Category: D

The graduate degree (doctorate) awarded to an individual on graduation from a school of dentistry.  

The degree held by a chiropractor, a practitioner of chiropractic, which is a system of medicine based on the theory that disease is caused by malfunction of the nerve system, and that normal function can be restored by manipulation and other treatment of body structures, particularly the spinal column. State licensure is required if the…

A reference to Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the physician whose name is synomous with assisted suicide. Dr. Kevorkian publicized and used his “suicide machine” to assist seriously ill patients in committing suicide. Dr. Kevorkian chose to practice in Michigan because as of 1992 assisted suicide was not a crime in Michigan. In 1992, Michigan made assisting…

The distribution of the earnings of a company to its shareholders in proportion to the shares of stock held by each shareholder.  

A lawsuit between citizens of different states. This is one basis of federal rather than state jurisdiction.  

In the hospital, a system for providing supplies such as linens, drugs, food, and equipment to patient care areas. A term coming into use as hospitals enter lines of business other than care of the sick and injured in an effort to obtain revenue from a variety of sources and remain solvent. The hospital is…

A Medicare term for a hospital serving a higher than average proportion of low-income patients.  

The period of time during the life of a lawsuit, after the suit is filed and prior to the trial, during which both parties may use discovery to find out as much as possible about the other side’s case. There is a specific date, set by court rules and/or ordered by the judge, by which…

The period of time after expiration of an insurance policy during which the beneficiary of the policy may report an event which occurred during the life of the policy.  

The process during a lawsuit, before trial, by which each party obtains information from the other party which may be used as evidence, or may lead to useful evidence, at the trial. Common methods of discovery include interrogatories (written questions), requests for documents, requests for admissions (see admission), and depositions (verbal questions). Pretrial device used…