All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W

For glossary terms in American Sign Language, you can view these Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf videos.

Magistrate judge

A judge that only hears part of a case

Maintenance

Money the court orders one spouse to pay the other spouse after their divorce (formerly called alimony)

Marital property

Property acquired by either spouse during the marriage

Married filing jointly

A tax filing status for a married couple that includes all income and deductions for both people

Material breach

A violation of a contract that is severe enough to end the agreement

Mediation

When a neutral person, called a mediator, works to help the parties in a case reach an agreement

Mediator

A neutral person who helps parties in a case reach an agreement outside court

Minor

A person under 18 years old

Mistrial

A trial that ends without any final decision. It is because of an error or the jury cannot agree on the verdict.

Modify

To change or adjust

Mortgage

A loan given by a bank that is used to help someone buy a home

Mortgage company

A company that lends someone money to buy a house. The company can take the house if the homeowner cannot repay the loan.

Mortgage servicer

The company that collects monthly loan payments for a mortgage

Motion

A request to the judge to make the court or a party in the case do something

Municipal ordinance

A law or regulation of a city or local government

Misdemeanor

A lesser crime punishable by a fine or confinement in county jail for up to one year.

Murder and non-negligent manslaughter

The willful killing of a human being

Manner of handling

A general classification of case processing within the juvenile court system

Motor vehicle theft

The unlawful taking, or attempted taking, of a self propelled road vehicle owned by another