General (not jurisdiction-specific)

The court’s official record of filings and events in a case.

The level of deference an appellate court gives to the lower court’s decision on a particular issue.

The court officer who maintains records, accepts filings and performs duties assigned by the rules, such as entering defaults.

A prior court decision that guides or controls later cases on similar issues.

A proceeding before a judge or other judicial officer to consider a motion, a request or another matter. An evidentiary hearing takes testimony and exhibits; a non-evidentiary hearing hears argument on the papers already filed. Not every motion gets an oral hearing: a federal court may decide motions on the briefs without one (Fed. R. Civ. P. 78(b)).

Law a court must follow, such as a statute or a decision of a higher court in the same jurisdiction.

An agreement resolving a dispute without a final court decision on the merits. A settlement agreement is a contract and can be enforced like one. Some settlements need court approval — for example, class action settlements (Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(e)) and, under state law and local court rules, settlements of minors’ claims. Offers and statements made in settlement negotiations are generally not admissible to prove or disprove the validity or amount of a disputed claim (Fed. R. Evid. 408). In real estate, “settlement” also means the closing of a sale or loan.

Law or commentary a court may consider but is not required to follow.

A process in which a neutral third party helps the parties try to reach a settlement.

The law itself: constitutions, statutes, court rules, regulations and court decisions.