Sports Law Vocab

Question 1

Acceptance

Answer 1

Offeree’s notification to the offeror that he/she agrees to be bound by terms and conditions of offer or contract.

Question 2

Accommodation

Answer 2

To accommodate. Adjustment or settlement

Question 3

Adjudicate

Answer 3

Have a court make (rule) a decision or decide a dispute. Come to a conclusion.

Question 4

Affirmed

Answer 4

To affirm a judgement, decree, or order is to declare it is valid or correct. Affirmation that must stand as rendered by lower courts.

Question 5

Affidavit

Answer 5

Written statement or declaration of facts sworn to be the maker, take before a person officially permitted by law to administer oaths.

Question 6

Amicus curiae

Answer 6

Friend of the court; Third party that presents a brief to the court.

Question 7

Annotations

Answer 7

Statutory and Textual; Brief and expository essays.

Question 8

Appeal

Answer 8

Request from the losing party in the case that a higher court can review the decision. Acceptance of the request must require an issuance by a writ of appeal.

Question 9

Appellant

Answer 9

Party who appeals a decision from lower-higher court.

Question 10

Appellate Court

Answer 10

Court of appellate jurisdiction.

Question 11

Arraignment

Answer 11

The appearance of a defendant to a criminal charge before a judge for the purpose of pleading guilty or not guilty to the indictment.

Question 12

Bona fide

Answer 12

Real, true, and actual

Question 13

Brief

Answer 13

In American law practice, a written statement prepared by the counsel arguing a case in court. It contains a summary of the facts of the case, the pertinent laws, and argument of how the law applies to the facts supporting counsels position.

Question 14

Burden of proof

Answer 14

Necessity or duty of positively proving a fact or facts in a dispute between parties.

Question 15

Collusion

Answer 15

A secret agreement behind one parties’ back. Fraudulent, unlawful practice of law. Occurs in professional sports when teams secretly agree not to hire one another’s players.

Question 16

Cross-Examination

Answer 16

Examination of a witness in a trial or hearing, or in a deposition, by the opposing party.

Question 17

Damages

Answer 17

Actual, Compensatory, Exemplary, or Punitive.
Monetary compensation awarded by a court for an injury caused by act of another.

Question 18

Defendant

Answer 18

Party against whom legal action is taken; particularly, a person accused or convicted of a criminal offense.

Question 19

Deposition

Answer 19

Testimony of a witness, take out of court before a report and under oath.

Question 20

Disclosure

Answer 20

Argument that certain information possessed by associations, or meetings held by organizations, should be a matter of public record. “To reveal the facts”.

Question 21

Discovery

Answer 21

Method by which opposing parties may obtain information from one another, to prepare for trial.

Question 22

Equal Rights Amendment

Answer 22

Proposed amendment; For women

Question 23

Evidence

Answer 23

Any form of proof presented at trial through use of testimony, records, documents, and concrete objects.

Question 24

Felony

Answer 24

Serious criminal offense. Typically, crimes for which punishment may exceed one year in jail.

Question 25

Holding

Answer 25

Declaration or conclusion of law reached by the court regarding the legal effect of the facts of the case.

Question 26

In loco parentis

Answer 26

Placed in the position of the parents of the child, such as a coach or teacher given this status within a relationship with the student-athlete.

Question 27

Instrument

Answer 27

Usually a document, such as a contract.

Question 28

Laches

Answer 28

Wrongful or unwarranted delays.

Question 29

Liability

Answer 29

Condition of being responsible either for damages resulting from an injurious act or for discharging an obligation or debt.

Question 30

Libel

Answer 30

Written defamation of a person’s character.

Question 31

Misdemeanor

Answer 31

Offense lower than a felony and generally punishable by fines or imprisonment of up to 1 year.

Question 32

Modified

Answer 32

Changed; Decision that alters the introduction of new elements; Could be a cancellation.

Question 33

Motion

Answer 33

Formal request made to a judge pertaining to any issue arising while a lawsuit is pending.

Question 34

Negotiation

Answer 34

To negotiate; Deliberation, settling, or arranging the terms and conditions of a possible transaction.

Question 35

Obligation

Answer 35

One’s debt or duty.

Question 36

Offer

Answer 36

Act by one person giving another person the legal power to create the obligation called a contract.

Question 37

Offeree

Answer 37

One to whom a contract offer is made.

Question 38

Offeror

Answer 38

One who makes a contract offer.

Question 39

Plaintiff

Answer 39

Party who brings in action; The complainant.

Question 40

Precedent

Answer 40

Case that furnishes an example or authority of deciding subsequent cases in which identical or similar facts are present.

Question 41

Proximate Cause

Answer 41

Act that is the natural and reasonably foreseeable cause of the harm or agent that injures the plaintiff.

Question 42

Punitive Damages

Answer 42

Compensation in excess of actual or consequential damages. They are awarded to punish the wrongdoer. Only in malicious misconduct.

Question 43

Quid Pro Quo

Answer 43

This for that. Something given in exchange for something else.

Question 44

Relinquish

Answer 44

To give up, surrender, or turn over.

Question 45

Slander

Answer 45

Oral defamation of a person’s character.

Question 46

Specific Performance

Answer 46

An equitable remedy whereby the court orders one of the parties to a contract to perform his or her duties under the contract. Granted when monetary damages are inadequate.

Question 47

Standing

Answer 47

Qualifications needed to bring legal action. Qualifications relate to the existence of a controversy in which the plaintiff has suffered or is about to suffer an injury or infringement.

Question 48

Stare Decisis

Answer 48

To stand on what has been decided; Adhere to the decision of previous cases. A rule that is sometimes departed from that settles a point when a previous case becomes a precedent that should be followed.

Question 49

Statutes

Answer 49

Acts of legislature. Depending upon its context in usage, a statue may mean a single act of legislature or a body of acts that are collected and arranged according to scheme.

Question 50

Statutes of Limitations

Answer 50

Laws setting time periods during which disputes may be taken to court.

Question 51

Subpoena

Answer 51

Court order compelling a witness to appear and testify in a certain proceeding.

Question 52

Tangible Asset

Answer 52

Something that can be touched. Sports equipment, team apparel, etc.

Question 53

Trial Court

Answer 53

Court before which issues of fact and law are tried and first determined as distinguished from an appellate court.

Question 54

Vacated

Answer 54

Annulled, set aside, cancelled, or rescinded.

Question 55

Venue

Answer 55

Geographical area where a court with jurisdiction may try a case.

Question 56

Waiver

Answer 56

Voluntary relinquishment of a know right.

Question 57

Writ of Appeal

Answer 57

Suit or action brought before the court that holds a federal act to be unconstitutional or a state action to be constituted. Suit brought but the U.S. under the Interstate Commerce Act.