English For Lawyers

guarantee

1) v. to pledge or agree to be responsible for another's debt or...

guarantor

n. a person or entity that agrees to be responsible for another's...

guaranty

v. and n. an older spelling of guarantee, which the renowned Oxfo...

guardian

n. a person who has been appointed by a judge to take care of a m...

guardian ad litem

n. a person appointed by the court only to take legal action on b...

guest

n. 1) in general, a person paying to stay in a hotel, motel or in...

guest statute

n. a state law which sets standards of care by the driver of a ca...

guilty

adj. having been convicted of a crime or having admitted the comm...

Select a word:

habeas corpus

(hay-bee-us core-puss) n. Latin for "you have the body," it is a...

habitable

adj. referring to a residence that is safe and can be occupied in...

habitual criminal

n. under the statutes of many states, a person who has been convi...

half blood

1) adj. sharing one parent only. 2) n. a half brother or half sis...

harass

(either harris or huh-rass) v. systematic and/or continual unwant...

harassment

(either harris-meant or huh-rass-meant) n. the act of systematic...

harmless error

n. an error by a judge in the conduct of a trial which an appella...

head of household

n. 1) in federal income tax law, the person filing a tax return w...

headnote

n. the summary of the key legal points determined by an appeals c...

hearing

n. any proceeding before a judge or other magistrate (such as a h...

hearsay

n. 1) second-hand evidence in which the witness is not telling wh...

hearsay rule

n. the basic rule that testimony or documents which quote persons...

heat of passion

n. in a criminal case, when the accused was in an uncontrollable...

heir

n. one who acquires property upon the death of another, based on...

heir apparent

n. the person who is expected to receive a share of the estate of...

heiress

n. feminine heir, often used to denote a woman who has received a...

heirs of the body

n. descendants of one's bloodline, such as children or grandchild...

held

v. decided or ruled, as "the court held that the contract was val...

hereditament

n. any kind of property which can be inherited. This is old-fashi...

hidden asset

n. an item of value which does not show on the books of a busines...

highway

n. any public street, road, turnpike or canal which any member of...

hit and run

n. the crime of a driver of a vehicle who is involved in a collis...

hobby loss

n. in income tax, a loss from a business activity engaged in more...

hold harmless

n. a promise to pay any costs or claims which may result from an...

holder

n. a general term for anyone in possession of property, but usual...

holder in due course

n. one holding a check or promissory note, received for value (he...

holding

1) n. any ruling or decision of a court. 2) n. any real property...

holding company

n. a company, usually a corporation, which is created to own the...

holdover tenancy

n. the situation when a tenant of real estate continues to occupy...

holographic will

n. a will entirely handwritten, dated and signed by the testator...

home rule

n. the power of a local city or county to set up its own system o...

homestead

1) n. the house and lot of a homeowner which the head of the hous...

hometowned

adv. legalese for a lawyer or client suffering discrimination by...

homicide

n. the killing of a human being due to the act or omission of ano...

hornbook law

n. lawyer lingo for a fundamental and well-accepted legal princip...

hostile possession

n. occupancy of a piece of real property coupled with a claim of...

hostile witness

n. technically an "adverse witness" in a trial who is found by th...

hot pursuit

n. when a law enforcement officer is so close behind the alleged...

hotchpot

n. the putting together, blending or mixing of various properties...

house counsel

n. any attorney who works only for a particular business.

household

n. a family living together, all of whom need not be related.

hung jury

n. slang for a hopelessly deadlocked jury in a criminal case, in...

hypothecate

v. from Greek for "pledge," a generic term for using property to...

Select a word:

i.e.

prep. abbreviation for id est, which is Latin for "that is" or "t...

illegal

1) adj. in violation of statute, regulation or ordinance, which m...

illegal immigrant

n. an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the United States witho...

illusory promise

n. an agreement to do something that is so indefinite one cannot...

immaterial

adj. a commonly heard objection to introducing evidence in a tria...

immediately

adv. 1) at once. 2) in orders of the court or in contracts it mea...

immunity

n. exemption from penalties, payments or legal requirements, gran...

impanel

v. to select and install a jury.

impaneling

n. the act of selecting a jury from the list of potential jurors,...

impeach

v. 1) to discredit the testimony of a witness by proving that he/...

impeachment

n. 1) discrediting a witness by showing that he/she is not tellin...

impleader

n. a procedural device before trial in which a party brings a thi...

implied

adj., adv. referring to circumstances, conduct or statements of o...

implied consent

n. consent when surrounding circumstances exist which would lead...

implied contract

n. an agreement which is found to exist based on the circumstance...

implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing

n. a general assumption of the law of contracts, that people will...

implied warranty

n. an assumption at law that products are "merchantable," meaning...

impossibility

n. when an act cannot be performed due to nature, physical impedi...

impotence

n. the male's inability to copulate. Impotence can be grounds for...

impound

v. 1) to collect funds, in addition to installment payments, from...

improvement

n. any permanent structure on real property, or any work on the p...

impute

v. 1) to attach to a person responsibility (and therefore financi...

in absentia

(in ab-sensh-ee-ah) adj. or adv. phrase. Latin for "in absence,"...

in camera

adj. or adv. phrase. Latin for "in chambers." This refers to a he...

in chambers

adj. referring to discussions or hearings held in the judge's off...

in extremis

(in ex-tree-miss) adj. from Latin, facing imminent death.

in fee simple

adj. referring to holding clear title to real property.

in forma pauperis

(in form-ah paw-purr-iss) adj. or adv. Latin for "in the form of...

in haec verba

(in hike verb-ah)prep. Latin for "in these words," which refers t...

in kind

adj. referring to payment, distribution or substitution of things...

in lieu

prep. instead. "In lieu taxes" are use taxes paid instead of sale...

in limine

(in lim-in-ay) from Latin for "at the threshold," referring to a...

in loco parentis

prep. (in loh-coh pah-rent-iss) Latin for "instead of a parent" o...

in pari delicto

adv. (in pah-ree dee-lick-toe) Latin for "in equal fault," which...

in perpetuity

adj. forever, as in one's right to keep the profits from the land...

in personam

adj. (in purr-soh-nam) from Latin for "directed toward a particul...

in pro per

adj. short for in propria persona.

in propria persona

adj. from Latin "for one's self," acting on one's own behalf, gen...

in re

prep. short for "in regard to" or concerning. Often "in re" is fo...

in rem

adj. from Latin "against or about a thing," referring to a lawsui...

in terrorem clause

(in tehr-roar-em)n. from Latin for "in fear," a provision in a wi...

in toto

(in toe-toe)adj. Latin for "completely" or "in total," referring...

incapacity

adj. 1) not being able to perform any gainful employment due to c...

incest

n. sexual intercourse between close blood relatives, including br...

inchoate

adj. or adv. referring to something which has begun but has not b...

incidental beneficiary

n. someone who obtains a benefit as the result of the main purpos...

income

n. money, goods or other economic benefit received. Under income...

income tax

n. a tax on an individual's net income, after deductions for vari...

incompatibility

n. the state of a marriage in which the spouses no longer have th...

incompatible

adj. 1) inconsistent. 2) unmatching. 3) unable to live together a...

incompetency

n. the condition of lacking the ability to handle one's affairs d...

incompetent

adj. 1) referring to a person who is not able to manage his/her a...

incompetent evidence

n. testimony, documents or things which one side attempts to pres...

incontrovertible evidence

n. evidence introduced to prove a fact in a trial which is so con...

incorporate

v. 1) to obtain an official charter or articles of incorporation...

incorporate by reference

v. to include language from another document or elsewhere in a do...

incorporation

n. the act of incorporating an organization.

incorporeal

adj. referring to a thing which is not physical, such as a right....

incriminate

v. to make a statement in which one admits that he/she has commit...

incumbrance

n.

indecent exposure

n. the crime of displaying one's genitalia to one or more other p...

indefeasible

adj. cannot be altered or voided, usually in reference to an inte...

indemnify

v. to guarantee against any loss which another might suffer. Exam...

indemnity

n. the act of making someone "whole" (give equal to what they hav...

indenture

n. a type of real property deed in which two parties agree to con...

independent contractor

n. a person or business which performs services for another perso...

indeterminate sentence

n. the prison term imposed after conviction for a crime which doe...

indicia

n. (in-dish-yah) from Latin for "signs," circumstances which tend...

indictable offense

n. a crime (offense) for which a Grand Jury rules that there is e...

indictment

n. a charge of a felony (serious crime) voted by a Grand Jury bas...

indigent

1) n. a person so poor and needy that he/she cannot provide the n...

indispensable party

n. a person or entity which must be included in a lawsuit so that...

indorse

v.

indorsement

n.

infancy

n. although the popular use of the word means the early years of...

inference

n. a rule of logic applied to evidence in a trial, in which a fac...

information

n. an accusation or criminal charge brought by the public prosecu...

information and belief

n. a phrase often used in legal pleadings (complaints and answers...

informed consent

n. agreement to do something or to allow something to happen only...

