Casualty Loss: a loss of property due to fire, storm, or other casualty

Cause of Action: the existence of particular facts and law that create a right sufficient to merit judicial action

Cautionary Instruction: judge's charge to a jury telling them not to allow any outside matter to influence their verdict

Caveat: (lat.) warning or caution

Cease and Desist Order: a court order prohibiting the person or entity to which it is directed from undertaking or continuing a particular activity or course of conduct

Circuit Court: one of several courts in a given jurisdiction; a part of a system of courts

Circumstantial Evidence: indirect evidence of a fact; evidence that indirectly suggests proof of a fact

Citation: a reference to a book or other source of legal authority

Civil Action: a legal proceeding brought to protect a civil right created by common law or statute

Civil Law: law concerned with non criminal matters

Civil Liability: liability for actions seeking enforcement of personal rights

Class Action: a lawsuit brought by a representative member on behalf of a large group of persons or members of the group

Clayton Act: prohibits price fixing and other types of discrimination

Clean Hands: the doctrine that requires that a person who seeks equitable relief must not himself have committed any impropriety with respect to the transaction

Clear and Convincing: standard of proof; evidence greater than mere preponderance

Common Law: the system of jurisprudence which is based on judicial precedent rather than statutory laws and comprises the largest body of law in the United States

Comparative Negligence: the comparing of responsibility between the plaintiff and the defendant or defendants

Complaint: in a civil lawsuit, the first papers filed by the plaintiff setting out the facts on which the claim for relief is based

Compos Mentis: (lat.) mentally competent

Conclusion of Fact: the conclusion reached through use of facts and reasoning, without resort to rules of law

Conclusion of Law: conclusion reached through application of rules of law

Conclusive Evidence: evidence which is irrefutable

Conflict of Interest: a situation where the tending of one duty leads to disregard of another

Conflict of Laws: applicable law of one state court which differs with the applicable law of another state jurisdiction which also has an interest in the outcome

Consanguinity: the familial relationship of persons united by one or more common ancestors

Consent, Informed: see INFORMED CONSENT

Consent Judgment: an agreement of the parties which is placed on record with the court having jurisdiction

Consortium: the loss of services an society of another

Contempt of Court: a willful disobedience of a court order or a willful interference with the administration of justice

Contingent Fee: charge made by an attorney dependent upon the outcome of the case; the amount is usually a percentage of the party's recovery

Continuance: a postponement

Contribution: a legal right of a party who is responsible to the victim for reimbursement from another person

Contributory Negligence: the negligence of the injured party which is recognized as conduct which contributed to the loss

Costs: court-recognized expenses of the legal proceedings for which the successful party is entitled to reimbursement from the other party

Criminal Negligence: an act of negligence that is a violation of law and constitutes a crime