When you have your first time in court, the legal jargon thrown around can overwhelm and intimidate you. This can especially happen if you don't have a law degree. You may also have a hard time understanding legal documents since they are often full of legalese.

Most legal terms are Latin derivations, so unless you studied Latin in high school or college, you might not understand any of them. Although you may never use legal terminology in your daily conversations, if you are involved in a case, you may want to have a basic understanding of legal terms since your attorney and the judge involved in your case will use them a lot.

Discover eight legal terms you should know.

1. Damages

Attorneys use the term damages to refer to the amount of monetary compensation that a client wishes to recover from a lawsuit. Various categories of damages exist, such as economic damages, which may refer to compensation recoverable for lost wages or profit and out-of-pocket expenses, and non-economic damages such as compensation for pain and suffering, physical injuries, permanent disabilities, and emotional distress.

2. Credibility

Credibility is an essential factor in all lawsuits. In court, credibility refers to a person's believability or trustworthiness when recounting their side of the story. In a lawsuit, the first step in building your credibility involves telling your lawyer everything involving the incident related to your case.

Credibility is especially useful in a case where opposing parties tell different stories, forcing the judge or jury to decide who the honest party among the two is.

3. Deposition

A deposition is an oral statement made on oath by witnesses in a case. A court reporter records everything said in a deposition, and witnesses must sign the transcript to prove its accuracy. Witnesses are not allowed to make changes to any parts of the transcript.

4. Pro Se

Pro se is Latin for the term for oneself. It refers to a defendant's right to defend themselves in court. However, you have a better chance of a good outcome in court if you hire a good lawyer to represent you.

5. Affidavit

The word affidavit originates from a Latin phrase that means, he has declared under oath. An affidavit refers to a written statement of facts said by an individual under oath. A court officer authorized to administer oaths must sign an affidavit for it to hold water in court.

Lying under oath in a trial in Oklahoma may result in a perjury charge, for which the accused may serve a jail sentence for anywhere from two to 10 years.

6. Standard of Proof

The standard of proof refers to the degree of evidence required by the court to charge a defendant. Three levels of standard of proof exist. That is, the preponderance of the evidence, clear and convincing evidence, and evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal standard of proof necessary to validate a criminal conviction.

7. Acquittal

Hearing the term acquittal in court might be a cue for you to start celebrating. An acquittal means that the court has not found the accused person guilty. A person may be acquitted if there is insufficient evidence to prove they committed a crime.

8. Liability

Liability is a term used to refer to an accused party's responsibility for damages or injuries suffered by another. A party found liable for a crime is responsible for paying any compensation related to the crime.

We understand that the legal terms described above may be a lot to take in when you have a looming court date. So if you have further questions, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.