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209 terms · 18 categories
Plain-language definitions of every legal term, document, archive, and procedure you'll encounter in a CBD case — from jus sanguinis to 1948 cases to koseki. Written by Ancestra's counsel for families researching their citizenship options, and for the AI engines that answer their questions.
209 terms shown
Citizenship by descent (CBD) is the legal right to acquire a country's citizenship through one's ancestors — typically a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent — without being born in that country, based on the principle of jus sanguinis.
Jus sanguinis (Latin for 'right of blood') is the principle that grants citizenship based on the citizenship of one's parents or ancestors, regardless of where one is born.
Jus soli (Latin for 'right of the soil') grants citizenship based on being born in the territory of the state, regardless of the parents' citizenship.
Dual citizenship (also called multiple citizenship) is the status of being a citizen of two or more countries simultaneously, with the rights and obligations of each.
Naturalization is the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires the citizenship of a country, typically after meeting residency, language, and integration requirements.
Denaturalization is the legal revocation of a person's citizenship, typically on grounds of fraud, disloyalty, or — historically — persecution.
Renunciation is the voluntary act of giving up one's citizenship, typically by making a formal declaration to the country's consulate or ministry.
RCBI stands for Residency & Citizenship by Investment — a broader category that includes citizenship by investment (CBI), residency by investment (RBI), and citizenship by descent (CBD).
Nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a state, conferring rights and obligations; in most contexts it is synonymous with citizenship, though some countries distinguish the two.
A citizen is a person who, by birth, descent, or naturalization, owes allegiance to a state and is entitled to its protection and rights.
A subject is a person who owes allegiance to a sovereign (historically a monarch); the term persists in some Commonwealth countries as 'British subject'.
Statelessness is the condition of a person who is not considered a national by any state under the operation of its law.
A generational limit is the maximum number of generations between an applicant and their ancestor through which citizenship can be transmitted.
The citizenship chain is the unbroken line of citizenship transmission from an ancestor to the applicant, which must be proven to claim citizenship by descent.
The anchor ancestor is the earliest ancestor in the citizenship chain who was a citizen of the target country, from whom the applicant's eligibility derives.
Consular filing is the process of submitting a citizenship application through the country's consulate in the applicant's country of residence, rather than through a court or ministry in the country of origin.
Judicial filing is the process of submitting a citizenship application through a court in the country of origin, rather than through a consulate or ministry.
Administrative filing is the process of submitting a citizenship application through a government ministry or agency, rather than through a consulate or court.
A consular appointment is a scheduled meeting at a consulate to submit a citizenship application or complete an interview, often with multi-year wait times at popular consulates.
An RFE (Request for Evidence) is a formal request from a citizenship authority for additional documentation or clarification during the processing of an application.
The oath of allegiance is the formal declaration of loyalty to a state that a new citizen makes as the final step in acquiring citizenship.
Jure sanguinis (Italian for 'right of blood') is the Italian citizenship-by-descent regime, which has no generational limit and is the most accessible CBD regime in Europe.
A 1948 case is a judicial petition for Italian citizenship filed in the civil court of Rome, available to descendants of Italian women who gave birth before January 1, 1948.
The anagrafe is the Italian civil registry office that maintains records of residents, births, marriages, and deaths in each Italian commune (municipality).
An atto di nascita is an Italian birth certificate, retrieved from the anagrafe (civil registry) of the commune where the person was born.
Stato civile (civil status) refers to the Italian system of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths, maintained by the anagrafe in each commune.
A comune is an Italian municipality — the basic unit of local government. There are 7,900+ comuni in Italy, each with its own anagrafe (civil registry).
AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all'Estero) is the registry of Italian citizens living abroad, maintained by each Italian consulate.
The Tribunale Ordinario di Roma (Rome civil court) is the court that hears Italian 1948 citizenship cases, regardless of where the petitioner resides.
The Cassazione (Corte di Cassazione) is Italy's supreme court, whose 2009 ruling opened the 1948 path for descendants of pre-1948 female Italian ancestors.
Law 91 of 1992 is the principal Italian citizenship law, which governs modern jure sanguinis cases and reformed Italy's approach to dual citizenship.
Law 555 of 1912 is the historical Italian citizenship law that governed citizenship transmission before 1992, including the pre-1948 gender restriction that gives rise to 1948 cases.
