chief judgeThe judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
CIPContinuation-in-Part an application filed during the lifetime of an earlier nonprovisional application, repeating some substantial portion or all of the…
Circumstantial evidenceAll evidence except eyewitness testimony. One example is physical evidence, such as fingerprints, from which an inference can be drawn.
CISThe CIS is the National Cancer Institute's link to the public, interpreting and explaining research findings in a clear and understandable manner, and…
Cita, referenciaUn conjunto de números y letras usados para localizar un juicio anteriormente decidido en un libro de casos. Ejemplo: 15 N.Y.
CivilRelating to private rights and remedies sought by civil actions as contrasted with criminal proceedings.
Civil actionAn action brought by a party to enforce or protect private rights.
Civil CaseA case where the subject is a dispute between private individuals or organizations.
Civil lawLaw based on a series of written codes or laws.
Civil lawsuitA lawsuit brought by individuals, companies or agencies againist other individuals, companies or agencies to obtain relief for injuries suffered, monetary…
Civil procedureThe rules and processes by which a civil case is tried and appealed, including the preparations for trial, the rules of evidence and trial conduct and the…
ClaimYour request for the insurance company to pay you an amount under the terms of your policy.
claim(s)A claim is one of the numbered paragraphs that appear at the end of a patent and defines the scope of protection given to the owner of the patent (i.e.
Claim, DependentA claim that refers back to and further limits or restricts the breadth of another claim.
Claim, GenericA claim that describes ("reads on") a generic form of an invention. A generic claim generally reads on all the claimed species of an invention. MPEP 806.
Claim, IndependentA claim that does not reference (depend from) another claim. MPEP 608.01(i).
Claim, JepsonA form of a claim with a preamble that describes what is known in the art followed by a transitional phrase such as "the improvement comprising" and then…
Claim, MarkushA form of a claim that allows claiming of members of a finite group by means of a phrase like "a member selected from the group consisting of" followed by…
Claim, Multiple DependentA claim that refers back to and depends from more than one other claim. The other claims may be refered to in the alternative only. MPEP 608.01(n).
Claim, PictureA claim that sets forth an invention in great detail. Also called a Specific Claim.
Claim, ProcessA claim that recites the steps of a process. The process may be a method of making something, a process of operating something or a process of using…
Claim, ProductA claim that recites the elements or features of a product (i.e., a machine, an article of manufacture or a composition of matter).
Claim, SpeciesA claim that describes ("reads on") a species of an invention. A generic claim generally reads on all the claimed species of an invention. MPEP 806.04(d).
Claimed InventionThe invention that the inventor(s) claim to have invented and for which he/she/they seek patent protection.
claimsdefine the invention and are what aspects are legally enforceable. The specification must conclude with a claim particularly pointing out and distinctly…
claims bar dateLast day to file proof of claim, usually 90 days after the section 341(a) meeting of creditors.
classArticle I, section 3 of the Constitution requires the Senate to be divided into three classes for purposes of elections.
Class actionA lawsuit brought by one or more persons on behalf of a larger group. Individuals seeking to maintain a class action must file a formal motion requesting…
Classificationpatents are classified (organized) in the U.S. by a system using a 3 digit class and a 3 digit subclass to describe every similar grouping of patent art.
classification of goods and servicesGoods and services are classified by an international system, according to international treaties to which the United States is a signatory.
Clean air actsFederal and state environmental statutes enacted to regulate and control air pollution.
clean billGenerally, after a committee has amended legislation, the chairman may be authorized by the panel to assemble the changes and what remains unchanged from…
Clear and convincing evidenceStandard of proof used in certain lawsuits and in regulatory agency cases. It governs the amount of proof that must be offered in order for the plaintiff…
ClerkThe administrative staff person who calls the calendar, organizes the files, keeps track of the cases, and initially identifies certain possible defects…
clerk of courtAn officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the courts administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases…
clientAny computer system that requests a service of another computer system. A workstation requesting the contents of a file from a file server is a client of…
Client/ServerAn architecture whereby a computer system consists of one or more server computers and numerous client computers (workstations).
