Glossary - Tribunals and Courts
Damages is money awarded by the court to make up for injury or loss that a party suffered.
In Debt and Consumer Rights, Tribunals and Courts
A debtor is someone who owes money. For example, a debtor can be someone who owes money on a mortgage, car loan, line of credit, phone bill, or credit card.
In Debt and Consumer Rights, Family Law, Tribunals and Courts, Wills and Powers of Attorney
Debts are money that a person owes, for example, a mortgage, line of credit, or car loan.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Family Law, Tribunals and Courts
Direct examination is when one party, or their lawyer if they have one, questions their own witnesses. These are witnesses you ask to testify or speak in support of your court case. Direct examination is also called examination-in-chief.
In Employment and Work, Housing Law, Human Rights, Income Assistance, Tribunals and Courts
Discrimination happens when an employer, landlord, service provider, or organization you are a member of harasses you, treats you differently or unfairly, or refuses to accommodate you because of personal differences that are listed in the Human Rights Code. Examples of personal differences include a person’s ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.
Examples of discrimination include when an employer refuses to accommodate your disability in a way that would not cause them undue hardship. Or a landlord refuses to rent to you because of your ethnic origin. Or a travel agent refuses to serve you because of your sexual orientation. Or a trade union refuses to let you join because of your disability.
A disposition order is a final order from a judge. For example, you need a disposition order before an enforcement officer can seize and sell someone’s personal property.
An enforcement office is a place responsible for making sure court orders are followed. For example, they may help garnish the wages or bank accounts of a person who owes money.
Enforcing your judgment is when you take steps to get what is owed to you because of a court order. For example, it may include damages or personal property that the debtor owes you.
In Debt and Consumer Rights, Tribunals and Courts
Equity is the value of your asset after you subtract how much you owe on it. For example, the equity you have in your house is the amount of money you would get if you sold your house and paid off all your debts on the house, like your mortgage. If your house is worth $200,000, and you have a mortgage of $150,000, the equity you have in your house is $50,000.