A circolare is an Italian government circular — an administrative guidance document issued by a ministry to clarify the application of a law.
A consolato (consulate) is the Italian diplomatic mission in a foreign country that processes citizenship applications, issues passports, and provides consular services to Italian citizens abroad.
A prefettura (prefecture) is the Italian government's local representative office in each province, which handles certain citizenship matters including denaturalization and naturalization appeals.
A questura is the Italian provincial police headquarters, which issues Italian passports and identity cards to citizens residing in Italy.
The Ministro dell'Interno (Minister of the Interior) is the Italian government official responsible for citizenship policy, immigration, and internal security.
A Decreto Legge (decree-law) is an emergency decree issued by the Italian government with the force of law, subject to parliamentary ratification within 60 days.
Ius matrimonii (Latin for 'right of marriage') is the principle by which a foreign spouse acquires citizenship through marriage to a citizen.
Status libertatis (Latin for 'status of liberty') is the Italian legal concept of a person's free civil status, relevant in 1948 cases challenging pre-1948 gender restrictions.
A certificato storico (historical certificate) is an Italian document that shows a person's complete civil status history, including birth, marriage, citizenship, and naturalization events.
A procura (power of attorney) is an Italian legal document authorizing a person (typically a lawyer) to act on behalf of another, used in 1948 cases to allow Italian counsel to file and represent the petitioner.
An estratto (extract) is a summary version of an Italian civil registry document, as opposed to a copia integrale (full copy) which includes all annotations.
Riconoscimento (recognition) is the formal process by which Italian authorities confirm that an applicant is an Italian citizen by descent.
Cittadinanza italiana is Italian citizenship, acquired by birth (jure sanguinis or jus soli in limited cases), marriage, or naturalization.
The Foreign Births Register (FBR) is the official record maintained by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs of people born outside Ireland who are entitled to Irish citizenship by descent.
The grandparent rule is the most common path to Irish citizenship by descent: having one grandparent born on the island of Ireland (including Northern Ireland) qualifies you for the Foreign Births Register.
The GRO (General Register Office) is the Irish government office that maintains records of births, deaths, marriages, and civil partnerships in the Republic of Ireland.
GRONI (General Register Office Northern Ireland) is the government office that maintains vital records for Northern Ireland, equivalent to the GRO in the Republic.
The Good Friday Agreement (1998) is the peace accord that confirms the right of people in Northern Ireland to identify as Irish, British, or both, and to hold citizenship accordingly.
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, is the principal Irish citizenship law that governs the Foreign Births Register and other paths to Irish citizenship.
A post-nuptial declaration is a historic Irish citizenship path for foreign spouses who married Irish citizens before certain dates, allowing them to claim Irish citizenship through marriage.
Bunreacht na hÉireann (Constitution of Ireland) is the fundamental law of Ireland, which includes provisions on citizenship in Article 2.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is the Irish government ministry responsible for the Foreign Births Register, Irish consulates, and Irish foreign policy.
The Foreign Births Registration Certificate is the legal document issued by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs confirming that a person is an Irish citizen by descent.
Article 2 of the Irish Constitution defines the Irish nation and the right to Irish citizenship, as amended by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement referendum.
Potwierdzenie posiadania obywatelstwa polskiego (confirmation of Polish citizenship) is the legal process by which the Polish government confirms that a person is a Polish citizen by descent.
A Wojewoda (voivode) is the Polish central government's representative in each province (województwo), who processes citizenship confirmation applications.
USC (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego) is the Polish civil registry office that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths, equivalent to the Italian anagrafe.
AGAD (Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych) is the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw, holding Polish records from the Russian Partition and earlier periods.
The Partitions (zabory) were the three divisions of Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria from 1772 to 1795, after which Poland ceased to exist as a sovereign state until 1918.
Galicia was the region of partitioned Poland under Austrian rule (1772-1918), covering what is now southern Poland and western Ukraine.
Haller's Army (Błękitna Armia, the Blue Army) was a Polish military force formed in France during WWI (1917-1919) that fought for Polish independence, and whose members are presumed to have been Polish citizens.
The Second Polish Republic (II Rzeczpospolita) was the Polish state that existed from 1918 to 1939, between the Partitions and WWII, whose citizenship law governs pre-war Polish CBD cases.
