What do Lawyers Mean When They Say

Defense lawyers love to use abbreviations (and acronyms) in court. It generally helps to quickly get everyone on the same page, therefore not requiring complicated explanations of things.

Think of it as “legal shorthand.”

While its purpose is speed up the process, it also can be a bit confusing if you’re not an attorney or have little experience with the criminal courts system in North Carolina.

Indeed, you may be scratching your head, asking, “What do defense lawyers mean when they say…” about a lot of the different legal terms used in court.

There is a language of law in court, where the legal professionals including the Clerk of Court, deputies, probation officers, etc., all understand, at least as to the process, the definition of and what is meant by those terms.

That’s what is meant by “terms of art,” it’s also why we use a lot of abbreviations for the sake of expediency. Everyone in the system, including judges, prosecutors, and criminal defense lawyers understand how little time we have in court.

Judges prefer when defense attorneys (and prosecutors) speak succinctly, quickly getting to the point, thus preserving valuable court time.

It can be a delicate balance between brevity and making certain both legal rights are protected and the individual aspects of the case are understood by his or her Honor (the presiding judge).

There are also certain titles for the different people in the courtroom, including “honorifics.”

While the defense attorney is normally referred to by their last name or “counsel for the Defendant” or just “counsel,” it’s proper, when addressing the judge to say “Your Honor.”

Both defense lawyers and judges may refer to the prosecutor as “the State” or “the Assistant District Attorney” or the “ADA.”

Old school judges, as much as a matter of humor as habit, may occasionally address the ADA as the “solicitor” or “Mr. Solicitor.”

If you have pending criminal charges, you too may have a title such as “the accused” or “the Defendant.”

In some jurisdictions, especially ones like Charlotte, Statesville, Mooresville, and Monroe NC with substantial caseloads, the District Attorney, in announcing the next matter in “open court,” may refer everyone one to, “Number xxx on the printed docket,” giving also the Defendant’s last name.

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