En banc - French, meaning "on the bench." All judges of an appellate court sitting together to hear a case, as opposed to the routine disposition by panels of three judges. In the Ninth Circuit, an en banc panel consists of 11 randomly selected judges.⏎
Dismissal with prejudice - Court action that prevents an identical lawsuit from being filed later.⏎
Common law - The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States, which relies on the articulation of legal principles in a historical succession of judicial decisions. Common law principles can be changed by legislation.⏎
Complaint - A written statement that begins a civil lawsuit, in which the plaintiff details the claims against the defendant.⏎
Defendant - In a civil case, the person or organization against whom the plaintiff brings suit; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.⏎