Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 17 > Chapter 2 > Part X > Subpart B-1 - Personal Leave

• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• property: means immovable property, including servitudes and other rights in or to immovable property, and any electric light, gas or waterworks plants. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 19:101
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.