infra

prep. Latin for "below," this is legal shorthand to indicate that...

infringement

n. 1) a trespassing or illegal entering. 2) in the law of patents...

ingress

1) n. entrance. 2) n. the right to enter. 3) v. the act of enteri...

inherit

v. to receive all or a portion of the estate of an ancestor upon...

inheritance

n. whatever one receives upon the death of a relative due to the...

injunction

n. a writ (order) issued by a court ordering someone to do someth...

injunctive relief

n. a court-ordered act or prohibition against an act or condition...

injury

n. any harm done to a person by the acts or omissions of another....

innocent

adj. without guilt (not guilty). Usually the plea which an accuse...

innuendo

n. from Latin innuere, "to nod toward." In law it means "an indir...

inquest

n. 1) an investigation and/or a hearing held by the coroner (a co...

insanity

n. mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot di...

insanity defense

n. the claim of a defendant in a criminal prosecution that he/she...

insertion

n. the addition of language at a place within an existing typed o...

insider

n. someone who has a position in a business or stock brokerage, w...

insider trading

n. the use of confidential information about a business gained th...

insolvency

n. 1) the condition of having more debts (liabilities) than total...

inspection of documents

n. the right to examine and copy the opposing party's papers in a...

installment contract

n. an agreement in which payments of money, delivery of goods or...

instruction

n. an explanation of the law governing a case which the judge giv...

instrument

n. 1) a written legal document such as a contract, lease, deed, w...

insufficient evidence

n. a finding (decision) by a trial judge or an appeals court that...

insurance

n. a contract (insurance policy) in which the insurer (insurance...

insured

n. 1) the person or entity who will be compensated for loss by an...

insurer

n. an insurance company which agrees to pay someone who pays them...

intangible property

n. items such as stock in a company which represent value but are...

integration

n. 1) adopting a writing as part of an agreement, e.g. "the parti...

intent

n. mental desire and will to act in a particular way, including w...

inter alia

(in-tur eh-lee-ah) prep. Latin for "among other things." This phr...

inter se

(in-tur say)prep. Latin for "among themselves," meaning that, for...

inter vivos

(in-tur veye-vohs) adj. Latin for "among the living," usually ref...

inter vivos trust

n. a trust created by a writing (declaration of trust) which comm...

interest

n. 1) any and all, partial or total right to property or for the...

interim order

n. a temporary order of the court pending a hearing, trial, a fin...

interlineation

n. the act of writing between the lines of a document, usually to...

interlocutory

adj. provisional and not intended to be final. This usually refer...

interlocutory decree

n. a court judgment which is temporary and not intended to be fin...

international law

n. treaties between countries; multi-lateral agreements; some com...

interpleader

n. the procedure when two parties are involved in a lawsuit over...

interrogation

n. questioning of a suspect or witness by law enforcement authori...

interrogatories

n. a set of written questions to a party to a lawsuit asked by th...

interstate commerce

n. commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or tra...

intervene

v. to obtain the court's permission to enter into a lawsuit which...

intervening cause

n. an event which occurs between the original improper or dangero...

intervention

n. the procedure under which a third party may join an on-going l...

intestacy

n. the condition of having died without a valid will. In such a c...

intestate

adj. referring to a situation where a person dies without leaving...

intestate succession

n. the distribution when a person dies without leaving a valid wi...

intoxication

n. 1) the condition of being drunk as the result of drinking alco...

intrinsic fraud

n. an intentionally false representation (lie) which is part of t...

inure

v. result in. Commonly used in legal terminology in the phrase: "...

invasion of privacy

n. the intrusion into the personal life of another, without just...

inverse condemnation

n. the taking of property by a government agency which so greatly...

invest

v. to put money into a business or buy property or securities for...

investment

n. the money put into use for profit, or the property or business...

invitee

n. a person who comes onto another's property, premises or busine...

involuntary

adj. or adv. without intent, will or choice. Participation in a c...

ipse dixit

(ip-sah dicks-it) v. Latin for "he himself said it," meaning the...

ipso facto

(ip-soh fact-toe)prep. Latin for "by the fact itself." An express...

irreconcilable differences

n. the usual basis for granting a divorce (dissolution) in no-fau...

irrelevant

adj. not important, pertinent, or germane to the matter at hand o...

irreparable damage or injury

n. the type of harm which no monetary compensation can cure or pu...

issue

1) n. a person's children or other lineal descendants such as gra...

Select a word:

K

n. the shorthand symbol for "contract" used almost universally by...

kangaroo court

n. 1) a mock court set up without legal basis, such as a fraterni...

kidnapping

(also spelled kidnaping) n. the taking of a person against his/he...

kin

n. blood relative.