ClipboardA holding area that temporarily stores information copied or cut from a document.
cloakroomDemocratic and Republican cloakrooms adjacent to the Senate chamber serve as gathering places for party members to discuss chamber business privately.
Closing argumentThe closing statement, by counsel or a pro se litigant, to the trier of facts after all parties have concluded their presentation of evidence at trial.
clotureThe only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster.
clusterClusters are fixed length blocks of bytes that store data for Microsoft operating systems.
Cluster (File)The smallest unit of storage space that can be allocated to store a file on operating systems that use a file allocation table (FAT) architecture.
Cluster (System)A collection of individual computers that appear as a single logical unit. Also referred to as matrix or grid systems.
Cluster bitmapsUsed in NTFS to keep track of the status (free or used) of clusters on the hard drive.
CMYKCyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. A subtractive method used in four color printing and Desktop Publishing.
codingLitigation Support: Automated or human process through which documents are examined and evaluated using predetermined codes, and the results of those…
CODIS administratoran employee of the laboratory responsible for administration and security of the laboratory’s CODIS at a laboratory that owns the database and/or known…
coinventoran inventor who is named with at least one other inventor in a patent application, wherein each inventor contributes to the conception (creation) of the…
COLD (Computer Output to Laser Disc)A computer programming process that outputs electronic records and printed reports to laser disc instead of a printer.
Collateral EstoppelDoctrine which provides that a court ruling concerning a disputed set of facts in one action is binding on those same parties in future proceedings…
collective marka trademark or service mark used, or intended to be used, in commerce, by the members of a cooperative, an association, or other collective group or…
Colorable DeviationA small change (in a product or process) from what is claimed that is made soley for the purpose of avoiding literal infringement of the claim.
combining prior artUnder Section 102 of the U.S. Patent Statute, a claim must be identically disclosed in a single prior-art reference in order to be rejected as being…
Comic ModeHuman-readable data, recorded on a strip of film which can be read when the film is moved horizontally to the reader.
Comma Separated Value (CSV)A record layout that separates data fields/values with a comma and typically encloses data in quotation marks.
commitTo send a person to prison, asylum or reformatory by a court order.
committeeSubsidiary organization of the Senate established for the purpose of considering legislation, conducting hearings and investigations, or carrying out…
committee amendmentAn amendment recommended by a committee in reporting a bill or other measure.
committee calendarSenate committees periodically publish a committee calendar that lists the bills and resolutions referred to them, action taken on those measures, and…
committee jurisdictionThe subjects and functions assigned to a committee by rule, resolution, precedent, or practice, including legislative matters, oversight and…
committee membershipSenators are assigned to specific committees by their party conference. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent…
committee on committeesCommittees formed in each party conference and responsible for nominating the party's Senators to committee membership and committee leadership positions.
committee printA publication used by committees for various purposes. For example, the rules of each standing committee may be published as a committee print, and drafts…
committee substituteShort for committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.
CommittiturEntry which records a defendant's commitment.
common inventoran inventor whose name is listed on multiple patent applications or granted patents, making the inventions at least partially the work of the same person.
common lawLaw established by subject matter heard in earlier cases. Also called case law.
common law rightsproperty or other legal rights that do not absolutely require formal registration in order to enforce them.
Community defender organizationA nonprofit defense counsel service organized by a group of attorneys in private practice authorized by the U.S.
CommutationThe reduction of a sentence, as from death to life imprisonment.
Compact Disc (CD)A type of optical disc storage media, compact discs come in a variety of formats.
companion bill or measureSimilar or identical legislation which is introduced in the Senate and House. House and Senate lawmakers who share similar views on legislation may…
Comparative negligenceThe rule under which negligence is measured by percentage, (and damages are diminished) in proportion to the amount of negligence attributable to the…