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Most Popular Legal Definitions

penal code

A statute which lists and defines prohibited conduct and the punishments associated with each.

articles of impeachment

the charges brought to impeach a public official

amicus curiae

Latin for "friend of the court," a party or an organization in an issue which files a brief or participates in the argument in a case in which the party or organization is not one of the litigants, for example; the ACLU often files briefs on behalf of a party who contends their constitutional rights have been violated

adversary

1) an individual or party opposing or resisting another 2) an opposite force

statement of claim

The document which sets out the plaintiff's allegations of fact and thus, engages the judicial process by seeking trial.

law

All the rules of conduct that have been approved by the government and which are in force over a certain territory and which must be obeyed by all persons on that territory.

real property

A property interest in land.

gross negligence

The commission or omission of an action in reckless disregard of the consequences to the safety or property of another.

obiter dictum

Latin, an observation by a judge on a matter not specifically before the court.

fiat

A shortly-worded court order.