Search Dictionary


Terms:

Browse Alphabetically (A-Z)

A  |   B  |   C  |   D  |   E  |   F  |   G  |   H  |   I  |   J  |   K  |   L  |   M  |   N  |   O  |   P  |   Q  |   R  |   S  |   T  |   U  |   V  |   W  |   X  |   Y  |   Z  |  

Most Popular Legal Definitions

obiter dictum

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

barratry

creating legal business by stirring up disputes and quarrels, generally for the benefit of the lawyer who sees fees in the matter; barratry is illegal in all states and subject to criminal punishment and/or discipline by the state bar, but there must be a showing that the resulting lawsuit was totally groundless

stockholder

shareholder in a corporation

reasonable doubt

A threshold of proof in criminal cases which requires the trier of fact to be sure of the defendant's guilt before convicting.

lawsuit

legal claim brought on by one individual or party and levied against another 

rider

A written amendment as to the coverage of an existing life or health insurance policy.

summons

a document issued by the court at the time a lawsuit is filed, stating the name of both plaintiff and defendant, the title and file number of the case, the court and its address, the name and address of the plaintiff's attorney, and instructions as to the need to file a response to the complaint within a certain time.

privity of contract

A doctrine of contract law that prevents any person from seeking the enforcement of a contract, or suing on its terms, unless they are a party to that contract.

usurpation

the act of taking the property, right, or general possession of another under the guise of law without actual authority to do so 

class

in legal terms, all those persons in the same category, level of rights, or who have suffered from the same incident