We have been using the term 'mutation' pretty loosely up to this point in the course...now we need to define it more precisely: mutation-- a change in the genetic material (ie. DNA).
Stay of proceedings. A stay of proceedings is a ruling by the court in civil and criminal procedure, halting further legal process in a trial or other legal proceeding. The court can subsequently lift the stay and resume proceedings based on events taking place after the stay is ordered.
Hearing. A legal proceeding where an issue of law or fact is tried and evidence is presented to help determine the issue. Hearings resemble trials in that they ordinarily are held publicly and involve opposing parties.