In Forma Pauperis: Yet Another Reason To Hire A Lawyer

Because courts have existed for thousands of years, and the court procedures we have today have been borrowed from several different countries, going to a court proceeding might feel like you have stepped into a foreign country. While you could look these terms up to get a rough idea of what they mean, you won't have an idea of how they impact your case. For example, just consider these few terms. 

In Forma Pauperis

The term "In Forma Pauperis" means in the manner of a pauper. Pauper itself is a somewhat archaic term, which means in the manner of a poor person. Great, so how do you argue a case in the form of a poor person? When you go to court, you are required to pay certain legal fees. If you can't afford your fees, you should not be denied the right to go to court. Instead, you simply need to provide evidence to show that you really can't afford your fees, and the judge can waive your fees. 

Inculpatory Evidence

Here is yet another term that comes from Latin. If you try to argue you case on your own, a term like inculpatory evidence can really stop you in your tracks. It simply means evidence that shows that the defendant is guilty. So if you are guilty, what do you do with evidence that could prove you're guilty? If you try to hide it, you could end up with new legal problems. A good lawyer, like Michael B. McCord, will know what your reaction to the evidence should be.

En Banc

In appellate court, you will typically have a panel of judges that hear cases. To handle the volume of cases that come before the appellate court. You will typically have only a few judges hearing your case. The French term "En Banc" means on the bench, and it means that all of the appellate judges will hear your case. This can have a huge impact on your case because you have more judges to consider. Different judges look for different things in a case, and a good lawyer will know how to appeal to each of the judges.

As you can see, legal terms can be confusing. If you have a court case coming up, you don't want to go into the courtroom alone. A trained lawyer will have the expertise to help you handle the linguistic and legal conundrums that come up in a court case.  

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