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Most Popular Legal Definitions
summary judgment
A court order ruling that no factual issues remain to be tried and therefore a
cause of action or all causes of action in a complaint can be decided upon
certain facts without trial.
fascism
A form of government which is authoritarian and oppressively conservative, who
believes in the supremacy of the stated national group.
binder
written statement of the key terms of an agreement, in particular insurance
policies, so that the insured as well as lenders can be assured there is valid
and adequate insurance coverage.
vendor
A seller, particularly of real property.
bad faith
1) intentional dishonest act by not fulfilling legal or contractual obligations,
misleading another, entering into an agreement without the intention or means to
fulfill it, or violating basic standards of honesty in dealing with others 2)
when there is bad faith then a transaction is called a "bad faith" contract or
"bad faith" offer
answer
filed by a defendant to respond to a complaint in a lawsuit filed and served
upon that defendant
Hatch Act
In the U.S., a statute which controls political
activity of government employees.
sovereign
1) The technical word for the monarch of a
particular country as in the Sovereign of England is Queen Elizabeth. 2) The
supreme legislative powers of a state.
beyond a reasonable doubt
part of jury's instructions in all criminal
trials; in which the jurors are told that they can only find the defendant
guilty if they are convinced "beyond a reasonable doubt" of his or her guilt;
sometimes referred to as "to a moral certainty," the phrase is fraught with
uncertainty as to meaning, however; criminal justice experts have concluded that
it would mean being 99% sure; in civil court to find someone liable they would
have to only take greater than 50% fault
autopsy
post-mortem evaluation of a deceased body