Terms Used In Alabama Code > Title 31 > Chapter 2A > Part VI - Pre-Trial Procedure

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
• 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.
• person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1