Criminal Defense Terms and Definitions

Tort An injury or wrong committed, either with or without force, to the person or property of another, for which civil liability may be imposed. Fourteenth Amendment Among other matters, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without adequate due process. Levy A seizure; the obtaining of money by legal process through seizure and sale of property. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Methods of resolving disputes outside of official court proceedings. These methods include mediation arbitration, and conciliation. Burglary The unlawful breaking into or entering of a building or dwelling with the intent to commit a serious crime or theft. Fourth Amendment The 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects every person against unreasonable search and seizure by government officials. Admissible evidence Evidence which can legally and properly be used in court. Restitution Court-ordered payment to restore goods or money to the victim of a crime by the offender. Felony A felony is a major crime for which the maximum imprisonment is more than one year in a state correctional institution. The court may also impose a fine. Felonies are classified into four categories: capital, 1st degree, 2nd degree, and 3rd degree Embezzlement The fraudulent appropriation by a person to his own use or benefit of property or money entrusted to him by another.

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	Did You Know?
	Res Ipsa Loquitur - Literally, "a thing that speaks for itself." In tort law, the doctrine which holds a defendant guilty of negligence without an actual showing that he or she was negligent. Its use is limited in theory to cases in which the cause of the plaintiff's injury was entirely under the control of the defendant, and the injury presumably could have been caused only by negligence.