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Judgment: A written court ruling issuing a final decision of the court based upon a jury verdict or the findings of a court. A judgment is a legally binding order which results the legal issues of the parties.
Jurisdiction: The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. A court must have jurisdiction over the parties to the lawsuit as well as over the subject matter of the lawsuit.
Juror: A person who serves on a jury whose job it is to decide the facts of the case consistent with the evidence presented at trial.
Jury: The group of jurors who are selected to hear the evidence and render a verdict consistent with the court's instructions on the law. With limited exceptions, parties have a fundamental right to have a jury of their peers decide a legal dispute.
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Lawsuit: A lawsuit is a claim that has formally been commenced by serving a summons and complaint upon a defendant.
Liability: Liability is a term used to determine another person or entity' is responsibility for causing damages. In civil cases, liability is established by proving that the defendant was negligent, that is the defendant failed to do what a reasonable prudent person would have done or did something that a reasonable prudent person would not have done. Liability is established by an experienced trial lawyer proving through admissible evidence that the defendant was negligent and that their negligence was a legal cause of the plaintiff's injuries.
Liability Coverage: Insurance coverage provided to an insured to pay for damages caused by their negligent acts. Automobile liability coverage is insurance provided to owners and permissive users of an automobile who are negligent in their use of the automobile and caused injuries to others. Homeowners liability coverage is insurance coverage provided to homeowners to pay damages to others caused by their negligent acts.
Libel: A written defamatory statement which causes damage to a person's reputation.
Litigant: A party in a lawsuit.
Litigation: A general term for the entire process of a lawsuit.
Loss of Consortium: The legal term for damages sustained by a non-injured spouse as a result of the injured spouse's damages. Loss of consortium may include the loss of services the injured spouse is no longer able to provide to the non-injured spouse because of the injury, including the inability to maintain a household or care for children, as well as the impact of the injured spouse's injury upon the marital relationship. It is a separate element of damages for the non-injured spouse.
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