Court

What court means

Put simply, court is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where court comes up

The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.

Read the source: Jurisdiction.

How to research the term

To research court, begin with the rule, statute or contract where the word is used. Each one can give it a slightly different meaning. Then compare that text with how courts in your area have applied it. Also check the local rules of your court, since they can add requirements. If your case is in state court, the state rules control. So start with our state procedures guide to find them. In the end, always confirm that the source you rely on is current.

You can read the current federal court rules online for free.

Related legal terms

• Corpus: latin for "body." In trust law, the trust corpus is the property held in a trust, also called the principal or the trust res. The word also appears in phrases such as habeas corpus.
• Corpus delicti: latin for "the body of the crime." The principle that the prosecution must prove a crime actually occurred — generally that the injury or loss happened and was caused by someone's criminal act — and, in most jurisdictions, that a conviction cannot rest on a defendant's uncorroborated confession alone.
• Costs: court-related expenses that a winning party may recover from the losing party, such as filing fees and transcript fees. In federal court, 28 U.S.C. § 1920 lists taxable costs. Attorney's fees are generally not included in costs.
• Counterclaim: a claim by a defending party against the party who sued it.

Why precise terms matter

Courts read legal terms closely. As a result, knowing the exact meaning of a word helps you follow orders, rules and filings. Each glossary entry on Lawtopolis is short on purpose and links to the pages where the term is used.