The abstention doctrine is an authority that precludes federal courts from hearing cases within its jurisdictions, instead, giving state courts authority over the case. The policy behind this doctrine is rooted in federalism, and the interest...
criminal procedure
abstract
Abstract refers to an abbreviated history of an official record. Some common usages of the term “abstract” in a legal sense include:
“Abstract of title” merely recites what the land records disclose without giving opinion or advice...abuse of discretion
Abuse of discretion is a standard of review used by appellate courts to review decisions of lower courts. The appellate court will typically find that the decision was an abuse of discretion if the discretionary decision was made in plain...
abuse of process
Abuse of process is a common law tort that involves the misuse of legal process(es) for an ulterior purpose. Abuse of process is one of several actionable offenses aimed at discouraging bad-faith litigation attempts. Indeed, courts hold the...
acceptance of service
Acceptance of service is defined as an agreement by the defendant (or the defendant's attorney) to accept papers or a complaint without having the papers served by a process server or a sheriff. Acceptance of service is accomplished by...
accessory
An accessory is someone who aided or contributed to the commission or concealment of a crime. There are two categories of accessories: accessory before-the-fact and accessory after-the-fact. Unlike an accomplice, an...
accessory after the fact
An accessory-after-the-fact is someone who assists 1) someone who has committed a crime, 2) after the person has committed the crime, 3) with knowledge that the person committed the crime, and 4) with the intent to help the person avoid...
accessory before the fact
An accessory before-the-fact is a person who aids, abets, or encourages another to commit a crime but who is not present at the scene. An accessory before the fact, like an accomplice may be held criminally liable to the same extent as the...
accomplice
An accomplice is defined as a person who knowingly, voluntarily, or intentionally gives assistance to another in (or in some cases fails to prevent another from) the commission of a crime. An accomplice is criminally liable to the same extent...
accomplice witness
An “accomplice witness” is someone who is both a witness to a crime and an accomplice in that same crime; one who participates with the defendant before, during, or after the commission of the crime. The participation must involve an...