Statute - A law passed by a legislature.⏎
Sua sponte - Latin, meaning "of its own will." Often refers to a court taking an action in a case without being asked to do so by either side.⏎
Wage garnishment - A nonbankruptcy legal proceeding whereby a plaintiff or creditor seeks to subject to his or her claim the future wages of a debtor. In other words, the creditor seeks to have part of the debtor's future wages paid to the creditor for a debt owed to the creditor.⏎
Subpoena - A command, issued under a court's authority, to a witness to appear and give testimony.⏎
Small business case - A special type of chapter 11 case in which there is no creditors' committee (or the creditors' committee is deemed inactive by the court) and in which the debtor is subject to more oversight by the U.S. trustee than other chapter 11 debtors. The Bankruptcy Code contains certain provisions designed to reduce the time a small business debtor is in bankruptcy.⏎