This glossary is provided as a plain language reference to assist non-lawyers in understanding commonly used legal terms that are either used in this guide or are important to know in understanding the terms in the guide.
Legal terms are often terms of art.
In other words, they mean something slightly different or more specific in the legal context than they do in ordinary conversation. B urden of proof - the duty of a party to substantiate its claim or defense against the other party. In civil actions, the weight of this proof is usually described as a preponderance of the evidence. C onstitutional rights - the rights of each American citizen that are guaranteed by the United States Constitution. See Brown v. Board of Educ .