CEREBRAL PALSY GLOSSARY
Glossary of Cerebral Palsy Law Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
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Damages: Monetary compensation claimed by a person who has suffered a loss or injury to his person, property or rights as a result of the negligence or unlawful conduct of another.
Decedent: A person who has died.
Decree: An order of the court.
Default: Failure of either party to file required documents or appear in a civil case within a certain period of time.
Defendant: The person or party sued in a civil case or accused in a criminal case.
Deposition: The testimony of a witness, taken out of court and usually prior to trial.
Direct examination: Questioning of a witness by the party who calls the witness.
Directed verdict: In a trial, a judgment entered by the judge without allowing the jury to participate.
Discovery: The pre-trial process, such as a deposition, by which one party discovers the evidence that will be relied upon at trial by the opposing party.
Dismissal with prejudice: An order to dismiss a case in which the court bars the plaintiff from suing again on the same cause of action.
Dismissal without prejudice: An order to dismiss a case in which the court preserves the plaintiff's right to sue again on the same cause of action.
Dysarthria: A speech disorder that often affects people with cerebral palsy, caused by a weakness in the muscles that produce speech. In mild cases, there may only be a slight slurring of speech; in more severe cases, the person may depend upon a voice output system to speak.
Dystonia: Involuntary, slow, sustained muscle contractions resulting in abnormal postures and twisting motions of the arms, legs, and trunk.