Crim

Front 1

nolle prosequi

Back 1

The ending of a criminal case because the prosecutor decides or agrees to stop prosecuting. When this happens, the case is “nollied,” “nolled,” or “nol. prossed.”

Front 2

arraignment

Back 2

The stage of the criminal process in which the defendant is formally told the charges and allowed to enter a plea.

Front 3

arrest

Back 3

The act of depriving a person of his or her liberty, most frequently accomplished by physically taking the arrestee into police custody for a suspected violation of criminal law.

Front 4

arrest warrant

Back 4

A document issued by a judicial officer authorizing the arrest of a specific person.

Front 5

bail

Back 5

The security (money or bail bond) given as a guarantee that a released prisoner will appear at trial.

Front 6

bail agent (bail bondsperson)

Back 6

A person whose business it is to effect release on bail for persons held in custody by pledging to pay a sum of money if a defendant fails to appear in court as required.

Front 7

bench warrant (capias)

Back 7

An order issued by the court itself, or from the bench, for the arrest of a person; it is not based, as is an arrest warrant, on a probable cause showing that a person has committed a crime, but only on the person’s failure to appear in court as directed.

Front 8

bind over

Back 8

If at the preliminary hearing the judge believes that sufficient probable cause exists to hold a criminal defendant, the accused is said to be bound over for trial.

Front 9

cash bond

Back 9

Requirement that money be posted to secure pretrial release.

Front 10

charging document

Back 10

An information, indictment, or complaint that states the formal criminal charge against a named defendant.

Front 11

complaint

Back 11

In civil law, the first paper filed in a lawsuit. In criminal law, a charge signed by the victim that a person named has committed a specified offense.

Front 12

contempt of court

Back 12

The failure or refusal to obey a court order; may be punished by a fine or imprisonment.

Front 13

grand jury

Back 13

A group of citizens who decide whether persons accused of crimes should be indicted (true bill) or not (no true bill).

Front 14

hierarchy rule

Back 14

A UCR rule that records only the most serious crime to occur during an event in which two or more crimes were committed, rather than recording each crime.

Front 15

immunity

Back 15

A grant of exemption from prosecution in return for evidence or testimony.

Front 16

index crimes

Back 16

The specific crimes used by the FBI when reporting the incidence of crime in the United States in the Uniform Crime Reports.

Front 17

indictment

Back 17

A formal accusation of a criminal offense made against a person by a grand jury.

Front 18

information

Back 18

A formal accusation charging someone with the commission of a crime, signed by a prosecuting attorney, which has the effect of bringing the person to trial.

Front 19

initial appearance

Back 19

Shortly after arrest, the suspect is brought before a judicial official who informs the person of the reason for the arrest and makes an initial determination about whether there was probable cause for the arrest. In some jurisdictions, a preliminary determination regarding bail may also be made.

Front 20

National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

Back 20

An incident-based, rather than summary-based, system for tracking criminal offenses with significantly more detail than the UCR.

Front 21

no true bill

Back 21

The decision of a grand jury not to indict a person for a crime.

Front 22

preliminary hearing

Back 22

A pretrial hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to bind a defendant over for felony trial.

Front 23

preventive detention

Back 23

Holding a defendant in custody pending trial in the belief that he or she is likely to commit further criminal acts or flee the jurisdiction.

Front 24

probable cause

Back 24

Standard used to determine whether a crime has been committed and whether there is sufficient evidence to believe a specific individual committed it.

Front 25

property bond

Back 25

Use of property as collateral for pretrial release.

Front 26

release on recognizance (ROR)

Back 26

The release of an accused person from jail on his or her own obligation rather than on a monetary bond.

Front 27

subpoena (power)

Back 27

An order from a court directing a person to appear before the court and to give testimony about a cause of action pending before it.

Front 28

transactional immunity

Back 28

Absolute protection against prosecution for any event or transaction about which a witness is compelled to give testimony or furnish evidence.

Front 29

true bill

Back 29

A bill of indictment by a grand jury.

Front 30

Type I offenses

Back 30

Serious crimes of homicide, rape, arson, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, auto theft, and larceny, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports; also called index crimes.

Front 31

use immunity

Back 31

A witness may not be prosecuted based on grand jury testimony he or she provides but may be prosecuted based on evidence acquired independently from that testimony.