summons

A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government. Their job is to show a court that someone has committed a crime.

A defendant is a person or organization that is being accused of a crime or is being sued in a court of law. This person is required to answer the legal charges brought against them by another party.

A person or group who brings a legal case against another in a court of law. They are the ones starting the lawsuit because they believe they have been wronged.

A group of ordinary people chosen to listen to the facts of a trial in a court of law. They listen to the evidence and decide if a person is guilty or not guilty.

A lawsuit is a legal case where one person or group brings a disagreement to a court of law for a judge to decide. It usually happens when someone wants money or a specific action from another person because of a problem or injury.

Proof is a fact or a piece of information that shows something is true. In a legal context, it is what a person uses to convince a judge or jury that a crime happened.

A misdemeanor is a minor crime that is less serious than a felony. It is usually punished by a fine or a short period of time in a local jail rather than a state prison.

A sentence is a punishment given by a judge to someone who has been found guilty of a crime. It explains how much time a person must spend in prison or how much money they must pay as a fine.

Bail is a sum of money paid to a court so that a person who has been accused of a crime can stay out of jail until their trial starts. If the person shows up for their court date, the money is usually returned.

Fraud is the illegal act of tricking someone to get their money or property. It is a crime where a person lies or hides the truth to gain an unfair advantage.