Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes > Chapter 806 > INDICTMENT AND INFORMATION, GENERALLY

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• 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.
• 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.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• True bill: Another word for indictment.