Lawyers use technical language because legal documents have to be precise. That doesn't mean you have to look up every word. Here are the terms you're most likely to encounter — in plain English.
- Affidavit
- A written statement made under oath, signed in front of a notary.
- Allegation
- A claim that something is true, made in a legal document but not yet proven.
- Answer
- The defendant's formal written response to a complaint.
- Arbitration
- Private dispute resolution in front of a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge. Often binding.
- Breach
- Violation of a legal duty or contract.
- Burden of Proof
- Which side has to prove the claim. In civil cases, usually 'preponderance of evidence' (more likely than not).
- Causation
- The legal link between someone's action and your injury.
- Complaint
- The document that starts a lawsuit, listing the claims and what's being requested.
- Contingency Fee
- Attorney is paid only if you win — typically 33% of recovery.
- Damages
- Money awarded to compensate for harm. Economic = bills and lost wages; non-economic = pain and suffering.
- Deposition
- Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded by a court reporter, used in discovery.
- Discovery
- The phase where both sides exchange evidence and take depositions.
- Hearsay
- An out-of-court statement offered as proof — usually inadmissible.
- Injunction
- A court order requiring someone to do or stop doing something.
- Judgment
- The court's final decision.
- Liability
- Legal responsibility for harm.
- Litigation
- The process of taking a dispute through the courts.
- Mediation
- Voluntary negotiation guided by a neutral mediator. Non-binding.
- Motion
- A formal request to the court to take action.
- Negligence
- Failure to exercise reasonable care, causing harm to someone else.
- Plaintiff
- The party who files a lawsuit.
- Pleadings
- The formal documents filed in a case (complaint, answer, replies).
- Prima Facie
- On its face — enough evidence to proceed if unrebutted.
- Settlement
- An agreement that ends a dispute without a verdict.
- Statute of Limitations
- Legal deadline to file a lawsuit. Varies by claim type and state.
- Subpoena
- A court order to appear, testify, or produce documents.
- Summons
- Official notice that you've been sued and must respond.
- Tort
- A civil wrong causing harm — covers negligence, defamation, etc.
- Verdict
- The decision of a jury (or judge in a bench trial).