# Legal glossary - part 4

## T

Taint - Evidence which has been ruined in some manner, typically by being obtained illegally by law enforcement

Tax - A financial requirement for an individual or entity to pay a government for a [business transaction](people-contracts.md)

Term - A clearly indicated period of time

Terra Nullius - Latin for "nobody's land", a territory that no government owns

Testimony - Statements made by a witness or party under oath

Time Served - A sentence of incarceration equal to the amount of time a defendant has already spent in state custody waiting for Disposition of the case

Title - Legally recognized ownership of property, usually proven by a document

Tort - A civil injury or wrong to someone else, or their property

Tortfeasor - the defendant in a tort case

Transcript - The official written record of everything that was said at a court proceeding, a hearing, or a deposition\
Transfer - Assignment of a case to another court location by court order

Transfer Hearing - Juvenile Court hearing to determine whether a child, 14 or older, charged with a serious juvenile offense should have his/her case transferred to a criminal court and be subject to the same processes and penalties as an adult charged with the same crime

Transshipment - Shipping goods through intermediate countries

Trial De Novo - A new trial or retrial in which the whole case with evidence and witnesses is presented as if no previous trial had been held

Trial Referee - An attorney appointed by the Chief Justice to hear any civil non-jury case where the parties agree to use a trial referee and all the legal papers have been filed

## U

Ultrahazardous Activity - In tort law, an activity that is so harmful that a person performing that activity can be held liable for *any* injury, even if they took all necessary precautions

Ulysses pact - aka "Ulysses contract", an agreement a person makes for a future situation where they may not be as capable of deciding

Unaccompanied Minor - A child who is not accompanied by a legal guardian

Uncared For - Legal description of a child or youth who is homeless or whose home cannot provide the specialized care which his/her physical, emotional or mental condition requires

Unconditional Discharge - A sentence in a criminal case in which the defendant is released without imprisonment, probation supervision or conditions

Undue Influence - A situation where one party pressures another into signing a contract

Unjust Enrichment - In laws of equity, a situation where one person is enriched at another's expense in an unjust capacity

## V

Vacate - To cancel or rescind a court order

Venue - The court location

Vest - The process of transferring property between parties, typically happens after a specified period of time from an event

Veto - A ban or order to not allow something to become law, even if it has been passed by a legislative body

Victim Services Advocate - A person who assesses a victim's needs and helps the victim understand the court case, how to exercise their rights and how to access other resources

Visitation - aka "Parenting Time" or Access, a court order deciding the amount of time a noncustodial parent may spend with his or her child

Violation - An offense for which the only sentence authorized is a fine

Violation of Probation - Action or inaction that disobeys a condition of probation

Voir Dire - Latin for "to speak the truth", The process of questioning prospective jurors or witnesses about their qualifications

Vox populi - Latin for "people's voice", the opinion of the majority of the people

## W

Wage Execution - aka Garnishment or Attachment, the process of deducting money from wages to pay a judgment

Wage Withholding - A court order to deduct child support or alimony payments from someone's wages, and *all* child support court orders must include an income withholding order unless both parents ask the judge not to

Waiver - Voluntarily giving up or removing existing conditions

Warranty - Elements in a contract that may lead to damages but wouldn't typically void the contract

Witness - A person who testifies to what they saw, heard, observed or did

Writ - Legal paper filed to start various types of civil lawsuits

## Y

Youth - Any person 16 to 18 years of age

Youthful Offender - The legal status of persons who have been arrested for a crime committed when they were between 16 and 18 and meet some other requirements