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Most Popular Legal Definitions
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
misfeasance
Improperly doing something which a person has he legal right to do.
Chief Justice
presiding judge of any State Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court; the Chief
Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is appointed by the President and must be
confirmed by the senate
lemon laws
state laws the ensure a certain degree of quality to consumers when purchasing a
car; generally, if repairs can not be made within a specific time constraint,
the consumer is to be refunded or compensated for original purchase price
contempt of court
conduct that is disobedient, obstructive or contemptuous to the Court
attorney-client privilege
requirement that an attorney may not reveal
communications, conversations and letters between himself/ herself and his/her
client, under the theory that a person should be able to speak freely and
honestly with his/her attorney without fear of future revelation
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.
adoption
the taking of a child into one's family, creating a parent to child
relationship, and giving him or her all the rights and privileges of one's own
child
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.
arraignment
the hearing in which a person is presented with the charges against them, given
an opportunity to enter a plea, determined whether they have a lawyer, and if
necessary set the bail amount and future appearances