• Alimony - An allowance for support made under court order to a divorced person by the former spouse, usually the chief provider during the marriage. Alimony may also be granted without a divorce, as between legally separated persons.   Court-ordered support paid by one spouse to another after they are separated."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Attorney - Attorneys - Attorney at Law - A person who has been trained in law and has been certified to give legal advice or to represent others in legal matters."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Child Custody - The act or right of guarding a child, especially such a right granted by a court: an adult who was given custody of the child.   Court ordered legal custody of, control over and responsibility for a child."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Child Custody Attorney - Child Custody Lawyer - Attorneys and Lawyers who specialize in legal representation for Child Custody issues. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Child Support - Court-ordered support paid by one spouse to the other who has custody of the children after the parents are separated "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Child Support Attorney - Child Support Lawyer - Attorneys and Lawyers who specialize in Child Support representation, collection and enforcement issues. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Civil Law - The body of laws of a state or nation dealing with the rights of private citizens."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Common Law - A system of jurisprudence developing under the guidance of the courts so as to apply a consistent and reasonable rule to each litigated case. It may be superseded by statute, but unless superseded it controls. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Common-law Marriage (Common Law Marriage) - A marriage existing by mutual agreement between a man and a woman, or by the fact of their cohabitation, without a civil or religious ceremony.   A marriage relationship created by agreement and cohabitation rather than by ceremony. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Contempt of Court - Disrespect for the rules of a court of law."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Court of Law - A court that hears cases and makes decisions based on statutes or the common law."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Court Order - An order issued by a court that requires a person to do or refrain from doing something. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Divorce - The legal dissolution of a marriage.   To end marriage with (one's spouse) by way of legal divorce.   A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii. ``from the bond of matrimony.'' "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Divorce Attorney - Divorce Lawyer - Attorneys and Lawyers who specialize in divorce law, child custody law and child support issues."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Family Law Attorney - Attorneys and Lawyers who specialize in family law, including child custody law, child support and sposal abuse issues."); legalTerms.document.write("

• General Attorney - General Attorneys - Attorneys at Law - A person who has been trained in law and has been certified to give legal advice or to represent others in legal matters."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Law Firm - A firm of lawyers. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Laws - The body of rules and principles governing the affairs of a community and enforced by a political authority - a legal system."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Lawsuit - lawsuits - law suit - An action or a suit brought before a court, as to recover a right or redress a grievance.   An action at law; a suit in equity or admiralty; any legal proceeding before a court for the enforcement of a claim.   A comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Lawyer - Lawyers - One whose profession is to give legal advice and assistance to clients and represent them in court or in other legal matters.   One versed in the laws, or a practitioner of law; one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients, or to advise as to prosecution or defence of lawsuits, or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters. "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Legal Aid (Legal Aide) - Legal assistance provided, as by a specially established organization, for those unable to afford an attorney."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Legal - Established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules.   Relating to or characteristic of the profession of law; 'the legal profession'."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Legal Right (Legal Rights) - A right based in law."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Legal Separation - A court decree recognizing that a married couple is living apart and regulating the couple's mutual rights and liabilities. Also called judicial separation.   A judicial decree regulating the rights and responsibilities of a married couple living apart "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Legality - Lawfulness by virtue of conformity to a legal statute."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Litigation - A dispute that has become the subject of a formal court action or law suit."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Litigate - To engage or contest in legal proceedings."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Nolo Contendere - This is Latin for 'I will not defend it.' This plea is used when the defendant declines to refute the evidence of the prosecution. In some jurisdictions, this response by the defendant has the same effect as a plea of guilty."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Out-of-court Settlement - An agreement between two litigants to settle a matter privately."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Paralegal - Someone who is not a lawyer, nor is acting in that capacity, but who provides limited legal services under the supervision of a lawyer."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Plaintiff/Defendant - The person or entity who brings a case to court. Other terms for plaintiff include claimant, petitioner or applicant. The person or entity against which the case is being lodged is generally called the defendant."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Private Attorney - an attorney in fact - A person appointed by another, by a letter or power of attorney, to transact any business for him out of court."); legalTerms.document.write("

• pro bono - Done for the public good without compensation."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Public Attorney - Attorney at Law - A practitioner in a court of law, legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court, on the retainer of clients."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Public Defender - An attorney or a staff of attorneys, usually publicly appointed, having responsibility for the defense of those unable to afford or obtain legal assistance.   A lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expense "); legalTerms.document.write("

• Retainer - A contract between a lawyer and the client, under which the lawyer agrees to represent and provide legal advice to the client, in exchange for money."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Summons - This is one of the initial documents issued in a civil suit. It gives the defendant notice of the claim and the opportunity to defend it."); legalTerms.document.write("

• Violation - The act of violating, treating with violence, or injuring; the state of being violated. Specifically: Infringement, transgression or nonobservance - as in the violation of law.

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