosecution |
Criminal proceedings in the court conducted by the attorney representing the government. |
Rape | Act of sexual intercourse with a female, not the wife of the perpetrator, accomplished by force, fear, or deceit. |
Receiver | A person who knowingly buys or receives stolen merchandise from a thief. |
Recidivist |
An habitual criminal; one who has been convicted more than once of a crime, misdemeanor, or delinquency; most aptly describes a confirmed criminal such as a repeater. |
Recognizance
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Formal proceedings whereby sureties agree to produce the defendant or pay the stated amount. In minor offenses, the Court may order defendant to recognize personally, in stated amount, where there is not a great danger of escape. |
Redemption | Repurchase of an interest in property. |
Referee | A person authorized to perform certain duties and powers of a judge. |
Regulation | A rule or order prescribed for management or government. |
Relevant |
In the law of evidence, relevant means relating to the case at hand; pertinent, meaningful, and having to do with the matter before the Court. |
Renunciation | Act of abandoning a right acquired without transferring it to another. |
Replevin |
The recovery of goods claimed to have been wrongfully seized. The owner gets the property back by a writ or court order. |
Repression | The act of checking or keeping under restraint or control. |
Reprieve | A delay in the execution of a sentence. |
Repudiate | To reject; to refuse to acknowledge or to pay. |
Res
Judicata |
A case that has been tried in a court of law. The matter has been legally abjudicated. |
Res
Gestae |
Things done; refers to the entire transaction or event. Includes words and acts done immediately after the incident which are usually spontaneous and are considered to be part of the act or event. |
Respondent |
The person charged with an offense; used interchangeably with "defendant." |
Restitution |
The act of restoring and returning a thing or its value to the lawful owner. |
Return |
The certificate by an officer as to his activities in connection with a warrant or other legal order. |
Revocation | To destroy the effectiveness or make void. |
Riot |
Disturbance of the peace by two or more persons acting together and without the authority of law. |
Robbery
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The felonious taking of personal property in the possession of another, from his person or immediate presence, and against his will, accomplished by means of force and fear. |
Rout |
Two or more persons, assembled and acting together, making any attempt or advance toward the commission of an act which would be a riot if actually committed. |
Sabotage |
The willful obstruction of and interference with the normal process of government and industry. |
Scienter | Knowingly; guilty knowledge. |
Search
Warrant |
A written order by a judge or magistrate authorizing an officer of the law to search a specific area for certain unlawful goods concealed in a house, store, or other premises. The recovered personal property, if any, is brought before the court for legal disposition. |
Secrete | To conceal or hide away. |
Security Interest |
An obligation of some type given by a debtor to produce a resource to be used by the creditor in case the debtor fails to pay the principal obligation. |
Sedition
|
An offense against the government of a country, not amounting to treason, consisting of attempts made by meetings, speeches, or publications to disturb the tranquility of the state or excite discontent against the government. |
Seizure | The taking of possession forcibly. |
Sentence | The judgment of the Court passed upon a defendant after a finding of Guilty. |
Severance | Separation; division. |
Simultaneous | Happening at the same time. |
Solemnize | To enter into the marriage contract in the manner prescribed by law. |
Spouse | One's husband or wife. |
Squatter | One who settles on another's land without title or authority. |
Statute
|
An act of a legislature declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something. Statute law is the express written will of the the legislature, rendered authentic by certain prescribed forms. |
Stay |
The stopping of a judicial proceeding or enforcement of a judicial order by order of the Court. |
Subornation of Perjury | The offense of willfully procuring another person to commit perjury. |
Subpoena | A writ or court order commanding the attendance or appearance of a witness or party in court, or before a judicial officer, under a penalty in case of disobedience. |
Subpoena
Duces Tecum |
A writ or court order commanding the attendance or appearance of a witness or party in court, or before a judicial officer, under a penalty in case of disobedience. |
Subrogation |
The substitution of one person in the place of another as a creditor with the new creditor succeeding to the rights of the other. |
Succession | The passing of property of one who has died. |
Summons |
A writ directed to a police officer requiring him to summon a defendant to appear in court to answer a plaintiff's actions. |
Surety |
One who agrees to pay money or do any other act in the event that the person primarily responsible fails to do so. |
Suspended Sentence | Decision by a judge imposing a sentence but relieving the defendant from the effect of it either of a fine or imprisonment, or both. |
Tenant | One who owns the right to possess land or other property. |
Testator | One who makes a will or dies leaving a will. |
Theft |
The wrongful or fraudulent taking and carrying away by any person of the personal goods of another from any place, without any right to deprive the owner of his property permanently. |
Tort | A civil wrong independent of a contract. |
Trespass |
Invasion of another person's rights or territory; also to enter unlawfully upon another person's land. |
Usury | Interest in excess of a legal rate established by law. |
Venue |
Geographical location. The place or county in which an injury is declared to have been done. |
Verdict |
The finding of a jury in favor of one or the other party to an action at law. |
Void |
Of no force or effect; absolutely null; unable to be confirmed or made effectual. |
Waiver | The voluntary or intentional giving up of a known right. |
Warrant
|
Legal order issued by a magistrate commanding the officer to arrest a specified person on a given complaint. |
Will | A legal expression as to what will be done with one's property after death. |
Willfully |
Describes the way in which a person purposefully and willingly commits an act or an omission. Having intent to violate the law or injure another is not required. |
Witness |
One who testifies as to what he has seen, heard or otherwise observed. |
Writ |
A judicial instrument by which a court commands some act to be done by the person to whom it is directed. |