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En banc
A proceeding in which the entire membership of an appellate court participates in the decision, rather than leaving the decision to a smaller "panel" of the court's members. In Utah, the Court of Appeals is prohibited from sitting en banc.
Hearsay
Second-hand evidence, generally consisting of a witness's testimony that he/she heard someone else say something.
Answer
A pleading by which defendant responds to the plaintiff's complaint
Challenge to the array
Questioning the qualifications of an entire jury panel, usually on the grounds of partiality or some fault in the process of summoning the panel.
Not guilty plea
Complete denial of guilt. In criminal cases, a necessary stage of the proceedings required to preserve all legal issues.
Foundation
In a trial, a foundation must be laid to establish the basis for the admissibility of certain types of evidence. For example, expert witnesses' qualifications must be shown before expert testimony will be admissible.
Brief
A lawyer's written statement of a client's case filed in court. It usually contains a summary of the facts in the case, the pertinent laws, and an argument of how the law applies to the facts supporting the client's position.
Preliminary hearing
A probable cause hearing which screens felony criminal cases by deciding whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. If the judge determines there is sufficient evidence, the defendant is "bound over" for trial. The defendant may waive this hearing.
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