Glossary

  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Acknowledgment of Service

The document that the Respondent receives with the Petition. He or she must sign and return it to confirm that they know about the Petition.

Adjournment

Postponing an event, such as a court case or a company meeting, to a later date.

Adjudication

Judgment or decision of a Court or tribunal

Administration order

An order by a County Court directing a debtor to pay a specified monthly installment into Court in respect of outstanding debts. The Court retains the payments made and at intervals distributes it between the creditors on a pro-rata basis

Admission

The acceptance that a fact or statement is true which then, in court proceedings, cannot be denied without the court's permission.

Adverse possession

The possession of property without the permission of the owner. If this continues for a sufficient time, not secretly but openly for all the world to see, the owner may be prevented from claiming it back.

Affidavit

A written statement to be used in court, the truth of which has been sworn or affirmed by the person making it.

Allocation questionnaire

Issued to all parties after a defence has been filed. This form details all the evidence to be used as well as the required domestic arrangements for the trial

Appeal

To ask a higher court or authority to change the decision of a lower one.

Application

A document which sets out what the court is being asked to do.

Attachment of earnings order

A court order obtained by a creditor to make a debtor's employer deduct and hand over to the creditor a proportion of the debtor's earnings to pay off the debt.