Guilty

What guilty means

Put simply, guilty 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 guilty 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: Not guilty, No contest.

How to research the term

First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses guilty in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.

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

Related legal terms

• Government: the institutions and officials through which a political community makes and enforces its laws.
• Grant deed: a deed used in California and some other states in which the grantor, by using the word "grant" to convey the property, makes two promises implied by law unless the deed says otherwise: that the grantor has not already conveyed the property or any interest in it to someone else, and that the property is free from encumbrances made or allowed by the grantor or anyone claiming under the grantor (Cal.
• Grantor trust: for federal income tax purposes, a trust whose income is taxed to the grantor (settlor) because the grantor keeps certain powers or interests, under 26 U.S.C. §§ 671 to 679. A revocable trust is usually a grantor trust.
• Guardian: a person appointed by a court with the legal authority and duty to care for another person, called a ward — such as a minor or an adult who cannot manage his or her own affairs — or the ward's property.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.