Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Family allowance | A small amount of money set aside from the estate of the deceased. Its purpose is to provide for the surviving family members during the administration of the estate. |
| Felony | A crime more serious than a misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of possible incarceration in a state prison facility. |
| Fiduciary | A person having a legal relationship of trust and confidence to another and having a duty to act primarily for the other's benefit: i.e., a guardian, trustee or executor. |
| File | To place a paper in the official custody of the clerk of court/court administrator to enter into the files or records of a case. |
| Filed in open court | Court documents entered into the file in court. |
| Finding | Formal conclusion by a judge or regulatory agency on issues of fact. Also, a conclusion by a jury regarding a fact. |
| First appearance | The initial appearance of an arrested person before a judge to determine whether or not there is probable cause for his/her arrest. Generally, the person comes before a judge within hours of the arrest. Also called initial appearance. |
| Forfeiture | The loss of property or a privilege due to breaking a law. |
| Fraud | Intentional deception to deprive another person of property or to injure that person in some way. |
| Fugitive | A person who flees from one state to another to avoid prosecution. |
