What is an argument called in court?

Asked by: Dr. Ursula Sauer  |  Last update: January 16, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (61 votes)

oral argument - An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court in an appeal and also to answer the judges' questions.

What is arguing in court?

An oral argument is an oral presentation attorneys make to the court. It is an opportunity for attorneys to emphasize certain legal points and for the appellate court to ask questions. It is not an opportunity to raise new facts or new legal arguments.

What is a legal dispute called?

Action, Case, Suit, Lawsuit: A legal dispute brought into court for a hearing or trial. Parties: The plaintiff and defendant in the case - also called the “litigants.”

What is an argument called?

altercation, bickering, brawl, clash, controversy, debate, disagreement, dispute, exchange, feud, quarrel, squabble.

What is considered argumentative in court?

argumentative. adj. the characterization of a question asked by the opposing attorney which does not really seek information but challenges the truthfulness or credibility of the witness.

Ponzi Scheme Murder Trial: Defense Closing Argument

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What do you call arguments in court?

Oral Argument. Oral argument is the last step in the appeal process before the Court of Appeal makes a decision. During oral argument, all parties who filed a brief are offered a limited amount of time to speak directly to the Court of Appeal justices before they decide the appeal.

What are the four types of objections in court?

Below are some common objections:
  • Irrelevant: The testimony pursuant to a question asked or the particular item of evidence is not relevant to the case.
  • The witness is incompetent .
  • Violation of the best evidence rule .
  • Violation of the hearsay rule .

What is an argument also called?

Definitions of argument. noun. a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement. “they were involved in a violent argument” synonyms: arguing, contention, contestation, controversy, disceptation, disputation, tilt.

What is another word for conflict or argument?

Some common synonyms of conflict are contention, discord, dissension, strife, and variance.

What are written arguments also called?

Briefs are the written documents in which the attorneys in a case present their legal arguments to the court.

What is the legal word for dispute?

controversy. n. 1) disagreement, argument or quarrel. 2) a dispute, which must be an actual contested issue between parties in order to be heard by a court. The U.S. Supreme Court particularly requires an "actual controversy" and avoids giving "what if" advisory opinions.

What terms are used in court?

Legal Terms & Definitions
  • Action, Case, Suit. A legal dispute brought into court for a hearing or trial.
  • Answer. A pleading filed with the court before the trial by the defendant in a civil case to answer or deny the plaintiff's claims.
  • Acquit. ...
  • Cause of Action. ...
  • Challenge for Cause. ...
  • Closing Argument. ...
  • Complaint. ...
  • Counterclaim.

What is the legal term for disagreement?

Dispute is both a verb and a noun. A dispute is a disagreement, argument , or controversy —often one that gives rise to a legal proceeding (such as arbitration , mediation , or a lawsuit ). The opposing parties are said to be adverse to one another (see also adverse party ). To dispute is the corresponding verb.

What is a legal argument?

Typically, a single legal argument has four components presented in the following order: 1. A conclusion about, or statement of, the legal issue, 2. An explanation of the law, 3. An application of the law to the client's facts, and 4.

What does conflict mean in court?

Conflict of laws refers to a difference between the laws of two or more jurisdictions with some connection to a case, such that the outcome depends on which jurisdiction's law will be used to resolve each issue in dispute .

What is argument in trial?

Legal Arguments: The main legal arguments that the party intends to present, often organized into numbered points. Authorities: References to relevant legal cases, statutes and legal principles that support the arguments. Conclusion: A brief summary of the main points and the relief sought from the court.

What is a fancy word for argument?

wrangle, bickering, discord, dissension. in the sense of assertion.

What is a disagreement or argument called?

arguing, argument, contention, contestation, controversy, disceptation, disputation, tilt. a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement. gap. a difference (especially an unfortunate difference) between two opinions or two views or two situations. dustup, quarrel, row, run-in, words, wrangle.

What is another word for argument or quarrel?

How does the noun quarrel contrast with its synonyms? Some common synonyms of quarrel are altercation, squabble, and wrangle. While all these words mean "a noisy dispute usually marked by anger," quarrel implies heated verbal contention, stressing strained or severed relations which may persist beyond the contention.

What is a formal argument called?

Deductive arguments are either valid or invalid based on their structure or form, so they are sometimes called formal arguments. We looked at some basic deductively valid argument forms: modus ponens, modus tollens, disjunctive syllogism and dilemma.

What is another word for argue something?

The words debate and discuss are common synonyms of argue. While all three words mean "to discourse about in order to reach conclusions or to convince," argue implies the offering of reasons or evidence in support of convictions already held.

What is an opposing argument called?

DEFINITION: An opposing argument (also called opposing claim, counter claim or rebuttal) is an argument that does not support your thesis statement. In fact, it directly contradicts it. WHY?: By addressing an opposing claim (counter argument. or rebuttal) you actually strengthen YOUR argument. It.

What does argumentative mean in court?

In the American legal system, argumentative is an evidentiary objection raised in response to a question which prompts a witness to draw inferences from facts of the case.

What does hearsay mean in court?

Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of whatever it asserts, which is then offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter. The problem with hearsay is that when the person being quoted is not present, it becomes impossible to establish credibility.

What does a judge say to objections?

The judge will usually say "sustained" or "overruled" to respond to your objection. If the judge says sustain, they agreed with your objection. If they say overruled, they disagreed with your objection.