Personal Injury Glossary Terms: R - T

- R -

Rebuttal Evidence: A form of evidence that is provided to express an opposition to or a contradiction of, or to disprove certain facts of a case that were offered by opposing counsel.

Relevant: Any form of evidence that is considered to be of merit to the basis of the case.

Remand: In legal terms, it means to "send back" a case to where it had originally started. For instance, when an appellate court has reviewed a case and found that there is reasonable cause to have the originating court retry the case, they will remand the case to the lower court.

Removal: A court order that directs a case to be transferred to another court.

Res Ipsa loquitur: The translation means: "a thing that speaks for itself." In a civil law case, it is the view that the defendant is guilty of negligence prior to proving that there was an act of negligence. There is a limited use of the doctrine which is limited to theory in most cases.

Rest: When a party has finished presenting all of the evidence in a case.

- S -

Sealing: Closing a record so that review or inspection of the information is not permitted.

Service of Process: The process where the parties that are involved in a law suit are notified by an process server, or civil servant, that they are to appear as part of a legal action. The process consists of a summons to appear, a civil citation or warrant, and an attached complaint. If a witness is to appear in court, then a subpoena will compel the attendance of the witness.

Slander: Statements that are made about a person that causes damage to the persons’ character or professional reputation.

Small Claims: A civil legal matter where the total of damages regarding the matter do not exceed $2,000.

Statute of Limitations: A prescribed amount of time stated in a laws’ statute which determines the amount of time that is allowed for litigation to be enacted.

- T -

Tort: An injury that has been committed against a person, either intentionally or unintentionally, that caused damage to a person or a persons’ property, where there may be civil liability for the damages that were caused.

Transcript: An officially recorded documentation that is taken of a court trial or hearing.

Trial: A legal proceeding where there is an examination of the issues that are related to the parties of an action.

If you have anymore questions regarding Personal Injury, contact a California Injury Attorney today!