Court Language, Explained

A glossary for staying oriented

Pro Se
A term used to describe someone representing themselves in court without an attorney.

Due Process
The requirement that the court follow certain steps before making decisions that affect someone’s rights or property — including notice and an opportunity to be heard.

Notice
Official information that something is happening in a case, such as a filing, hearing date, or deadline.

Hearing
A scheduled court event where a judge or magistrate considers information or arguments before making a decision.

Order
A court’s written or oral directive stating what has been decided. Orders often explain what happened, not why.

Opinion
A written explanation from a court describing the reasoning behind a decision. Not every case includes an opinion.

Magistrate Court
A court that handles certain lower-level or high-volume matters, often with streamlined procedures and limited time per case.

Trial Court
The court where a case is first decided.

Appellate Court
A court that reviews what happened in a lower court to determine whether law or procedure was applied correctly.

Jurisdiction
The authority a court has to hear a particular type of case or make decisions about certain issues.

Deadline
A specific date by which something must be filed, responded to, or addressed.

Record
The collection of documents and filings that reflect what has happened in a case.

Appeal
A request for a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court.

Settlement
An agreement that resolves a dispute without a final court decision on the merits.

Terms People Often Hear — But Don’t Always Understand

Continuance
A postponement of a scheduled court date or hearing. It means the matter will be addressed at a later time.

Default
A procedural outcome that can occur when someone does not respond or appear as required. It is not a judgment about character — it reflects absence from the process.

Standing
A legal concept that refers to whether a person is recognized as having a sufficient connection to the issue being decided.

Dismissal
When a court ends a case or claim. A dismissal can happen for different procedural reasons and does not always address the underlying issue.

Motion
A formal request asking the court to do something, such as set a date, allow additional time, or address a procedural issue.

Service
The formal process of providing court documents to another party so they are officially notified.

Filing
Submitting documents to the court so they become part of the official record.

Exhibit
Documents or materials presented to the court as part of a case record.

Burden of Proof
The responsibility to show that certain facts or requirements are met, depending on the issue being decided.

Remedy
The relief or action a court is authorized to provide if certain conditions are met.

Eviction-Related Terms

Common language in housing court

Summary Ejectment
A legal term used in many states to describe the court process a landlord uses to seek possession of a rental property. It refers to the procedure, not a judgment about the person involved.

Possession
A court’s determination about who has the legal right to occupy a property. It does not automatically describe personal conduct or circumstances.

Writ of Possession
A court order authorizing law enforcement to carry out a possession decision. It reflects a procedural step, not a moral conclusion.

Notice to Quit / Notice to Vacate
A written notice stating that a landlord intends to end a tenancy under certain conditions or timelines.

Rent Arrearage
An amount of rent that is claimed to be unpaid. It is a financial term used in court filings.

Habitability
A legal concept referring to whether a rental unit meets basic standards for safe and livable conditions.

Constructive Eviction
A legal theory involving conditions that make a property unlivable, even if no formal eviction filing has occurred.

Holdover Tenant
A term used when a tenant remains in a property after a lease term ends, under certain circumstances.

Employment-Related Terms

Common language in workplace-related disputes

Exhaustion (of Administrative Remedies)
A requirement in some employment matters that certain agency processes be completed before a court case can move forward.

Right-to-Sue Letter
A notice issued by an agency indicating that a person may proceed with a lawsuit in court. It relates to timing and procedure, not the merits of a claim.

Retaliation
A legal term describing adverse actions taken in response to certain protected activities.

Discrimination
A legal term referring to differential treatment based on protected characteristics under specific laws.

Wage Claim
A claim involving compensation that is alleged to be unpaid or improperly withheld.

Administrative Agency
A government body that handles certain employment-related complaints before court involvement.

Statute of Limitations
A time limit for bringing certain claims. These limits vary by issue and jurisdiction.

Burden-Shifting
A legal concept describing how responsibility for producing information may move between parties during a case.

These definitions are offered for orientation and understanding. They are not legal advice or guidance about how to proceed.