Select a word:

labor and materials

(time and materials) n. what some builders or repair people contr...

laches

n. the legal doctrine that a legal right or claim will not be enf...

land

n. real property, real estate (and all that grows thereon), and t...

landlady

n. female of landlord or owner of real property from whom one ren...

landlocked

adj. referring to a parcel of real property which has no access o...

landlord

n. a person who owns real property and rents or leases it to anot...

landlord and tenant

n. the name for the area of law concerning renting and leasing pr...

landlord's lien

n. the right of a landlord to sell abandoned personal property le...

lapse

1) v. to fail to occur, particularly a gift made in a will. 2) v....

larceny

n. the crime of taking the goods of another person without permis...

last antecedent rule

n. a doctrine of interpretation (construction) of statutes that a...

last clear chance

n. a rule of law in determining responsibility for damages caused...

last will and testament

n. a fancy and redundant way of saying "will." Lawyers and client...

latent defect

n. a hidden flaw, weakness or imperfection in an article which a...

lateral support

n. the right of a land- owner to assurance that his/her neighbor'...

law

n. 1) any system of regulations to govern the conduct of the peop...

law and motion calendar

n. a court calendar in which only motions and special legal argum...

law book

n. any of numerous volumes dealing with law, including statutes,...

law of admiralty

n. statutes, customs and treaties dealing with actions on navigab...

law of the case

n. once a judge has decided a legal question during the conduct o...

law of the land

n. a slang term for existing laws.

lawsuit

n. a common term for a legal action by one person or entity again...

lay a foundation

v. in evidence, to provide to the judge the qualification of a wi...

leading

1) v. short for "leading the witness," in which the attorney duri...

leading question

n. a question asked of a witness by an attorney during a trial or...

leading the witness

n. asking a question during a trial or deposition which puts word...

lease

1) n. a written agreement in which the owner of property (either...

leasehold

n. the real estate which is the subject of a lease (a written ren...

legacy

n. a gift of personal property or money to a beneficiary (legatee...

legal

adj., adv. according to law, not in violation of law or anything...

legal action

n. any lawsuit, petition or prosecution.

legal advertising

n. 1) notices of probate sales and other documents required by la...

legal age

n. the age at which a person is responsible for his/her own actio...

legal aid society

n. an organization formed to assist persons who have limited or n...

legal duty

n. the responsibility to others to act according to the law. Prov...

legal fiction

n. a presumption of fact assumed by a court for convenience, cons...

legal separation

n. a court-decreed right to live apart, with the rights and oblig...

legal services

n. the work performed by a lawyer for a client.

legal tender

n. all money issued by the government.

legalese

n. slang for the sometimes arcane, convoluted and specialized jar...

legatee

n. a person or organization receiving a gift of an object or mone...

legitimate

adj., adv1) legal, proper, real. 2) referring to a child born to...

lemon law

n. statutes adopted in some states to make it easier for a buyer...

lessee

n. the person renting property under a written lease from the own...

lesser crime

n.

lesser-included offense

n. in criminal law, a crime which is proved by the same facts as...

lessor

n. the owner of real property who rents it to a lessee pursuant t...

let

v. 1) to allow or permit. This is distinguished from "against one...

letter of credit

n. a document issued by a bank guaranteeing to provide a customer...

letters

n. shorthand for letters testamentary or letters of administratio...

letters of administration

n. a document issued by the court clerk which states the authorit...

letters testamentary

n. a document issued by the court clerk which states the authorit...

leverage

1) n. the use of borrowed money to purchase real estate or busine...

levy

1) v. to seize (take) property upon a writ of execution (an order...

lewd and lascivious

adj., adv. references to conduct which includes people living tog...

liability

n. one of the most significant words in the field of law, liabili...

liable

adj. responsible or obligated. Thus, a person or entity may be li...

libel

1) n. to publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadc...

libel per se

n. broadcast or written publication of a false statement about an...

liberty

n. freedom from restraint and the power to follow one's own will...

license

1) n. governmental permission to perform a particular act (like g...

licensee

n. a person given a license by the government or under private ag...

licensor

n. a person who gives another a license, particularly a private p...

lie detector test

n. a popular name for a polygraph which tests the physiological r...

lien

n. any official claim or charge against property or funds for pay...

lienor

n. a person who holds a lien on another's property or funds.

life estate

n. the right to use or occupy real property for one's life. Often...

life without possibility of parole

n. a sentence sometimes given for particularly vicious criminals...

limitation of actions

n. the period of time in which a person has to file with the cler...

