Plaintiff: The person or party initiating a case against another person or party. Defendant: The person or party who is being taken to court. Pro se: A party who chooses to represent themselves in court. Physical custody: The arrangement determining where the child lives and who is responsible for their daily care. Legal custody: The authority to make decisions about a child’s life, including medical care and educational plans. Guardian ad Litem (GAL): A neutral third party who is appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of a child. If the child is the plaintiff in a case, the adult helping the child to file the case may also be called a GAL. Joint custody: A custody arrangement where custody and decision making is shared with another party, such as the child’s other parent. Sole custody: A custody arrangement where only one party has custody of a child. Primary custody: A custody arrangement where one party has custody of the child most of the time. Motion to Modify Custody: A motion to request changes to an existing custody order. This motion clearly outlines the significant changes in circumstances and explains how those changes affect the child's best interests and overall well- being. Emergency custody motion: A motion that is filed to obtain short-term, immediate custody in limited, severe emergency circumstances. Emergency Custody Order: An order by a judge that grants temporary custody in severe emergency circumstances. Temporary custody: An interim custody arrangement that applies until the court determines a permanent custody arrangement. Permanent custody: The final determination of the court for the custody arrangement. Custodial parent: The parent who has primary or sole custody of a child. Non-custodial parent: The parent who does not have primary or sole custody of a child. The non-custodial parent may have visitation privileges and limited decision-making privileges. Custody schedule: The specific arrangement of physical custody or visitation. Visitation: A court-ordered right designating a period of time for the non-custodial parent to spend time with a child. Supervised visitation: A visitation type that requires another person to be present during the non-custodial parent’s visitation. The person or facility that supervises the visitation may be determined by the court. Custody exchange: When a child goes from one parental/caregiver home to the other parental/caregiver home, often due to a custody schedule. Child custody mediation: A process where both parents meet and attempt to agree on custody arrangements. Ex parte: A motion or order that is entered based only on one party’s testimony, without the other party’s notice, testimony, or appearance in court. Domestic Violence Protective Order: An order that prevents one person from contacting, being near, or harassing another party. The specific terms of a Domestic Violence Protective Order are set by a judge. Often referred to as DVPO or 50B. Service: A type of notice that must be provided to the other party in a manner that is recognized by the court to make your case binding. Contempt: A punishment imposed by the court due to failure to comply with a court order, which may include, but is not limited to, fines or incarceration. Calendar call: A scheduled court session where a judge reviews the status of a case and sets hearing dates for motions and other matters in that case. Indigent: A party who cannot afford legal representation. Writ of Possession: A document giving a landlord the legal right to take back possession of a property from a tenant Eviction: the process by which a landlord can legally remove a tenant from a rental property.