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Most Popular Legal Definitions

hung jury

A jury which is unable to arrive at a required unanimous or near unanimous verdict.

consensus ad idem

Latin, an agreement or meeting of the minds between the parties where all understand the commitments made by each.

force majuere

French for an act of God; an inevitable, unpredictable act of nature.

gerrymander

The intention setting of electoral boundaries taking into account traditional voting patterns, so as to attempt to influence the taking of an elected office.

exclusionary rule

a constitutional right providing the fact that if certain evidence was obtained illegally, it is not admissible as evidence in criminal proceedings

bail bond

bond provided by an insurance company through a bail bondsman acting as agent for the company, to secure the release from jail of an accused defendant pending trial

interlocutory

Proceedings taken during the course of a trial.

oath

A religious or solemn affirmation to tell the truth or to take a certain action.

per stirpes

Latin for "by branch," used to indicate the system by which children inherit a descendant's will when their parent has since deceased; an entitlement to participate in the distribution of property, such as an estate, that flows down to the named beneficiary's next heir if they are otherwise unable to take their share.


endorsement

The signature or instructions placed on the reverse of a commercial document, for the purpose of assigning the interest therein to another