Certificate Of Deposit (CD)

A document issued by a bank in return for a deposit of money which pays a fixed interest rate for a specified period. Interest rates on CD's are usually higher than savings accounts because banking institutions require a commitment to leave money in the CD for a fixed period of time.

Certiorari

A writ of a higher court to a lower court to send all the documents in a case to it so the higher court can review the lower court's decision. Certiorari is most commonly used by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is selective about which cases it will hear on appeal.

Cestui Que Trust

1) an old fashioned expression for the beneficiary of a trust 2) "The one who trusts," or the person who will benefit from a the trust and will receive payments or a future distribution from the trust's assets

Cestui Que Use

 An old fashioned term for a person who benefits from assets held in a trust for the beneficiary's use. The term "beneficiary" is now used instead.

Chain Of Title

The succession of title ownership to real property from the present owner back to the original owner at some distant time.

Challenge

The right of each attorney in a jury trial to request that a juror be excused. There may be a "challenge for cause" on the basis the juror had admitted prejudice or shows some obvious conflict of interest.

Challenge For Cause

A request that a prospective juror be dismissed because there is a specific and forceful reason to believe the person cannot be fair, unbiased or capable of serving as a juror.

Chambers

The private office of a judge, usually close to the courtroom so that the judge can enter the court from behind the bench and not encounter people on the way.

Champerty

An agreement between the party suing in a lawsuit and another person, usually an attorney, who agrees to finance and carry the lawsuit in return for a percentage of the recovery.

Chancellor

From the Old English legal system, a chancellor is a judge who sits in what is called a chancery (equity) court with the power to order something be done (as distinguished from just paying damages).