Ghost gun

What ghost gun means

Put simply, ghost gun 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 ghost gun 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.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if ghost gun appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read ghost gun in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

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

Related legal terms

• GAAS: generally accepted auditing standards — the standards auditors follow when auditing financial statements.
• Gamesmanship: not a defined legal term; courts use it to describe tactics that exploit procedure to gain an unfair advantage instead of resolving the dispute on the merits — for example, hiding evidence, filing to delay, or ambushing an opponent.
• Garnishment: a process for collecting a judgment from money a third party owes the debtor, such as wages. Procedures are set largely by state law.
• Genuine dispute: a real disagreement about a fact, supported by evidence, that a reasonable fact-finder could resolve either way.

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.