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Glossary

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Impeachment

The process of calling a witness’s testimony into question. For example, if an attorney can show that a witness may have made up parts of his or her testimony, the witness is said to be “impeached.”

In Limine

Latin for “at the beginning” or “at the threshold,” such as a motion in limine at the beginning of trial to ask that certain evidence be excluded.

In Propria Persona (in pro per)

When a person represents himself or herself without a lawyer. This comes from the Latin for “in one’s own proper person.”

Income

Any form of periodic payment to a person, regardless of source, including wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, workers’ compensation, disability, pension or retirement program payments, and interest.

Income Withholding

When automatic deductions are made from wages or income to pay a debt like child support. Income withholding is often part of a child support order. It can be voluntary or involuntary.

Indemnity

An obligation to provide compensation (usually money) for a loss, injury, or damage.

Interrogatories

Written questions sent by one side in a lawsuit to an opposing side as part of pretrial discovery in civil cases. The side that receives the interrogatories must answer them in writing under oath.

Interstate Cases

In child support, cases where the dependent child and the parent that owes support live in different states, or where two or more states are involved in some case activity, like enforcement.

Issue

The disputed point between parties in a lawsuit;

To send out officially, as when a court issues an order.

IV-A ("4-A") Case

A child support case where a custodial parent and child(ren) get public assistance benefits under the state’s IV-A program, which is funded under title IV-A of the Social Security Act. Applicants for IV-A assistance are automatically referred to their state IV-D agency in order to identify and locate the noncustodial parent, establish paternity and/or a child support order, and/or obtain child support payments. This lets the state get back some or all of its public assistance money from the noncustodial parent.

IV-D ("4-D")

Refers to title IV-D of the Social Security Act, which says that each state must create a program to find noncustodial parents, establish paternity, establish and enforce child support obligations, and collect and distribute support payments. Any person that gets public assistance (usually TANF) is referred to the state IV-D child support program. States must also accept applications from families that do not get public assistance, if requested, to help collect child support.

Glossary

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