Home / Stage glossary Civil complaint
Jurisdiction United States What it means A written statement filed by a plaintiff initiating a case 1 What it does not mean Not a finding of liability. The plaintiff must still prove the case by a preponderance of the evidence 2 Official source US courts glossary and Civil Cases page 1 ,2 Answer
Jurisdiction United States What it means The formal written statement by a defendant in a civil case that responds to a complaint 1 What it does not mean Not a court ruling. A judgment is the official decision of a court resolving the dispute 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Settlement
Jurisdiction United States What it means Parties to a lawsuit resolve their dispute without having a trial 1 What it does not mean Not a trial verdict. No judge or jury decides the facts at trial 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Default judgment
Jurisdiction United States What it means A judgment in favor of the plaintiff for the defendant's failure to answer 1 What it does not mean Not a decision after trial 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Summary judgment
Jurisdiction United States What it means A decision made on the basis of statements and evidence presented for the record without a trial 1 What it does not mean Not a jury verdict 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Judgment
Jurisdiction United States What it means The official decision of a court finally resolving the dispute between the parties 1 What it does not mean Not a motion ruling. A motion is a request for a decision on an issue in the case 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Dismissal with prejudice
Jurisdiction United States What it means Court action that prevents an identical lawsuit or criminal charges from being filed later 1 What it does not mean Not the same as dismissal without prejudice, which allows a later filing 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Criminal complaint
Jurisdiction United States What it means A sworn document filed by the government alleging a crime has been committed 1 What it does not mean Not an indictment, which is a formal charge issued by a grand jury 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Grand jury
Jurisdiction United States What it means A body of 16 to 23 citizens who listen to evidence of criminal allegations presented by prosecutors 1 What it does not mean Not the trial jury. It reviews evidence to decide whether a defendant must stand trial 3 Official source US courts glossary and Criminal Cases page 1 ,3 Indictment
Jurisdiction United States What it means The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence of a crime 1 What it does not mean Not a conviction. Guilt must be shown beyond a reasonable doubt 3 Official source US courts glossary 1 Information
Jurisdiction United States What it means A formal accusation by a government attorney that the defendant committed a misdemeanor 1 What it does not mean Not issued by a grand jury 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Arraignment
Jurisdiction United States What it means A proceeding where a criminal defendant is told of the charges and enters a plea 1 ,3 What it does not mean Not a trial. If the defendant pleads not guilty, the judge schedules a trial 3 Official source US courts glossary and Criminal Cases page 1 ,3 Plea bargain
Jurisdiction United States What it means A defendant pleads guilty in return for the government dropping certain charges or recommending a lenient sentence 3 What it does not mean Not an acquittal. The defendant pleads guilty 3 Official source US courts Criminal Cases page 3 Conviction
Jurisdiction United States What it means A judgment of guilt against a criminal defendant 1 What it does not mean Not the sentence, which is the punishment ordered by a court 1 Official source US courts glossary 1 Acquittal
Jurisdiction United States What it means A jury verdict that a criminal defendant is not guilty 1 What it does not mean Not open to appeal by the government in federal court 3 Official source US courts glossary and Criminal Cases page 1 ,3 Appeal
Jurisdiction United States What it means A request challenging the decision of a court by a party that has lost on one or more issues 1 What it does not mean Not available to the government against a not guilty verdict in a federal criminal case 3 Official source US courts glossary 1 Charge
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means A formal accusation. The person receives a charge sheet setting out the details of the crime 4 What it does not mean Not a conviction. A court may only convict if it is sure that the defendant is guilty 5 Official source GOV.UK and Code for Crown Prosecutors 4 ,5 Bail after charge
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means Release from police custody until the court hearing, possibly with rules to follow 4 What it does not mean Not the end of the case. The first hearing is at a magistrates' court 4 Full Code Test
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means The prosecutor's two-stage test: the evidential stage, then the public interest stage 5 What it does not mean Not the court's standard. A court may only convict if it is sure of guilt 5 Official source Code for Crown Prosecutors 5 Realistic prospect of conviction
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means An objective assessment that a bench or jury is more likely than not to convict on the charge 5 What it does not mean Not a finding of guilt 5 Official source Code for Crown Prosecutors 5 Threshold Test