limited jurisdiction

n. courts' authority over certain types of cases such as bankrupt...

limited liability

n. the maximum amount a person participating in a business can lo...

limited partnership

n. a special type of partnership which is very common when people...

lineal descendant

n. a person who is in direct line to an ancestor, such as child,...

lineup

n. a law enforcement method used in an attempt to have a witness...

liquidate

v. to sell the assets of a business, paying bills and dividing th...

liquidated damages

n. an amount of money agreed upon by both parties to a contract w...

lis pendens

(lease pen-dense) n. Latin for "a suit pending," a written notice...

literary property

n. the writings of an author which entitles him/her to the use of...

litigant

n. any party to a lawsuit. This means plaintiff, defendant, petit...

litigation

n. any lawsuit or other resort to the courts to determine a legal...

litigious

adj. referring to a person who constantly brings or prolongs lega...

living trust

n. sometimes called an inter vivos (Latin for "within one's life"...

living will

n. also called "a durable power of attorney," it is a document au...

locus

(low-cuss) n. Latin for "place," it means "place which" this or t...

loiter

v. to linger or hang around in a public place or business where o...

long cause

n. a lawsuit in which it is estimated that a trial will take more...

long-arm statute

n. law which gives a local state court jurisdiction over an out-o...

loss

n. 1) the value placed on injury or damages due to an accident ca...

loss of bargain

n. the inability to complete a sale or other business deal, cause...

loss of consortium

n. the inability of one's spouse to have normal marital relations...

loss of use

n. the inability to use an automobile, premises or some equipment...

lower court

n. 1) any court of lesser rank, such as municipal or justice cour...

Select a word:

N.O.V.

adj. shorthand acronym of Latin for non obstante veredicto (nahn...

National Labor Relations Board

n. an independent regulatory commission created in 1935 by the Na...

natural law

n. 1) standards of conduct derived from traditional moral princip...

natural person

n. a real human being, as distinguished from a corporation, which...

necessary

adj., adv. 1) essen- tial. 2) less forcefully, it can mean conven...

necessary inference

n. 1) a conclusion militated by reason and logic applied to known...

necessary party

n. a person or entity whose interests will be affected by the out...

negative declaration

n. a finding by a city council or other local government that a p...

negative pregnant

n. a denial of an allegation in which a person actually admits mo...

negligence

n. failure to exercise the care toward others which a reasonable...

negligence per se

(purr say) n. negligence due to the violation of a public duty, s...

negligent

adj., adv. careless in not fulfilling responsibility.

negotiable instrument

n. check, promissory note, bill of exchange, security or any docu...

negotiation

n. 1) the transfer of a check, promissory note, bill of exchange...

net

: n., adj. the amount of money or value remaining after all costs...

net estate

n. the remaining estate of a person who has died, calculated by t...

new matter

n. newly claimed facts or legal issues raised (brought up) by a d...

next friend

n. a person (often a relative) who voluntarily helps a minor or i...

next of kin

n. 1) the nearest blood relatives of a person who has died, inclu...

nihil

(ni [as in it]-hill) n. from Latin for nothing.

nil

n. from Latin nihil, nothing or zero.

nisi prius

: (nee-see pree-us) adj. Latin for "unless first," in some jurisd...

no contest

n. in criminal law, a defendant's plea in court that he/she will...

no fault divorce

n. divorces (dissolutions) in which neither spouse is required to...

no fault insurance

n: a type of automobile insurance required of car owners by law i...

no-par stock

n. shares in a corporation which are issued without a price per s...

nolle prosequi

(no-lay pro-say-kwee) n. Latin for "we shall no longer prosecute,...

nolo contendere

(no-low kahn-ten-durr-ray) n. Latin for "I will not contest" the...

nominal damages

n. a small amount of money awarded to a plaintiff in a lawsuit to...

nominal party

n. a defendant or a plaintiff included in a lawsuit because of a...

nominee

n. 1) a person or entity who is requested or named to act for ano...

non compos mentis

: (nahn com-pose meant-is) adj. referring to someone who is insan...

non sequitur

: (nahn sek [as in heck]-kwit-her) n. Latin for "it does not foll...

non-conforming use

n. the existing use (residential, commercial, agricultural, light...

non-contestability clause

n. an insurance policy provision which requires the insurance com...

non-contiguous

adj. referring to two or more parcels of real property which are...

non-discretionary trust

n. a trust in which the trustee is directed to invest only in spe...

non-feasance

n. the failure of an agent (employee) to perform a task he/she ha...

non-profit corporation

n. an organization incorporated under state laws and approved by...

