Dictionary of Law
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

abortion :: legal definition


Abortion - n. the termination of pregnancy by various means, including medical surgery, before the fetus is able to sustain independent life. Until 1973 abortion was considered a crime (by the mother and the doctor) unless performed by physicians to protect the life of the mother, a phrase often broadly interpreted. Untrained persons performed thousands of abortions each year in the U.S. using hasty, unsanitary and dangerous means, resulting in maiming, permanent damage of organs, and death of many women. The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Roe v. Wade (1973) that a woman had the right to choose abortion to end a pregnancy through the first trimester (three months) of gestation. In the latter stages of pregnancy, danger to the life of the mother could still justify a legal abortion. Political struggles followed over legalized abortions. Some state legislatures passed limitations such as requiring teenage girls to obtain their parents' consent in order to get an abortion. Despite appointment of anti-abortion justices by Presidents Reagan and Bush, the Supreme Court has not over-turned the basic Wade case rule. President Bill Clinton's appointments are expected to make legalized abortion continue in the future.


Related Law Terms

abuse of discretion :: n. a polite way of saying a trial judge has made s ... partner's realistic ability to pay.
actual controversy :: n. a true legal dispute which leads to a genuine l ... al outcome. See also: friendly suit
ad litem :: adj. legal Latin meaning "for the purposes of the ... of age. See also: guardian ad litem
administrator :: n. the person appointed by the court to handle the ... e also: administer executor probate
admission to bail :: n. an order of a court in a criminal case allowing ... lient. See also: bail bail bondsman
appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal."
arbitrator :: n. one who conducts an arbitration, and serves as ... he other two. See also: arbitration
arrest :: v. 1) to take or hold a suspected criminal with le ... anda warning probable cause warrant
Associate Justice :: n. a member of the U.S. Supreme Court appointed by ... acquitted.) See also: Supreme Court
attorney :: n. 1) an agent or someone authorized to act for an ... ialize. See also: court reciprocity
attorney of record :: n. the attorney who has appeared in court and/or s ... eve have long since been completed.
attorney's fee :: n. the payment for legal services. It can take sev ... ees in the particular type of case.
authorities :: n. 1) previous decisions by courts of appeal which ... also: brief cite decision precedent
bankruptcy :: n. a federal system of statutes and courts which p ... y proceedings trustee in bankruptcy
bifurcate :: v. the order or ruling of a judge that one issue i ... is necessary. See also: bifurcation
brief :: 1) n. a written legal argument, usually in a forma ... another person. See also: precedent
calendar :: 1) n. the list of cases to be called for trial bef ... clerk of the court calendars cases.
case :: n. short for a cause of action, lawsuit, or the ri ... ny, the court stated the rule as:."
case law :: n. reported decisions of appeals courts and other ... es. See also: case system precedent
certiorari :: n. (sersh-oh-rare-ee) a writ (order) of a higher c ... cedents (previously decided cases).
Chief Justice :: n. the presiding judge of any State Supreme Court ... nks of existing Associate Justices.
child custody :: n. a court's determination of which parent, relati ... pport custody divorce joint custody
citation :: n. 1) a notice to appear in court due to the proba ... se is not in point." See also: cite
comity :: n. when one court defers to the jurisdiction of an ... of cases to which comity may apply.
complaint :: n. the first document filed with the court (actual ... g prayer service of process summons
conservator :: n. a guardian and protector appointed by a judge t ... ies. See also: conservatee guardian
constitution :: n. the fundamental, underlying document which esta ... ts common law constitutional rights
court :: n. 1) the judge, as in "The court rules in favor o ... cost and wait of full court trials.
court costs :: n. fees for expenses that the courts pass on to at ... ee also: cost bill prevailing party
dissent :: n. 1) the opinion of a judge of a court of appeals ... sagreement with prevailing thought.
docket :: 1) n. the cases on a court calendar. 2) n. brief n ... r or make notes on action in court.
file :: 1) v. to deposit with the clerk of the court a wri ... rrespondence and notes on the case.
final settlement :: n. an agreement reached by the parties to a lawsui ... rneys present. See also: settlement
first impression :: adj. referring to a legal issue which has never be ... s for both sides to assist him/her.
friendly suit :: n. a lawsuit filed in order to obtain a court orde ... eement in which there was an error.
gag order :: n. a judge's order prohibiting the attorneys and t ... st day in office, January 22, 1993.
guardian :: n. a person who has been appointed by a judge to t ... torship. See also: conservator ward
hearsay rule :: n. the basic rule that testimony or documents whic ... interest dying declaration hearsay
indigent :: 1) n. a person so poor and needy that he/she canno ... person who is very poor and needy.
information :: n. an accusation or criminal charge brought by the ... Jury indictment preliminary hearing
injunction :: n. a writ (order) issued by a court ordering someo ... t. See also: injunctive relief writ
interrogatories :: n. a set of written questions to a party to a laws ... ing. See also: deposition discovery
joint custody :: n. in divorce actions, a decision by the court (of ... em. See also: child custody divorce
judge :: 1) n. an official with the authority and responsib ... ice justice of the peace magistrate
jurisdiction :: n. the authority given by law to a court to try ca ... Superior Court Supreme Court venue
jury :: n. one of the remarkable innovations of the Englis ... hallenge sequester venire voir dire
law book :: n. any of numerous volumes dealing with law, inclu ... : common law law Shepardize statute
letters of administration :: n. a document issued by the court clerk which stat ... estate. See also: executor probate
life estate :: n. the right to use or occupy real property for on ... hter, Sadie, will own the property.
long cause :: n. a lawsuit in which it is estimated that a trial ... dar call court calendar short cause
mandate :: n. 1) any mandatory order or requirement under sta ... See also: mandamus writ of mandate
municipal court :: n. a lower court which usually tries criminal misd ... nd/or small claims. See also: court
no fault insurance :: n: a type of automobile insurance required of car ... ling lawsuits. See also: negligence
notice :: n. 1) information, usually in writing in all legal ... Thirty-day notice three-day notice
nunc pro tunc :: (nuhnk proh tuhnk) adj. Latin for "now for then," ... r actuality of a bigamous marriage.
on all fours :: adj. a reference to a lawsuit in which all the leg ... ame conclusion. See also: precedent
overrule :: v. 1) to reject an attorney's objection to a quest ... : appellate court objection sustain
petition :: 1) n. a formal written request to a court for an o ... dent. See also: divorce motion writ
pleading :: n. 1) every legal document filed in a lawsuit, pet ... nswer complaint demurrer plea plead
political question :: n. the determination by a court (particularly the ... ne-vote," as constitutional issues.
precedent :: 1) n. a prior reported opinion of an appeals court ... to perform. See also: stare decisis
presiding judge :: n. 1) in both state and federal appeals court, the ... and chairs meetings of the judges.
privileged communication :: n. statements and conversations made under circums ... See also: attorney-client privilege
privileges and immunities :: n. the fundamental rights that people enjoy in fre ... t impinge on constitutional rights.
procedure :: n. the methods and mechanics of the legal process. ... cases are tried and judgments made.
process :: n. in law, the legal means by which a person is re ... service of process subpena summons
proper party :: n. a person or entity who has an interest (financi ... lf. See also: necessary party party
record :: 1) v. (ree-cored) to put a document into the offic ... eeding race to the courthouse trial
remedy :: n. the means to achieve justice in any matter in w ... gment provisional remedy settlement
remittitur :: n. 1) a judge's order reducing a judgment awarded ... party on appeal). See also: remand
reports :: n. the published decisions of appeals courts in al ... ilable in almost all law libraries.
retroactive :: adj. referring to a court's decision or a statute ... ospective." See also: ex post facto
reversal :: n. the decision of a court of appeal ruling that t ... e of damages is ordered to dismiss.
ripe :: adj. in constitutional law, referring to a law cas ... or more issues raised by the case.
rule :: 1) v. to decide a legal question, by a court, as i ... ee also: regulations rules of court
small claims court :: n. a division of most municipal, city or other low ... od example of a small claims court.
special appearance :: n. the representation by an attorney of a person i ... anged. See also: general appearance
special circumstances :: n. in criminal cases, particularly homicides, acti ... urant. See also: capital punishment
status conference :: n. a pre-trial meeting of attorneys before a judge ... g a trial date. See also: discovery
supra :: (sooh-prah) Latin for "above," in legal briefs and ... d as Guinn v. United States, supra.
supremacy clause :: n. Article VI, section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, ... f involving a constitutional issue.
Supreme Court :: n. 1) the highest court in the United States, whic ... rt in other states. See also: court
trial :: n. the examination of facts and law presided over ... at a hearing held at a later time.
unconstitutional :: adj. referring to a statute, governmental conduct, ... ee also: constitution Supreme Court
venue :: n. 1) the proper or most convenient location for t ... ion. See also: forum non conveniens

