Criminal Defense Terms and Definitions

Levy A seizure; the obtaining of money by legal process through seizure and sale of property. Accessory A person who assists in the commission of a crime, either before or after the fact. Dismissal without prejudice A dismissal which permits the plaintiff to sue again on the same cause of action or the state to proceed again. Dismissal with prejudice bars the right to subsequently bring an action on the same cause. Fraud An intentional perversion of truth; deceitful practice or device resorted to with intent to deprive another of property or other right. Restitution Court-ordered payment to restore goods or money to the victim of a crime by the offender. Misdemeanor A minor offense, lower than a felony, which is punishable by a county jail term of up to one year and/or a fine, but not prison. Misdemeanors are classified into three categories: Class A, B, and C. Assault A willful attempt to illegally inflict injury on or threaten a person. Battery Actual physical violence, whether serious or minor, inflicted on a person. (A mere threat is called assault, whereas the completed act is called battery) Burglary The unlawful breaking into or entering of a building or dwelling with the intent to commit a serious crime or theft. 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.

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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.