What does “disp” mean in law
"Disp" is short form legal jargon for "Disposition." Some jurisdictions include abbreviations for "notice of dispossession" or "notice to dispossess", in reference to notices foretelling eviction. In this context, "disp" refers to a court’s ruling made prior to an eviction. In the case of landlord-tenant disputes, the term is a very common entry in index sheets held in local courts . A "disp" ruling may refer to numerous legal proceedings, such as small claims suits that result in a court order granting possession of a specific property to either a landlord or a tenant. Its common use by clerks of court and clerical assistants has driven it onto the list of common terms used in documents by those who work in and around the court system.
Common use of the phrase “disp” in court proceedings
"Disp" as a legal abbreviation can be found in a variety of contexts in court documents. Understanding those contexts will help you make sense of a court filing or trial transcript that has an abbreviation you are not familiar with.
Context 1: Minor Settlement Approvals
"Disp" often appears in the context of minor settlement approval. In such cases, "disp" indicates that there is a disposition of a case where at least one of the parties is a minor. In order for minors (i.e. children) to receive financial compensation as part of a settlement or judgment, courts must first approve the settlement. This is also the case in wrongful death cases where minors are entitled to a share of the recovery.
Example #1: On a court transcript where a minor settlement case is being dealt with, "disp" may appear as follows: "The Court has reviewed and considered the petition filed herein on … and finds there is good cause for the disposition of this matter by minor’s counsel."
Example #2: On the face page of a court filing, in the spot for "brief description," it may state the following: "Petition For Minor’s Settlement Approval (Disp)."
Context 2: Settlement Disposition
A party may request that the court confirm the settlement agreement or deal with further disposition of the case.
Example #1: A simple form may be filled out with the action type briefly set forth, using abbreviations as follows: "Disp. Civil Action."
Example #2: A case status report may use this abbreviated "Disp" to confirm that a settlement has been reached.
Context 3: Disposition Of Court of Appeal Discretionary Review
In California, a "disp" means "grant or denial of a petition for hearing in the Court of Appeal." This refers to the review by the Court of Appeal to see if it will take the case from the trial court judge. This "disp" may have the result of allowing a writ to be taken directly to the Supreme Court, rather than going to the Court of Appeal first.
Example #1 On a court docket that lists the action type, you may see the "disp" notation set forth as follows: Deposition Wiretap (disp).
Outcomes related to the term “disp”
The presence (or absence) of "disp" in a court case can have a significant impact on, not only the outcome of the case, but also the legal proceedings themselves. For example, when juvenile court records are used for a "disp" purpose, most commonly to determine whether a child is eligible for appointment to a professional disciplinary board, Illinois courts require that the juvenile records be strictly construed pursuant to Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (705 ILCS 405/1 et seq.), rather than the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Under FOIA, all records generated by all units of State and local government are considered public and must be made available to the public upon review of the records custodian.
Illinois courts have held that the term "disp" is defined as the final judicial determination upon an adjudicated matter within the juvenile justice system. The statutory weight of "disp" being a "grouping of acts or dispositions occurring on a single day, arising out of the same transaction, instance or set of facts," allows courts to conduct an examination of juvenile records to determine if they are admissible for a non-"disp" purpose. This limits their use to the particular purpose of determining whether a child is eligible for appointment to a professional disciplinary board. According to Illinois juvenile protection laws, civil and criminal court records of juveniles shall not be open to public inspection unless otherwise provided by law.
Perspective on the legal abbreviation “disp”
A common question, especially from individuals unfamiliar with the court process is "what does this abbreviation or symbol mean?" For example, earlier in the week I wrote about "standing", and one commenter asked "The case is ‘PD, Objection, Disp’. I know what PD and Objection means, but what does the word ‘Disp’ mean?"
While there are many instances where the meaning of a word like "disp" is context specific, meaning the word could have multiple meanings, "Disp" is a common legal abbreviation for "Dismissal" or "Dismissed". So if I see something like: "PD, Objection, Disp" in a docket entry, I know the Court found against the Appellant who requested it be allowed to make a late appeal, because they objected to it and the Court dismissed that request .
I am writing this section to serve as a small reference guide to common legal abbreviations. Often times, docket entries (entries used to provide information regarding proceedings in a case) can be filled with abbreviations that create confusion as to what happened at what hearing. While there is no set "standard" list of legal abbreviations, the ones below are common in Virginia:
I could fill a significant amount of space listing common abbreviations that are often used. As I stated above, some of these can be context specific meaning that there could be a different meaning depending on the context. However, I will provide a few examples:
Accessing the meaning of court abbreviations
In addition to ‘disp’, you might encounter other legal abbreviations during the course of court proceedings that leave you scratching your head about what they really mean. This is especially the case when you’re unsure whether you’ve missed something or what you’ve heard was even right in the first place. If you do need further clarification on a court term, here are some resources and methods you can use to get an answer.
Court staff
The best place to go for clarification would be court staff, as they obviously have knowledge of both court proceedings and legal terminology. You can either call or send an email, and even if they don’t know the answer, they should at least be able to point you in the direction of someone who does. You can also visit the court clerk’s office in some cases.
Legal professionals
Depending on the nature of your case, there may be legal professionals present that can help you make sense of the court’s procedural language . Sitting in on a public court proceeding is definitely an education, if not a little bit disorienting, as there happens to be a lot of legal terminology that grows out of the legal profession. A lawyer or paralegal will typically know easily enough if their application of the word was correct, or what it actually means. Do try to be polite and not disrupt the proceeding too much since it can be a sensitive courtroom environment.
Glossaries
Another good way to further your understanding on some of the more commonly-used legal terminology would be to refer to an online glossary. There tends to be a more simplified retelling of the term available online that may better serve your needs, as well as a more thorough explanation. You can also find glossaries in a number of different languages – Spanish, for instance – that cater to the higher number of non-English speakers in the United States or certain court systems.
No Responses