Popular Law Searches

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forthwith legal definition :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
forthwith definition legal :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
what is to wit in a legal contract :: prep. that is to say. Example: "the passengers in ... tty Bumgartner and Sherry Younger."
mirror wills legal definition :: n. the wills of a husband and wife which are ident ... d each names the other as executor.
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Other Law Terms - A

a fortiori :: (ah-for-she-ory) prep. Latin for "with even strong ... rother Cain certainly is too young.
a priori assumption :: (ah-pree-ory) n. from Latin, an assumption that is ... when the reality is not so certain.
a.k.a. :: prep. abbreviation for "also known as" when someon ... nodgrass, a.k.a. "Snuffy the Snod."
ab initio :: prep. lawyer Latin for "from the start," as "it wa ... tart," as "it was legal ab initio."
abandon :: v. to intentionally and permanently give up, surre ... lso: abandoned property abandonment
abandoned property :: n. property left behind (often by a tenant) intent ... -use. See also: abandon abandonment
abandonment :: n. the act of intentionally and permanently giving ... : abandon abandoned property patent
abate :: v. to do away with a problem, such as a public or ... ty septic tank. See also: abatement
abatement :: n. 1) the removal of a problem which is against pu ... eneficiary in full. See also: abate
abduction :: n. the criminal taking away of a person by persuas ... g of children. See also: kidnapping
abet :: v. to help someone commit a crime, including helpi ... n the crime. See also: aid and abet
abeyance :: 1) n. when the owner- ship of property has not bee ... 2) legal jargon for "undetermined."
able-bodied :: adj. physically capable of working at a job or in ... of paying alimony or child support.
abortion :: n. the termination of pregnancy by various means, ... ed abortion continue in the future.
abrogate :: v. to annul or repeal a law or pass legislation th ... ons of a contract. See also: repeal
abscond :: v. 1) traditionally to leave a jurisdiction (where ... as in "he absconded with the loot."
absolute :: adj. complete, and without condition. ... j. complete, and without condition.
abstention doctrine :: n. when the Supreme Court refuses to exercise its ... being appealed from a state court.
abstract :: n. in general, a summary of a record or document, ... tract of judgment abstract of title
abstract of judgment :: n. a written summary of a judgment which states ho ... aying the debt. See also: levy lien