In general, a place or location in which something takes place. The proper place to hold a civil or criminal trial, usually because important related events have taken place there.
Illustrative caselawSee, e.g. Cortez Byrd Chips, Inc. v...
courts and procedure
Venue
Definition
Veracity
Definition
Truthfulness or accuracy of a person or statement.
Illustrative caselawSee, e.g. Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, 129 S.Ct. 2527, 2537 n.6 (2009).
Impeach
Perjury (contrast)
verbatim
Verbatim means to use exactly the same words as another; usually when transcribing, quoting, or recording the original material word for word, such as making a verbatim transcript in a proceeding.
[Last updated in May of 2022 by the...
Verdict
Definition
A jury's findings or conclusions on the factual issues presented by a case. Sometimes, the term also refers to the judge's resolution of issues in a bench trial.
Illustrative caselawSee, e.g. United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005...
Verification
Definition
A declaration swearing that statements made in a document are true. Depending on the jurisdiction, verifications are either made under oath or in the presence of a notary public or similarly authorized person. Verifications are traditionally...
Versus
Definition
Against. Abbreviated as v. and vs. Used in case names, e.g. McDonald v. Chicago, 130 S.Ct. 3020 (2010).
See alsoAdverse party
Void for vagueness
Definition
1) In criminal law, a declaration that a law is invalid because it is not sufficiently clear. Laws are usually found void for vagueness if, after setting some requirement or punishment, the law does not specify what is required or what...
Voir dire
French for "to speak the truth." The process through which potential jurors from the venire are questioned by either the judge or a lawyer to determine their suitability for jury service. Also the preliminary questioning of witnesses (especially...
weight of evidence
Weight of evidence is the believability or persuasiveness of evidence in probative value, not the quantity or amount of evidence. Weight of evidence is not determined by mathematics, but depends on its effect in inducing belief. In State v....
witness
A witness is someone with firsthand knowledge of an event, or a person who sees a second person sign a document, then adds their own signature confirming (or attesting) that the first signature is genuine.
A witness may...