non-suit

n. a ruling by the judge in a lawsuit either when the plaintiff (...

not guilty

n. 1) plea of a person who claims not to have committed the crime...

not guilty by reason of insanity

n. plea in court of a person charged with a crime who admits the...

notary

notary public

notary public

n. a person authorized by the state in which the person resides t...

note

n. a promissory note, a written statement of debt by one or more...

notice

n. 1) information, usually in writing in all legal proceedings, o...

notice of default

n. a notice to a borrower with property as security under a mortg...

notice to quit

n. the notice given by a landlord (owner) to a tenant to leave th...

notorious possession

n. occupation of real property or holding personal property in a...

novation

n. agreement of parties to a contract to substitute a new contrac...

noxious

adj. harmful to health, often referring to nuisances.

nugatory

adj. of no force or effect; invalid. Example: a statute which is...

nuisance

n. the unreasonable, unwarranted and/or unlawful use of property,...

nullity

n. something which may be treated as nothing, as if it did not ex...

nunc pro tunc

(nuhnk proh tuhnk) adj. Latin for "now for then," this refers to...

Select a word:

O.R.

n. short for "own recognizance," meaning the judge allowed a pers...

O.S.C.

n. short for order to show cause.

oath

n. 1) a swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing b...

obiter dicta

: (oh-bitter dick-tah) n. remarks of a judge which are not necess...

object

1) v. to ask the court not to allow a particular question asked o...

objection

n. a lawyer's protest about the legal propriety of a question whi...

obligation

n. a legal duty to pay or do something.

obligee

(ah-bluh-jee) n. the person or entity to whom an obligation is ow...

obligor

(ah-bluh-gore) n. the person or entity who owes an obligation to...

obscene

adj., adv. a highly subjective reference to material or acts whic...

obstruction of justice

n. an attempt to interfere with the administration of the courts,...

occupancy

n. 1) living in or using premises, as a tenant or owner. 2) takin...

occupant

n. 1) someone living in a residence or using premises, as a tenan...

occupation

n. 1) fairly permanent trade, profession, employment, business or...

occupational disease

n. an illness resulting from long-term employment in a particular...

occupational hazard

n. a danger or risk inherent in certain employments or workplaces...

occupy the field

v. to preempt (monopolize) an area of statutory law by a higher a...

of counsel

adj. reference to an attorney who is not actively involved in the...

off calendar

adj. refers to an order of the court to take a lawsuit, petition...

offender

n. an accused defendant in a criminal case or one convicted of a...

offense

n. a crime or punishable violation of law of any type or magnitud...

offer

n. a specific proposal to enter into an agreement with another. A...

offer of proof

n. an explanation made by an attorney to a judge during trial to...

offeree

n. a person or entity to whom an offer to enter into a contract i...

offeror

n. a person or entity who makes a specific proposal to another (t...

officer

n. 1) a high-level management official of a corporation or an uni...

officer of the court

n. any person who has an obligation to promote justice and effect...

official

1) adj. referring to an act, document or anything sanctioned or a...

official misconduct

n. improper and/or illegal acts by a public official which violat...

officious intermeddler

n. a volunteer who assists and/or benefits another without contra...

offset

1) n. also called a "setoff," the deduction by a debtor from a cl...

offshore corporation

n. a corporation chartered under the laws of a country other than...

omission

n. 1) failure to perform an act agreed to, where there is a duty...

omnibus clause

n. 1) an automobile insurance policy clause which provides covera...

on all fours

adj. a reference to a lawsuit in which all the legal issues are i...

on demand

adj. in a promissory note, a requirement that the amount due must...

on file

prep. having been formally filed with the clerk of the court or t...

on or about

prep. a phrase referring to a date or place used in a complaint i...

on or before

prep. a phrase usually found in a contract or promissory note, de...

on the merits

adj. referring to a judgment, decision or ruling of a court based...

on the stand

prep. testifying during a trial, in which the witness almost alwa...

open court

n. the conduct of judicial proceedings (trials, hearings and rout...

opening statement

n. the explanation by the attorneys for both sides at the beginni...

operation of law

n. a change or transfer which occurs automatically due to existin...

opinion

n. the explanation of a court's judgment. When a trial court judg...

option

n. a right to purchase property or require another to perform upo...

or

conj. either; in the alternative. It is often vital to distinguis...

oral contract

n. an agreement made with spoken words and either no writing or o...

order

1) n. every direction or mandate of a judge or a court which is n...

order to show cause

n. a judge's written mandate that a party appear in court on a ce...

ordinance

n. a statute enacted by a city or town.

