| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | abuse | harmful treatment of a child |
| 2. | adjudication | formal court determination |
| 3. | advocate | one who supports another’s interests |
| 4. | affidavit | a sworn written statement |
| 5. | allegation | an unproven claim of wrongdoing |
| 6. | appeal | request for higher court review |
| 7. | attachment | emotional bond with caregiver |
| 8. | best interests | what most benefits the child |
| 9. | bias | unfair preference or prejudice |
| 10. | capacity | legal or mental ability |
| 11. | caregiver | person providing daily care |
| 12. | case plan | formal plan for services and goals |
| 13. | child welfare | system protecting children’s safety |
| 14. | citation | official notice to appear |
| 15. | clerk | court official handling records |
| 16. | confidential | meant to be kept private |
| 17. | consent | permission given voluntarily |
| 18. | continuance | postponement of a hearing |
| 19. | counsel | lawyer or legal advice |
| 20. | dependency | child needing court protection |
| 21. | deposition | sworn testimony before trial |
| 22. | disclosure | revealing important information |
| 23. | discovery | exchange of case information |
| 24. | dismissal | ending a case without trial |
| 25. | disposition | court’s final decision or order |
| 26. | docket | court’s schedule or case list |
| 27. | due process | fair legal procedures required |
| 28. | emancipation | legal independence from parents |
| 29. | evaluation | professional assessment of needs |
| 30. | evidence | information proving or disproving facts |
| 31. | ex parte | with only one side present |
| 32. | fact-finding | process of determining the facts |
| 33. | family court | court handling family matters |
| 34. | finding | formal determination of fact |
| 35. | foster care | temporary care outside home |
| 36. | guardian | person legally responsible for another |
| 37. | hearing | court proceeding before a judge |
| 38. | hearsay | secondhand statement offered as evidence |
| 39. | home study | assessment of a home placement |
| 40. | impartial | fair and not biased |
| 41. | in camera | in private before the judge |
| 42. | indigent | too poor to pay |
| 43. | intake | initial case screening process |
| 44. | intervention | court-approved involvement in a case |
| 45. | interview | formal questioning for information |
| 46. | judge | official who decides cases |
| 47. | judgment | court’s final decision |
| 48. | jurisdiction | court’s legal authority |
| 49. | kinship care | care by relatives or close adults |
| 50. | mandate | official command or requirement |
| 51. | mediation | assisted negotiation to resolve disputes |
| 52. | minute order | brief written court order |
| 53. | monitoring | ongoing oversight of a case |
| 54. | motion | formal request to the court |
| 55. | neglect | failure to provide proper care |
| 56. | notice | formal information about proceedings |
| 57. | objection | formal protest in court |
| 58. | out-of-home placement | living away from parents |
| 59. | parental rights | legal rights of a parent |
| 60. | permanency | stable long-term living arrangement |
| 61. | petition | formal written court request |
| 62. | placement | where a child is living |
| 63. | preponderance | more likely true than not |
| 64. | prima facie | sufficient on first appearance |
| 65. | proceeding | formal legal process or hearing |
| 66. | protective order | order preventing contact or harm |
| 67. | reasonable efforts | required attempts to avoid removal |
| 68. | rebuttal | evidence answering opposing claims |
| 69. | record | official case documentation |
| 70. | recusal | judge’s withdrawal from a case |
| 71. | referral | sending a case for services |
| 72. | reunification | returning child to family |
| 73. | review hearing | hearing to check progress |
| 74. | risk | chance of harm or danger |
| 75. | safety plan | steps to keep a child safe |
| 76. | service plan | organized list of required services |
| 77. | shelter hearing | early hearing after removal |
| 78. | social worker | professional helping families and children |
| 79. | standing | legal right to participate |
| 80. | statute | written law passed by legislature |
| 81. | stipulation | agreement between parties on facts |
| 82. | subpoena | order to appear or produce |
| 83. | temporary custody | short-term legal care authority |
| 84. | termination | legal ending of rights or status |
| 85. | testimony | spoken evidence under oath |
| 86. | timeliness | acting within required time |
| 87. | transcript | written record of spoken proceedings |
| 88. | trauma | deep emotional or physical harm |
| 89. | truancy | unexcused absence from school |
| 90. | venue | proper location for a case |
| 91. | violation | breaking a rule or order |
| 92. | visitation | time spent visiting a child |
| 93. | voluntary | done by free choice |
| 94. | waiver | intentional giving up of a right |
| 95. | ward | person under court protection |
| 96. | well-being | overall health and welfare |
| 97. | with prejudice | barred from being filed again |
| 98. | without prejudice | may be filed again later |
| 99. | witness | person giving evidence |
| 100. | zealous | showing strong energetic advocacy |