Felonies Legal Terms and Legal Words. Criminal Defense Terminology

abduction: The illegal carrying or enticing away of a person, esp. by interfering with a relationship, as the taking of a child from its parent or taking a woman with intent to marry her without her will. The National Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children defines a child non family abduction as "a non-family perpetrator takes a child by the … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
abet: To help someone commit a crime, including helping them escape from police or plan the crime. See also: aid and abet … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
acquittal: A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is insufficient to support a conviction. … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
aggravated assault: See: assault … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
Alternate Public Defender: An Alternate Public Defender (APD) is a highly trained and devoted attorney, specializing in criminal defense, employed by the County of Los Angeles. APD attorneys provide high quality, cost effective and caring representation in cases where the Public Defender has a conflict of interest. Although the APD handles every type of misdemeanor and felony … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
bail: The release, prior to trial, of a person accused of a crime, under specified conditions designed to assure that person's appearance in court when required. Also can refer to the amount of bond money posted as a financial condition of pretrial release. … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
battery: The willful and unlawful touching or striking of one person by another, with the intention to harm. Common examples: John and Kate had an argument; John punches Kate with his fist. John just committed battery James and his friends have a conversation at a subway station. One of his friends made an unpleasant comment about James’ pants. James beat up … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
concurrent sentences: Prison terms for two or more offenses to be served at the same time, rather than one after the other. Example: Two five-year sentences and one three-year sentence, if served concurrently, result in a maximum of five years behind bars. … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
criminal: Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness. A person committed a crime; one who is found guilty in criminal court. … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense
Criminal nuisance: The laws of criminal nuisance vary from state to state, but most states have several degrees of criminal nuisance. For example, NY Penal Code distinguishes Criminal nuisance in the second and first degree. A person is guilty of criminal nuisance in the second degree when: 1. By conduct either unlawful in itself or unreasonable under all the … Full Definition »
Law topic: Felonies << Legal issue: Criminal Defense