Magistrate judge - A judicial officer of a district court who conducts initial proceedings in criminal cases, decides criminal misdemeanor cases, conducts many pretrial civil and criminal matters on behalf of district judges, and decides civil cases with the consent of the parties.⏎
Jury instructions - A judge's directions to the jury before it begins deliberations regarding the factual questions it must answer and the legal rules that it must apply.⏎
Liquidation - The sale of a debtor's property with the proceeds to be used for the benefit of creditors.⏎
Litigation - A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.⏎
Judicial Conference of the United States - The policy-making entity for the federal court system. A 27-judge body whose presiding officer is the Chief Justice of the United States.⏎