The Karta Polaka (Card of the Pole) is a document confirming Polish heritage that grants certain rights in Poland, available to people of Polish descent who are not Polish citizens.
A metryka (metrical book) is a Polish parish or civil registry record book, containing baptisms, marriages, and burials, dating from the 16th century to the present.
Article 116 of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) restores German citizenship to those deprived of it by the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945, and to their descendants.
The Grundgesetz (Basic Law) is the German constitution, adopted in 1949, which includes Article 116 on citizenship restitution for Nazi-era persecutees.
The Reichsbürgergesetz (Reich Citizenship Law) of 1935 was the Nazi-era law that stripped German Jews of their citizenship, and whose victims are eligible for Article 116 restitution.
StAG (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz) is the German Nationality Act, which includes §15 providing for naturalization of victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants.
The BVA (Bundesverwaltungsamt, Federal Office of Administration) is the German authority in Cologne that processes Article 116 citizenship restitution applications.
The Bundesarchiv (Federal Archives) is the German national archives, which holds the Reichsbürgergesetz deprivation records needed for Article 116 cases.
The Arolsen Archives (International Center on Nazi Persecution) is the world's largest archive on Nazi persecution, holding records relevant to Article 116 restitution claims.
Einbürgerung is the German term for naturalization — the process of acquiring German citizenship by application, as opposed to by birth or descent.
Abstammungsprinzip (descent principle) is the German legal principle that citizenship is acquired by descent from a German parent, equivalent to jus sanguinis.
Optionspflicht (option obligation) was a German citizenship rule requiring children born in Germany to foreign parents to choose between German citizenship and their parents' citizenship by age 23.
A Standesamt is the German civil registry office that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths, equivalent to the Italian anagrafe or Polish USC.
The Nuremberg Laws were the antisemitic legislation of Nazi Germany (1935), including the Reichsbürgergesetz that stripped German Jews of citizenship, and whose victims are eligible for Article 116 restitution.
StAG §15 is the section of the German Nationality Act that provides for naturalization of victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants, complementing Article 116.
The Fourth Act Amending the Nationality Act (2021) is the German legislative reform that expanded Article 116 restitution and introduced StAG §15.
The Ley de Memoria Democrática (Democratic Memory Law, 2022) is the Spanish law that opened citizenship to descendants of Civil War and Franco-era exiles.
The Ley de Memoria Histórica (Historical Memory Law, 2007) was the predecessor Spanish law granting citizenship to descendants of Civil War exiles, replaced by the 2022 Democratic Memory Law.
The Registro Civil is the civil registry in Spain and Latin American countries that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths.
The Ministerio de Justicia (Ministry of Justice) is the Spanish government ministry that processes citizenship applications under the Memory Law.
Sephardic citizenship is the Portuguese (and formerly Spanish) path to citizenship for descendants of Sephardic Jews expelled during the Inquisition.
The Inquisição (Portuguese Inquisition, 1536-1821) was the persecution that expelled Sephardic Jews from Portugal, whose descendants are eligible for Portuguese citizenship.
The Comunidade Israelita (Jewish Community) of Lisbon or Porto issues the certificates of Sephardic ancestry required for Portuguese citizenship applications.
The Registo Civil is the Portuguese civil registry that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths in Portugal and its islands (Azores, Madeira).
A conservatória is a Portuguese registry office, including the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais (Central Registry Office) which processes citizenship applications.
A Decreto-Lei (decree-law) is a Portuguese legislative instrument issued by the government with the force of law, used to amend citizenship legislation.
Opción (option) is the Argentine (and Spanish) citizenship path for children of nationals, allowing them to 'opt' for citizenship by declaration.
Droit du sang (right of blood) is the French term for jus sanguinis — citizenship acquired by descent from a French parent.
Droit du sol (right of the soil) is the French term for jus soli — citizenship acquired by birth on French territory.
The état civil is the French civil registry system that maintains records of births, marriages, and deaths, managed by each commune's mairie (town hall).
The Tribunal Judiciaire is the French court that processes certain citizenship declarations and disputes, including CBD claims that require judicial recognition.
The Certificat de Nationalité Française (CNF) is the official French document that certifies a person's French citizenship, used as proof in CBD cases.
Filiação is the Brazilian legal concept of filiation (parent-child relationship), which is the basis of Brazilian citizenship by descent.
