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Most Popular Legal Definitions
civil procedure
The complex and often confusing body of rules and regulations set out in both
state and federal laws which establish the format under which civil lawsuits are
filed, pursued and tried. Civil procedure refers only to form and procedure, and
not to the substantive law which gives people the right to sue or defend a
lawsuit.
mitigating circumstances
A person who sues another for damages has an obligation to minimize those
damages, as far as reasonable.
bona fide purchaser
commonly called BFP in legal and banking circles; a person who has purchased an
asset for stated value, innocent of any fact which would cast doubt on the right
of the seller to have sold it in good faith. This is vital if the true owner
shows up to claim title, since the BFP will be able to keep the asset, and the
real owner will have to look to the fraudulent seller for
recompense.spy/spies
A person who acts clandestinely or on false
pretenses to endeavour to obtain information of or within another state with the
intention of communicating or selling it to others.
license
A special permission given to do something on, or with, somebody's property.
authorities
1) previous decisions by courts of appeal which
provide legal guidance to a court on questions in a current lawsuit, which are
called "precedents;" legal briefs (written arguments) are often called "points
and authorities; thus, a lawyer "cites" the previously decided cases as
"authorities" for his/her legal positions 2) a common term for law enforcement,
as in "I'm going to call the authorities" (i.e. police)
dower
A widow's life estate interest in her husband's
real property if he died.
defendant
individual, company or organization that defends a legal action taken by a
plaintiff and against which the court has been asked to order damages or
specific corrective action redress some type of unlawful or improper action
alleged by the plaintiff
abet
To aid, encourage, support, or approve of something. In law, it is usually a
crime that is being carried out.
precedent
A case which establishes legal principles to a certain set of facts.