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means A charging test used in limited circumstances where the Full Code Test is not met and there are substantial grounds to object to bail 5 What it does not mean Not the normal test. All five conditions must be met 5 Official source Code for Crown Prosecutors 5 Request for judgment (money claim)
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means The claimant asks the court to order payment when the defendant does not respond or refuses to pay 6 What it does not mean Not payment itself. Enforcement steps may follow 7 Official source GOV.UK 6 ,7 Warrant of control
Jurisdiction England and Wales What it means The court sends bailiffs to collect money owed under a judgment 7 What it does not mean Cannot be used to enforce a judgment if the debtor has a Breathing Space 7 Matter under inquiry (MUI)
Jurisdiction United States (SEC) What it means A preliminary stage that typically involves incomplete information 8 What it does not mean Not a formal investigation. Investigations are opened from an MUI or independently 8 Official source SEC Enforcement Manual 8 Formal order of investigation
Jurisdiction United States (SEC) What it means The Commission designates staff to act as officers of the Commission in an investigation 8 What it does not mean Not public. Investigative proceedings are nonpublic except where the Commission orders otherwise 8 Official source SEC Enforcement Manual 8 Wells notice
Jurisdiction United States (SEC) What it means Staff tell a person they have made a preliminary determination to recommend that the Commission file an action 8 What it does not mean Not a decision. Any enforcement action must be authorized by the Commission 8 Official source SEC Enforcement Manual 8 Termination letter
Jurisdiction United States (SEC) What it means Notice that staff have decided not to recommend an enforcement action 8 What it does not mean Not counted in annual enforcement results. The SEC's fiscal year 2025 results exclude 1,095 matters that were investigated and closed 9 Official source SEC Enforcement Manual and fiscal year 2025 results 8 ,9 Enforcement operation
Jurisdiction United Kingdom (FCA) What it means An FCA case opened when it appoints investigators, typically under Part XI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 10 What it does not mean Not a finding. Of 36 operations closed in 2025/26, 16 closed with no further action 10 Official source FCA Enforcement data 2025/26 10 Warning notice
Jurisdiction United Kingdom (FCA) What it means Issued when the FCA proposes to take action 11 What it does not mean Not the final decision of the FCA. The subject can make representations to the Regulatory Decisions Committee 11 Official source FCA Enforcement page 11 Decision notice
Jurisdiction United Kingdom (FCA) What it means Issued and published when the FCA decides to take action 11 What it does not mean Not the same as a final notice, which is issued when the FCA takes action 11 Official source FCA Enforcement page 11 Final notice
Jurisdiction United Kingdom (FCA) What it means Issued when the FCA takes action 11 What it does not mean Not only for fines. FCA counts include 586 Threshold Conditions Team final notices in 2025/26 10 Official source FCA Enforcement page and data 10 ,11 Statement of Objections
Jurisdiction European Union What it means Sets out the Commission's competition concerns. Parties may see the file and attend an oral hearing 12 What it does not mean Not a decision. A prohibition decision formally finds an infringement 12 Official source European Commission 12 Commitment decision
Jurisdiction European Union What it means A decision that makes commitments offered by companies binding 12 ,13 What it does not mean Does not establish an infringement 12 Official source European Commission and Regulation 1/2003 12 ,13 Prohibition decision
Jurisdiction European Union What it means Formally finds an infringement against the parties concerned 12 What it does not mean Not beyond review. Decisions are subject to legal review by the EU courts under Article 263 TFEU 12 Official source European Commission 12 Competition fine
Jurisdiction European Union What it means A fine of up to 10% of total turnover in the preceding business year, set by gravity and duration 13 What it does not mean Not a criminal penalty. Such decisions are not of a criminal law nature 13 Official source Regulation 1/2003 13 Delisting petition
Jurisdiction United States (OFAC) What it means A petition for administrative reconsideration to be removed from an OFAC sanctions list, under 31 C.F.R. 501.807 14 What it does not mean Not a remedial plan. Proposed remedial steps alone do not replace showing a change in circumstances 14 Jordan ceilings
Jurisdiction Canada What it means Presumptive limits of 18 months for provincial court cases and 30 months for superior court cases 15 What it does not mean Not directly measured. The federal indicators of cases at risk are proxy measures 15 Official source Department of Justice Canada 15 Disposition time
Jurisdiction European Union What it means Unresolved cases divided by resolved cases at the end of a year, multiplied by 365 days 16 What it does not mean Not the measured length of each case. It is an estimated minimum time 16 Official source 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard 16 Nothing matches. Clear the search or pick another filter.
Notes Definitions are shortened from the cited source and apply only in the jurisdiction named 1 ,5 12 SEC, FCA and EU stages are administrative steps. A US criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt 3 Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@enforcementoutcomes.com .
