DD Form 214: The term “DD-214” is often used generically to mean “separation papers” or “discharge papers”, no matter what form number was used to document active duty military service. A DD-214 is issued to military members upon separation from active service and was issued to separated service members beginning in the 1950’s.

Damages: Monetary compensation that the law award to one who has been injured by the action of another; monetary recompense for a legal wrong such as a breach of contract or a tortuous act.

Dangerous Weapon (or Instrument): Almost any device that has the potential to cause serious bodily injury or endanger life.

DBA: Abbreviation for “Doing Business As”. Trade name. Usually filed at the County Records Office.

Decision-Making: The process of evaluating and judging information gathered and relating it to the specific requirements of the position for which the applicant is applying.

De-Novo: Latin for “anew” or “afresh.” Usually used as Trial De Novo. New trial, or one that is held for a second time, as if there had been no previous trial or decision.

Dead Docket: The case never went to trial. The case can be reopened if new evidence is submitted.

Deadly Weapon: Any device capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. An instrument may be intrinsically deadly, as a knife or pistol, or deadly because of the way it is used, as a wrench or hammer.

Debt: An obligation of one person to pay or compensate another.

Debtor: One who owes another anything, or is under obligation, arising from express agreement, implication of law, or principles of natural justice, to pay money or to fulfill some other obligation; in bankruptcy or similar proceedings, the person who is the subject of the proceedings.

Defamation: Untrue statements made about another that damage his/her reputation. See libel and slander.

Default Judgment: 1. A judgment against defendant who has failed to respond to plaintiff’s action or to appear at the trial or hearing. 2. Judgment given without the defendant being heard in his own defense.

Defendant: Civil: The part responding to the complaint. Criminal: The accused.

Deferred Probation: The judge doesn’t make a finding of guilt; he assigns probation. If probation is completed without incident, the charges are typically dropped.

Deferred Sentence: Defendant found to have committed the crime, conditions imposed and now awaits sentencing on final outcome.

Defraud: Knowingly misrepresenting facts to cheat or trick.

Degree (First, Second, or Third, A, B, or C):

Classification assigned to a crime, depending on circumstances, for purposes of determining punishment. First degree is considered more serious than third; A is more serious than C. Degrees may be assigned to the actual crime (i.e. murder in the first or second degree) or the class of crimes (i.e. felony or misdemeanor).

Deposit Account Fraud: Georgia: Bad checks.

Directed Verdict: A determination by a jury, made at the direction of the judge. A directed verdict happens in cases where there has been a lack of evidence, an overwhelming amount of evidence, or where the law is in favor of one of the parties.

Discharge: 1. To satisfy or dismiss the obligation of contract of debt. 2. The method by which a legal duty is extinguished.

Discovery: The pre-trial devices that can be used by one party to obtain facts and information about the case from the other party in order to assist the party's preparation for trial.

Dismissal: Finally disposing of the cause without further consideration. May be voluntary or involuntary. When involuntary, there is usually lack of prosecution or failure to produce sufficient evidence.

Dismissed: The judge orders the disposing of an action without trial of the issues involved or without any further consideration or hearing.

Dismissed With Prejudice: Such a dismissal is on the merits of the case and does bar a subsequent suit on the same cause of action.

Dismissed Without Leave; North Carolina: The DA dismissed the charge/case, etc.

Dismissed Without Leave After Deferred: Prosecution charges dismissed after specified time (90 days to 1 year) provided certain conditions have been met such as participating in specified program of anger control or drug counseling or providing community service, etc.

Dismissed Without Prejudice: Such a dismissal is not on the merits and does not bar a subsequent suit on the same cause of action, nor affect any right or remedy of the parties.

Disorderly Conduct: Broadly signifies conduct that tends to breach the peace or endangers the morals, safety or health of the community.

Disposed/Disposition: The final settlement in the matter. Examples of disposed cases are those with a finding of guilt (conviction), innocence, or acquittal.

District Court: In the federal court system a district court is a trial court for federal cases in a court district. A court district may consist of an entire state or only a part of it. District courts have original jurisdiction, exclusive of courts of the individual states, of all offenses against laws of the United States. District Court also refers to inferior courts in several states having limited jurisdictions to try certain minor cases.

Diversion Granted: Pre-trial intervention, first-time or petty criminal offenders are not subjected to the regular judicial process, usually placed on probation for no more than 1 year. Not an admission of guilt or a conviction.

Diversion Program: A court direction which calls for a defendant, who has been found guilty, to attend a work or educational program as part of probation. May include some type of anger management, drug rehab, etc. If the conditions of the program are met, charge may be considered a non-conviction.

Diversity of Citizenship: A crime of claim, which extends between citizens of different states. This is one of the grounds that can be used to invoke the jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal District Court. Divorce: Dissolution of the bonds of marriage.

DMV Hold: The court notifies the Department of Motor Vehicles for non-compliancy in criminal cases to place a hold for renewing a driver’s license or car registration until the criminal matters are taken care of.

DOB: Date of Birth

Docket Record: A court’s official record of proceedings and calendar of upcoming cases.

Drug Treatment Court: The federal and California state governments are jointly promoting the expansion of “drug treatment courts.” Drug courts combine the close supervision of the judicial process with the resources available through alcohol and drug treatment services. The goals are to reduce recidivism of drug-related offenses and to create options within the criminal justice system to tailor effective and appropriate responses to offenders with drug problems.

DUI: Driving under the influence.

Due Diligence: The attention and care that a reasonable person exercises under the circumstances to avoid harm to other persons or their property. Failure to make this effort is considered negligence.

Due Process of Law: Procedures followed by law enforcement and courts to insure the protection of an individual’s right as assigned by the Constitution.

Duty: Obligatory conduct owed by a person to another person.

DWAI: Driving while ability impaired.

DWI: Driving while intoxicated, alcohol or drugs. Complete intoxication is not required. Individual state statutes specify the blood alcohol content at which a person is presumed to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

DWLS: Driving while license suspended.