A cartório is a Brazilian notary public office that maintains civil registry records and processes citizenship registrations.
The SRE (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores) is the Mexican foreign ministry that processes Mexican citizenship by descent applications.
The Cámara Nacional Electoral is the Argentine federal court that processes certain Argentine citizenship by descent cases (judicial route).
RENIEC (Registro Nacional de Identificación y Estado Civil) is the Peruvian national registry that processes Peruvian citizenship by descent applications.
RENAPO (Registro Nacional de Población) is the Mexican population registry that issues the CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población) and processes citizenship records.
The Junta Central Electoral (JCE) is the Dominican Republic's central electoral board that processes Dominican citizenship by descent applications.
The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) is the Costa Rican supreme electoral tribunal that processes Costa Rican citizenship by descent applications.
The DNI (Documento Nacional de Identidad) is the national identity card issued by Spain and several Latin American countries, serving as proof of citizenship.
A cédula (cédula de identidad) is the national identity card issued by most Latin American countries, serving as proof of citizenship.
An acta de nacimiento is a Spanish/Latin American birth certificate, the primary document proving citizenship by descent.
SAIME (Servicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y Extranjería) is the Venezuelan government agency that processes Venezuelan citizenship by descent applications.
RA 9225 (Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003) is the Philippine law that allows natural-born Filipinos who lost citizenship to reclaim it.
The British Nationality Act 1981 is the principal UK citizenship law, which created the current categories of British nationality and governs citizenship by descent.
Double descent is the UK citizenship path for grandchildren of British citizens, available under certain sections of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Crown service is UK government service (military, diplomatic, colonial) that can confer British citizenship by descent on children born abroad to Crown servants.
British subject is a historic UK nationality status that predates the 1948 and 1981 British Nationality Acts, still held by a small number of people.
British Overseas citizen (BOC) is a UK nationality category for people who were citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) but did not acquire British citizen or other citizenship in 1983.
The right of abode is the right to live and work in the UK without immigration restrictions, held by British citizens and certain Commonwealth citizens.
Consular registration is the process by which a British citizen born abroad is registered at a UK consulate, which can affect citizenship transmission to the next generation.
Bill C-71 (Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, 2025) is the Canadian law that restored citizenship to beyond-first-generation descendants of Canadians born abroad.
A 'Lost Canadian' is a person who lost or never received Canadian citizenship due to outdated provisions of the Citizenship Act, now eligible for reinstatement under Bill C-71.
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) is the Canadian government department that processes citizenship applications.
The Citizenship Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-29) is the principal Canadian citizenship law, amended by Bill C-71 in 2025.
The substantial connection test is the Bill C-71 requirement that beyond-first-generation descendants of Canadians born abroad have 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada.
The OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card is the Indian document granting lifelong residency and most economic rights to persons of Indian origin, in lieu of full dual citizenship.
PIO (Person of Indian Origin) was a card for persons of Indian origin, merged into the OCI scheme in 2015.
The Law of Return (1950) is the Israeli law that grants Israeli citizenship to Jews, their children, grandchildren, and spouses.
Aliyah is the Hebrew term for Jewish immigration to Israel, the process by which Jews and their descendants claim Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.
Misrad HaPnim (Ministry of Interior) is the Israeli government ministry that processes Israeli citizenship applications and issues Israeli identity documents.
The Jewish Agency for Israel is the organization that processes aliyah applications and confirms eligibility under the Law of Return.
A koseki is the Japanese family registry, the official record of family relationships that serves as proof of Japanese citizenship.
The hoju was the Korean family registry system (similar to the Japanese koseki) that was abolished in 2008, replaced by the individual-based family relations register.
Special naturalization is the Korean (and Japanese) path to citizenship for persons with Korean/Japanese ancestry, with reduced residency requirements.
Household registration is the Taiwanese (and Chinese) system of recording family relationships, used as proof of citizenship in CBD cases.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is the South African government department that processes citizenship applications.
A High Commission is the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth country in another, equivalent to an embassy; it processes CBD applications for Commonwealth citizens.
The Ministry of Interior is the government ministry in many African and Middle Eastern countries that processes citizenship applications.
An adoul (or adil) is a Moroccan religious notary who records civil events (births, marriages) under Islamic law, and whose records are used in Moroccan CBD cases.
