https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/glossary/p
Date: 12/16/2025
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For glossary terms in American Sign Language, you can view these Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf videos.
Parole
A release from prison. It allows someone to serve time outside of prison as long as they follow certain conditions.
Parental responsibilities
Making important decisions for a child (significant decision-making responsibility) and spending time with them (parenting time)
Parenting plan
A document that divides up each parent's significant decision-making responsibility or parenting time. Can also be both.
Parenting time
Time that a child spends with a parent. Usually, the child lives mostly with one parent and has regular contact with the other (formerly called visitation).
Personal jurisdiction
The authority of the court to make a decision that affects the parties in the case
Plenary order of protection
A long-term order granted by a judge telling an abuser to stop further domestic abuse. Done after both parties had a chance to present their case.
Precedent
A court decision made in an earlier case. It sets up a rule that judges will usually follow when deciding a similar case in the same area.
Preliminary injunction
An order issued by a judge that stops the defendant from doing a certain activity. This is usually until a full hearing with a judge.
Prenuptial agreement
An agreement made before marriage. It explains how issues of support and property will be resolved when the marriage ends.
Presiding judge
In a court with more than one judge, the judge that acts as the leader of the court's business
Presiding justice
In a court with more than one justice, the justice that acts as the leader of the court's business
Probation
A criminal court sentence which releases a person into the community. They are under supervision and given certain conditions.
Public defender
A free lawyer appointed by the criminal court when a defendant cannot afford to pay for a lawyer
Punitive damages
Money awarded in a case meant to punish a losing party. It's usually above the real cost of the injury.
Putative father registry
A registry of men who think they may be the father of a child. They were not married to the mother at the time of birth. The father wants a say in whether the child is adopted.
Pocket-picking
Stealing things from another person's possession in a sneaky way. The victim doesn't notice it was stolen right away.
Petitioned
Cases that appear on the official court calendar. It is in response to the filing of a petition or other legal request for the court to pass judgment on the youth. They might determine to send them to criminal court to be tried as an adult.
Placement facility type
Whether a juvenile placement facility is publicly or privately owned or operated
Property crime index
Property crimes tracked by the FBI. They include burglary, larceny theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.