ordinary

adj. regular, customary and continuing, and not unusual or extrao...

ordinary course of business

n. conduct of business within normal commercial customs and usage...

original jurisdiction

n. the authority of a court to hold a trial, as distinguished fro...

orphan

n. a child, particularly a minor, whose two natural parents are d...

ostensible agent

n. a person who has been given the appearance of being an employe...

ostensible authority

n. apparent authority to do something or represent another person...

ouster

n. 1) the wrongful dispossession (putting out) of a rightful owne...

out of court

adj. referring to actions, including negotiations between parties...

out-of-pocket expenses

n. moneys paid directly for necessary items by a contractor, trus...

outbuilding

n. a structure not connected with the primary residence on a parc...

outlaw

n. popularly, anyone who commits serious crimes and acts outside...

output contract

n. an agreement in which a producer agrees to sell its entire pro...

overcharge

v. 1) to charge more than a posted or advertised price. 2) to fil...

overrule

v. 1) to reject an attorney's objection to a question to a witnes...

overt act

n. in criminal law, an action which might be innocent itself but...

owe

v. to have a legal duty to pay funds to another. However, to owe...

own

v. to have legal title or right to something. Mere possession is...

own recognizance

(O.R.) n. the basis for a judge allowing a person accused of a cr...

owner

n. one who has legal title or right to something. Contrary to the...

ownership

n. legal title coupled with exclusive legal right to possession....

Select a word:

paid into court

adj. referring to money deposited with the clerk of the court by...

pain and suffering

n. the physical and mental distress suffered from an injury, incl...

palimony

n. a substitute for alimony in cases in which the couple were not...

pander

1) v. to solicit customers for a prostitute. 2) n. a pimp, who pr...

panderer

n. 1) a person who panders or solicits for a prostitute. 2) some...

panel

n. the list of people selected to appear for jury duty.

paper hanger

n. slang for a person who criminally writes and cashes "bad" chec...

par

n. 1) an equal level. 2) the face value of a stock or bond, print...

paralegal

n. a non-lawyer who performs routine tasks requiring some knowled...

paramount title

n. a right to real property which prevails over any other person'...

parcel

n. a defined piece of real estate, usually resulting from the div...

pardon

1) v. to use the executive power of a Governor or President to fo...

parens patriae

(paa-rens pat-tree-eye) n. Latin for "father of his country," the...

parent

n. the lawful and natural father or mother of a person. The word...

parental neglect

n. a crime consisting of acts or omissions of a parent (including...

pari delicto

adj. equal fault.

parish

n. 1) a geographic area served by a church (particularly Catholic...

parody

n. the humorous use of an existing song, play, or writing which c...

parol

adj. oral.

parol evidence rule

n. if there is evidence in writing (such as a signed contract) th...

parole

n. 1) the release of a convicted criminal defendant after he/she...

partial

adj. not complete or entire.

partial breach

n. the failure to meet a term of a contract which is so minimal t...

partial disability

n. the result of an injury which permanently reduces a person's a...

partial verdict

n. in a criminal trial, the result when the jury finds the defend...

participate

v. to invest and then receive a part or share, as in business pro...

partition

n. a lawsuit which one co-owner of real property can file to get...

partner

n. 1) one of the co-owners and investors in a "partnership" which...

partnership

n. a business enterprise entered into for profit which is owned b...

party

n. 1) one of the participants in a lawsuit or other legal proceed...

party of the first part

n. reference in a written contract to identify one of the people...

party of the second part

n. a reference to a party to a written contract, as distinguished...

party wall

n. a wall shared by two adjoining premises which is on the proper...

passenger

n. a rider who has paid a fare on a train, bus, airline, taxi, sh...

passion

n.

passive

adj. referring to being inactive. A "passive trustee" is one who...

patent

1) adj. obvious. Used in such expressions as a "patent defect" in...

patent ambiguity

n. an obvious inconsistency in the language of a written document...

patent defect

n. an obvious flaw in a product or a document (such as leaving ou...

patent infringement

n. the manufacture and/or use of an invention or improvement for...

patent pending

n. often abbreviated to "pat. pend." or "pat. pending," the term...

paternity suit

n. a lawsuit, usually by a mother, to prove that a named person i...

pawn

v. to pledge an item of personal property as security for a loan,...

pay

v. to deliver money owed.

payable

1) adj. referring to a debt which is due. A debt may be owed, but...

payable on demand

adj. a debt on a promissory note or bill of exchange which must b...

payee

n. the one named on a check or promissory note to receive payment...

payment in due course

n. the giving of funds to the holder of a promissory note or bill...