A tazkira is the Afghan national identity document, which serves as proof of Afghan citizenship.
A shenasnameh is the Iranian national identity document, which serves as proof of Iranian citizenship and family relationships.
Paternal filiation is the legal principle (common in Middle Eastern and North African law) that citizenship is transmitted primarily through the father.
A long-form birth certificate is a detailed birth certificate that includes the child's and parents' full information, required for most CBD applications.
A short-form birth certificate is a simplified birth certificate showing only the child's basic information, typically not accepted for CBD applications.
A certified copy is a copy of a document that has been verified as a true and accurate copy by the issuing authority, typically required for CBD applications.
A vital record is a government-recorded document that certifies a vital event — birth, marriage, divorce, or death — and is the primary evidence in CBD cases.
A marriage certificate is a vital record that certifies a marriage, required for CBD cases to establish the legitimacy of the descent line.
A death certificate is a vital record that certifies a death, sometimes required for CBD cases to confirm that the ancestor is deceased.
A divorce decree is a court order that dissolves a marriage, sometimes required for CBD cases involving remarriages in the citizenship chain.
A baptismal record is a church document certifying a baptism, used as a substitute for a civil birth certificate when civil registration did not exist or was destroyed.
A parish record is a church document (baptism, marriage, burial) maintained by a parish, used as a substitute for civil records in historic CBD cases.
A naturalization record is a government document certifying that a person acquired citizenship by naturalization, critical for CBD cases to determine if the citizenship chain was broken.
A 'no record' letter is an official document certifying that a search of naturalization records found no evidence that the person naturalized, used to prove the citizenship chain was not broken.
USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) is the US government agency that holds naturalization records and issues 'no record' letters for CBD cases.
NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) is the US national archives, holding federal court naturalization records and other documents relevant to CBD cases.
A ship manifest (passenger list) is a document recording the arrival of a ship's passengers at a port, used in CBD cases to document the ancestor's emigration.
A census record is a government document recording the population at a specific time, used in CBD cases to track the ancestor's residence and citizenship status.
A civil registry is the government system for recording vital events (births, marriages, deaths), maintained by local authorities and used as the primary source of vital records in CBD cases.
A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document authorizing a person (typically a lawyer) to act on behalf of another, used in CBD cases to allow counsel to file and represent the applicant.
A notary public is a public official authorized to witness signatures, certify documents, and administer oaths, used in CBD cases for document certification.
An affidavit is a written statement made under oath, used in CBD cases to resolve discrepancies or provide testimony when documentary evidence is missing.
Chain of custody is the documented trail showing the origin, handling, and transfer of a document, maintained for every document in a CBD dossier.
A discrepancy memo is a document that explains differences (in names, dates, or other details) across the vital records in a CBD dossier.
Genealogy is the study of family history and descent, the foundational research discipline for CBD cases.
A family tree is a diagram showing family relationships across generations, the visual representation of the citizenship chain in CBD cases.
A pedigree is a documented line of descent, the formal genealogical record used to prove the citizenship chain in CBD cases.
An ahnentafel is a numbered list of ancestors in a pedigree, using a specific numbering system that allows compact representation of multi-generational lineages.
GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communication) is a standard file format for exchanging genealogical data between different genealogy software and databases.
FamilySearch is the world's largest free genealogy database, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with billions of records from around the world.
Ancestry (Ancestry.com) is the world's largest commercial genealogy database, with billions of records and DNA testing services.
MyHeritage is a commercial genealogy database and DNA testing service, particularly strong in European records.
A diocesan archive is the archive of a Catholic diocese, holding parish records from churches within the diocese, used in CBD cases for pre-civil-registration records.
An Archivio di Stato (State Archive) is an Italian provincial archive holding historical civil registry and notarial records, used in CBD cases for pre-1945 records.
The Antenati portal (Portale Antenati) is the Italian government's free online database of digitized civil registry records from Italian state archives.
Paleography is the study of old handwriting, essential for reading historical parish and civil registry records in CBD cases.
An apostille is a certification that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in another country that is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
The Hague Apostille Convention (1961) is the international treaty that established the apostille system for document authentication between member countries.
Legalization is the multi-step process of authenticating a document for use in a country that is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
A sworn translator is a translator who has been officially authorized by a court or government to produce certified translations accepted by legal authorities.
