Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes > Chapter 612 > Part I - Selection and Service

• Bailiff: a court officer who enforces the rules of behavior in courtrooms.
• Circuit: refers to a judicial circuit, as specified in § 603-1. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
• Court: means the circuit and district courts of this State, and includes, when the context requires, any judge of the court. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Disability: means the state of having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities, having a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Felony: means a crime as defined in section 701-107(2). See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Jury wheel: means any physical device or electronic system for the storage of the names or identifying numbers of prospective jurors. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• month: means a calendar month; and the word "year" a calendar year. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-20
• Name: when used in connection with prospective jurors, includes identifying numbers of the jurors. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 612-3
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trial jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
• Voir dire: The process by which judges and lawyers select a petit jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."