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Calendar
A list of cases scheduled for hearing in court.

Canon law
The law of the Christian Church. Has little or no legal effect today. Canon law refers to that body of law which has been set by the Christian Church and which, in virtually all places, is not binding upon citizens and has virtually no recognition in the judicial system. Some citizens resort to canon law, however, for procedures such as marriage annulments to allow for a Christian church marriage where one of the parties has been previously divorced. Many church goers and church officers abide by rulings and doctrines of canon law. Also known as "ecclesiastical law."

Canons of ethics
Standards of ethical conduct for attorneys.

Capacity
Having legal authority or mental ability. Being of sound mind.

Capital crime
A crime punishable by death.

Capital punishment
The most severe of all sentences: that of death. Also known as the death penalty, capital punishment has been banned in many coutries. In the United States, an earlier move to eliminate capital punishment has now been reversed and more and more states are resorting to capital punishment for serious offenses such as murder.

Caption
Heading or introductory party of a pleading.

Case law
The entire collection of published legal decisions of the courts which, because of stare decisis, contributes a large part of the legal rules which apply in modern society. If a rule of law cannot be found in written laws, lawyers will often say that it is a rule to be found in "case law". In other words, the rule is not in the statute books but can be found as a principle of law established by a judge in some recorded case. The word jurisprudence has become synonymous for case law.

Cases
General term for an action, cause, suit, or controversy, at law or in equity; questions contested before a court of justice.

Cause
A lawsuit, litigation, or action. Any question, civil or criminal, litigated or contested before a court of justice.

Cause of action
The fact or facts which give a person a right to relief in court.

Caveat
Latin: let him beware. A formal warning.

Caveat emptor
means let the buyer beware or that the buyers should examine and check for themselves things which they intend to purchase and that they cannot later hold the vendor responsible for the broken condition of the thing bought.

Censure
An official reprimand or condemnation of an attorney. (See disbarment or suspension.)

Certificate of Title
Document issued by Registrar of Titles for real estate registered under the Torrens System, which is considered conclusive evidence of the present ownership and state of the title to the property described therein.