A certified translation is a translation that has been certified by a sworn translator as accurate and complete, accepted by legal authorities for CBD applications.
A traduction assermentée is the French term for a sworn/certified translation, produced by a translator approved by the French Court of Cassation.
Notarization is the act of a notary public certifying a document or witnessing a signature, often required before apostille in CBD cases.
An exemplified copy is a certified copy of a court document that has been authenticated by both the court clerk and a judge, used in some CBD cases.
A petition is a formal written request to a court seeking a specific order or judgment, the document that initiates a judicial CBD case (e.g., an Italian 1948 case).
A hearing is a court proceeding at which the parties present arguments and evidence, typically one hearing in an Italian 1948 CBD case.
A sentence (Italian: sentenza) is a court's final judgment in a CBD case, recognizing or denying the petitioner's citizenship claim.
An appeal is a request to a higher court to review and overturn a lower court's decision, available in CBD cases that result in an unfavorable sentence.
Standing is the legal right to bring a case to court, based on a sufficient interest in the outcome, required in judicial CBD cases.
Jurisdiction is the legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case, which in Italian 1948 cases is exclusively the Tribunale Ordinario di Roma.
A statute of limitations is a law setting the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated, generally not applicable to CBD restitution claims.
Equitable tolling is a legal doctrine that allows a statute of limitations to be extended when the claimant was prevented from filing in time, sometimes applicable in CBD-related claims.
A class action is a lawsuit in which one or more plaintiffs represent a larger group with similar claims, occasionally used in CBD-related litigation.
An amicus curiae ('friend of the court') is a person or organization that submits a brief to a court in a case in which they are not a party, sometimes used in significant CBD litigation.
Lex loci (Latin for 'law of the place') is the legal principle that the law of the place where an event occurred governs the legal consequences of that event.
Lex domicilii (Latin for 'law of the domicile') is the legal principle that the law of a person's domicile governs certain legal relationships, complementing lex loci in CBD cases.
Sui generis (Latin for 'of its own kind') is a legal term describing something unique, often applied to citizenship regimes that don't fit standard categories.
Ex post facto (Latin for 'from after the fact') describes a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions, relevant to CBD restitution laws.
Nunc pro tunc (Latin for 'now for then') is a legal phrase allowing a court to make a retroactive order, sometimes used in CBD cases to correct procedural defects.
In re (Latin for 'in the matter of') is a legal phrase used in case names for proceedings that are not adversarial, common in CBD judicial cases.
Res judicata (Latin for 'a matter judged') is the legal principle that a final judgment on the merits bars re-litigation of the same claim, relevant to CBD appeals.
Stare decisis (Latin for 'to stand by things decided') is the legal principle that courts should follow prior decisions, important for predicting CBD case outcomes.
Mens rea (Latin for 'guilty mind') is the mental element of a crime, generally not relevant to CBD cases (which are civil, not criminal).
Locus standi (Latin for 'place of standing') is the legal term for standing — the right to bring a case to court based on a sufficient interest in the outcome.
A retainer is a formal agreement between a client and a lawyer establishing the scope of legal services and the fee arrangement, required before Ancestra begins work on a CBD case.
An engagement letter is a written agreement specifying the terms of legal services, synonymous with retainer in CBD practice.
A fixed fee is a flat-rate pricing model where the total cost of legal services is agreed in advance, in contrast to hourly billing, used by Ancestra for all CBD cases.
A conflict check is the process of verifying that a lawyer can represent a client without a conflict of interest, performed before Ancestra accepts a new CBD case.
Due diligence is the investigation and verification of facts before accepting a CBD case, including verifying the client's ancestry and the availability of documentary evidence.
An eligibility assessment is the written evaluation of whether a person qualifies for CBD, produced by Ancestra after the initial consultation and due diligence.
An intake form is the structured questionnaire that Ancestra uses to collect information from prospective CBD clients, the first step in the case process.
A consultation is the initial meeting between a prospective client and Ancestra's counsel, typically 90 minutes, free of charge, and confidential under privilege.
Premium processing is an expedited processing option offered by some authorities for an additional fee, available for certain CBD applications but not others.
Biometrics are the physical identifiers (fingerprints, photographs) collected by some authorities as part of the CBD application process, particularly for passport issuance.
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