payment in full

n. the giving of all funds due to another. This language is often...

payor

(payer) n. the party who must make payment on a promissory note.

peace bond

n. a bond required as part of a court order to guarantee that a p...

peaceable possession

n. in real estate, holding property without any adverse claim to...

peculation

n. misappropriation of public (government) funds or property.

pecuniary

adj. relating to money, as in "pecuniary loss."

pedophilia

n. an obsession with children as sex objects. Overt acts, includi...

peeping tom

n. a person who stealthily peeks into windows, holes in restroom...

peer

n. an equal. A "jury of one's peers," to which criminal defendant...

peer review

n. an examination and evaluation of the performance of a professi...

penal

adj. referring to criminality, as in defining "penal code" (the l...

penalty

n. 1) in criminal law, a money fine or forfeiture of property ord...

pendent jurisdiction

n. in federal procedure, the policy that allows a federal court t...

pendente lite

(pen-den-tay lee-tay) adj. Latin for awaiting the litigation (law...

penitentiary

n. a state or federal prison in which convicts are held for commi...

people

n. the designation for the prosecuting government in a criminal t...

per

prep. from Latin for "by means of" or simply, "by" as in "per day...

per capita

adj. Latin for "by head," meaning to be determined by the number...

per curiam

adj. Latin for "by the court," defining a decision of an appeals...

per diem

adj. or n. Latin for "per day," it is short for payment of daily...

per se

(purr say) adj. Latin for "by itself," meaning inherently. Thus,...

per stirpes

(purr stir-peas) adj. Latin for "by roots," by representation. Th...

peremptory

adj. absolute, final and not entitled to delay or reconsideration...

peremptory challenge

n. the right of the plaintiff and the defendant in a jury trial t...

peremptory writ of mandate

(or mandamus) n. a final order of a court to any governmental bod...

perfect

: (with stress on the second syllable) v. 1) to complete; to take...

perfected

adj. having completed all necessary legal steps to achieve a resu...

perform

v. 1) to fulfill one's obligations under a contract. 2) to comply...

performance

n. fulfillment of one's obligations required by contract. Specifi...

perjurer

n. a person who intentionally lies while under an oath administer...

perjury

n. the crime of intentionally lying after being duly sworn (to te...

permanent disability

n. an injury which impairs the physical and/or mental ability of...

permanent injunction

n. a final order of a court that a person or entity refrain from...

permanent injury

n. physical or mental damage which will restrict the employment a...

permissive

adj. 1) referring to any act which is allowed by court order, leg...

permit

1) v. to allow by silence, agreement or giving a license. 2) n. a...

perpetuity

n. forever.

person

n. 1) a human being. 2) a corporation treated as having the right...

personal effects

n. things which include clothes, cosmetics and items of adornment...

personal property

n. same as "personalty."

personal service

n. delivering a summons, complaint, notice to quit tenancy or oth...

personal services

n. in contract law, the talents of a person which are unusual, sp...

personalty

n. movable assets (things, including animals) which are not real...

petit jury

n. old-fashioned name for the jury sitting to hear a lawsuit or c...

petition

1) n. a formal written request to a court for an order of the cou...

petitioner

n. one who signs and/or files a petition.

petty larceny

n. a term used in many states for theft of a small amount of mone...

physician-patient privilege

n. the right and obligation of a physician to refuse to testify i...

picketing

n. standing or parading near a business or government office usua...

pierce the corporate veil

v. to prove that a corporation exists merely as a completely cont...

pilferage

n. a crime of theft of little things, usually from shipments or b...

pimp

n. a person who procures a prostitute for customers or vice versa...

pink slip

n. 1) slang for official automobile registration certificate, due...

piracy

n. the crime of robbery of ships or boats on the oceans. Accusati...

plagiarism

n. taking the writings or literary concepts (a plot, characters,...

plain error

n. a mistake by the trial court found by a court of appeals to be...

plain view doctrine

n. the rule that a law enforcement officer may make a search and...

plaintiff

n. the party who initiates a lawsuit by filing a complaint with t...

plaintiff's attorney

n. the attorney who represents a plaintiff (the suing party) in a...

plea

n. 1) in criminal law, the response by an accused defendant to ea...

plea bargain

n. in criminal procedure, a negotiation between the defendant and...

plea in abatement

n.

plead

v. 1) in civil lawsuits and petitions, to file any document (plea...

pleading

n. 1) every legal document filed in a lawsuit, petition, motion a...

pledge

v. to deposit personal property as security for a personal loan o...

plenary

adj. full, complete, covering all matters, usually referring to a...

...