Paralegal Technology Glossary

My name is Cristina and I have been in Paralegal Technology for 2 years. My glossary will be for people who know nothing in this field, and also for beginners in this program. Basically, my topic relates to the legal field. My glossary will help people to understand legal words, when they have problems with law or have requests to make to the Court.

Alimony: Noun; Alimony is paid monthly by the parent who is not hosting the children. Alimony is intended to cover all or at least part of the child's current needs, i.e. the so-called "basic needs": Food. Housing.; Example: After the divorce, my husband is going to pay an alimony for the children needs.; en: Pension alimentaire
Appeal: Noun; An appeal is an ordinary way of recourse that allows a person who is dissatisfied with a court decision rendered in the first instance to have the matter reconsidered, in fact and in law, by the Court of Appeal.; Example: I am going to appeal because my judgment rendered by the court, is unfounded in law.; en: (Faire un ) Appel
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: noun; The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.; Example: The Canadian charter of rights and freedoms is the law at the origin of all other laws that are subsequently invented.; en: La Charte des Droits et Libertés
Compensation: Noun; It is the financial compensation to which a person who has suffered moral prejudice or damage to his patrimony or both may be entitled.; Example: My neighbor destroyed my lawn and caused me a lot of damage, so I have the right to a financial compensation from his part.; en: Dommages d'intérêt ou d'indemnisation
Doctrine: Noun; Doctrine is a legal term designating the opinions of jurists on a specific question of law. This is a summary of research on specific topics already carried out by legal specialties.; Example: First of all to have an overview of the field of law I will consult the doctrine.; en: La doctrine
Exhibit: verb; An exhibit is an object seized, placed under seal, kept under judicial authority and necessary for the search for the truth in a criminal case.; Example: In this case, the murder weapon is the knife which is exhibited.; en: Pièce à conviction
Habeas corpus: noun; Is a legal concept that enunciates a fundamental freedom, that of not being imprisoned without judgement.; Example: Due to the habeas corpus I have the right to freedom as long as I don't have a court decision.; en: Habeas corpus (la liberté fondamentale)
Hearsay: Noun; Hearsay is indirect testimony (through an intermediary) about facts that a litigant wishes to introduce into evidence but has not personally witnessed.; Example: My neighbor told me that she heard how my sister and her husband were fighting.; en: Le ouï-dire
Judgement: noun; A judgment is the final part of a court case. A valid judgment resolves all the contested issues and terminates the lawsuit, since it is regarded as the court's official pronouncement of the law on the action that was pending before it.; Example: The judge reduced a judgment in my favour, so I won the case.; en: Jugement
Malicious Disfigurement: Noun; A malicious disfigurement is a defect that was neither known nor apparent at the time of purchase, that existed at the time of purchase, and that renders the product partially or totally unfit for the use that the buyer is supposed to be able to make of it.; Example: I bought a house, but the seller did not mention about the water infiltration problem, so I am able to pursuit him for malicious disfigurement.; en: Vice caché
Mediation: Noun; Mediation can be defined simply as a negotiation between the parties involved, assisted by an impartial third party. Although the mediator does not have the power to impose a settlement, his or her presence affects the dynamics of the negotiation and often contributes to reaching a final settlement.; Example: In family matters it is essential to mediate in order to try to solve the problem amicably.; en: La médiation
Privilege against self-incriminating: phrase; A person arrested by the police or brought before a judge to remain silent without this silence being reproachable. It is also called the right to remain silent or the right not to incriminate oneself.; Example: During my process, I have the right to remain silent and not to say anything that will incriminate me.; en: Le droit au silence ou le droit de ne pas s'incriminer
Release on bail: phrase; The release on bail is the written permission of a court that allows a person charged with a criminal offence to be released from prison pending trial or other disposition of their case.; Example: Until the end of my trial, my lawyer arranged for me to be released on bail.; en: Mise en liberté sous caution
Ristricts access to the court: phrase; The restricts access to the court is a criminal or civil hearing held without the presence of the public.; Example: For a family hearing, the trial takes place in restricted access.; en: Le huis-clos
The right to impartiality: phrase; The judge's impartiality guarantees the right to a fair trial as provided by Canadian Charter of rights and freedoms.; Example: During my hearing, a member of the committee showed a faulty and inappropriate behaviour towards the accused, for this reason the judge sanctioned the choice of the committee, because they did not show impartiality.; en: Le droit à l'impartialité