Damages: money compensation awarded to a person who has been injured by another; see ACTUAL DAMAGES, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LIQUIDATED DAMAGES, NOMINAL DAMAGES, PUNITIVE DAMAGES

Damnum Absque Injuria: (lat.) harm without injury

Declaratory Judgment: a review and determination by the court, sometimes with the assistance of a jury, of a matter to determine the rights of the parties or express the opinion of the court on a question of law or interpretation

Decree: a decision or order of a court, usually in equity; a final decree disposes of all matters before the court; an interlocutory decree disposes of only part of the lawsuit and often may not be appealed until the conclusion of the entire case

Default Judgment: a judgment entered against a party for that party's failure to answer or comply as required by procedure laws. Most often occurs when a defendant fails to answer the court papers filed by the plaintiff charging the defendant with wrongdoing Defense: the defendants statement or reasons why he should not be liable to the plaintiff for the allegations made

De Jure: (lat.) by right; lawful

Deliberation: the jurors process of pondering and weighing of facts, applying the law, and coming to a verdict

Demand: the amount of money requested by the plaintiff

Demonstrative Evidence: evidence which aids by its ability to demonstrate; object or thing which can be viewed by the trier of fact

De Novo: (lat.) from the very beginning; anew

Depose: to give evidence or testimony under oath on the record

Deposition: the taking a statements prior to trail where all parties attorneys are asked to be present for the asking of questions of parties or witnesses while the proceedings are recorded by some approved method

Derogation: to repeal or abolish a law

Directed Verdict: a verdict entered in a jury trial by the judge before the jury is allowed to consider the merits of the case

Discovery: a procedure utilized by the attorneys to the litigation to acquire information in preparation for trial

Discretion: the exercise of an official prerogative to act in an official capacity

District Court: court having jurisdiction over a territorial district

Due Care: a theory of tort law to explain the standard of care or the legal duty one owes to others; what a reasonable person would do under like circumstances

Duty: obligation owed by a person to another person