Legal glossary

Indian legal & court-procedure terms

Plain-language definitions for 88 terms used across Indian litigation — from everyday words like FIR and bail to Latin procedural terms and writ types.

A

Act Advocate Article Appeal Advocate on Record (AOR)Affidavit Anticipatory Bail Ad Interim Order Adjournment Amicus Curiae Arbitration Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

B

Bail Bailable Offence Bench Bare Act Burden of Proof

C

Court CNR Number Causelist Caveat Certiorari Cognizable Offence Charge Sheet Cross-Examination Cause of Action Curative Petition Contempt of Court

D

Defendant Decree Deposition Decree Holder Division Bench District Court

E

Ex-parte Examination-in-Chief Execution (of Decree)

F

G

Gazette Notification

H

Hearing Habeas Corpus

I

Injunction In-camera Proceedings Interlocutory Order Interim Relief

J

Judgment Jurisdiction Judgment Debtor

L

Locus Standi Limitation Period Lok Adalat

M

Mandamus Magistrate Mediation

N

Notice Non-Cognizable Offence Non-Bailable Offence

O

Order Obiter Dicta

P

Petitioner Plaintiff Petition Power of Attorney (POA)Prohibition (Writ)Plaint Pecuniary Jurisdiction Public Interest Litigation (PIL)Precedent Prima Facie

Q

R

Respondent Res Judicata Review Petition Ratio Decidendi Rejoinder

S

Section Summons Special Leave Petition (SLP)Stay Order Sub Judice Suo Motu Stare Decisis Sessions Court Sine Die

T

Territorial Jurisdiction

V

W

Written Statement