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Dictionary of Law |
adultery :: legal definitionAdultery - n. consensual sexual relations when one of the participants is legally married to another. In some states it is still a crime and and in many states it is grounds for divorce for the spouse of the married adulterer. The criminal charges are almost never brought, and in those states in which there is no-fault divorce (or dissolution), adultery is legally not relevant. Until the 1970s, in community property states adultery was grounds for giving the person cheated upon most of the couple's property, often resulting in lurid and long trials and grist for scandal newspapers. Related Law Termsabeyance :: 1) n. when the owner- ship of property has not bee ... 2) legal jargon for "undetermined."adverse possession :: n. a means to acquire title to land through obviou ... o: possession prescriptive easement appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal." attorney :: n. 1) an agent or someone authorized to act for an ... ialize. See also: court reciprocity Attorney General :: n. in each state and the federal government the hi ... izenry. See also: Solicitor General bankruptcy :: n. a federal system of statutes and courts which p ... y proceedings trustee in bankruptcy bigamy :: n. the condition of having two wives or two husban ... d to several husbands is polyandry. Bill of Rights :: n. the first ten amendments to the federal Constit ... ved to the states or to the people. brief :: 1) n. a written legal argument, usually in a forma ... another person. See also: precedent 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 civil law :: n. 1) a body of laws and legal concepts which come ... generic term for non-criminal law. collateral :: 1) n. property pledged to secure a loan or debt, u ... ral to the Colorado divorce action. community property :: n. property and profits received by a husband and ... and distribution separate property complaint :: n. the first document filed with the court (actual ... g prayer service of process summons confiscate :: v. to take one's goods or property without legal r ... affic. See also: condemnation theft cruelty :: n. the intentional and malicious infliction of phy ... ruel and unusual punishment divorce demurrer :: n. (dee-muhr-ur) a written response to a complaint ... demurrer. See also: motion pleading descent :: n. the rules of inheritance established by law in ... on inheritance intestate succession divorce :: 1) n. the termination of a marriage by legal actio ... y separate property spousal support eminent domain :: n. the power of a governmental entity (federal, st ... ngs. See also: condemn condemnation equity :: n. 1) a venerable group of rights and procedures t ... ry enjoin equitable injunction writ extreme cruelty :: n. an archaic requirement to show infliction of ph ... ring the suffering spouse (victim). foreclosure :: n. the system by which a party who has loaned mone ... ced sale mortgage notice of default fraud :: n. the intentional use of deceit, a trick or some ... audulent conveyance intrinsic fraud grandfather clause :: n. 1) a clause in a statute or zoning ordinance (p ... Such laws are now unconstitutional. interlocutory decree :: n. a court judgment which is temporary and not int ... ppeared to waste the parties' time. 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 laches :: n. the legal doctrine that a legal right or claim ... , breach of contract, fraud, etc.). law :: n. 1) any system of regulations to govern the cond ... um maritime law natural law statute law book :: n. any of numerous volumes dealing with law, inclu ... : common law law Shepardize statute legal age :: n. the age at which a person is responsible for hi ... so: infancy juvenile court minority legal separation :: n. a court-decreed right to live apart, with the r ... n is rarely used. See also: divorce marriage :: n. the joining of a male and female in matrimony b ... of time without legal formalities. mortgage :: n. a document in which the owner pledges his/her/i ... losure notice of default trust deed murder :: n. the killing of a human being by a sane person, ... premeditation second degree murder notice :: n. 1) information, usually in writing in all legal ... Thirty-day notice three-day notice promissory note :: n. a written promise by a person (variously called ... lso: interest obligee obligor usury property :: n. anything that is owned by a person or entity. P ... rty real property separate property quiet title action :: n. a lawsuit to establish a party's title to real ... opposition. See also: notice title record :: 1) v. (ree-cored) to put a document into the offic ... eeding race to the courthouse trial seduction :: n. the use of charm, salesmanship, promises, gifts ... ry breach of promise date rape rape separate property :: n. in community property states (California, Texas ... pouse. See also: community property separation agreement :: n. an agreement between two married people who hav ... divorce legal separation separation speaking demurrer :: n. an attempt to introduce evidence during a heari ... the operation." See also: demurrer spousal support :: n. payment for support of an ex-spouse (or a spous ... but two. See also: alimony divorce statute of limitations :: n. a law which sets the maximum period which one c ... ies. See also: demurrer laches toll tax :: n. a governmental assessment (charge) upon propert ... unified estate and gift tax use tax tenancy by the entirety :: n. joint ownership of title by husband and wife, i ... ee also: community property tenancy unlawful detainer :: n. 1) keeping possession of real property without ... Thirty-day notice three-day notice Popular Law Searcheslegal definition ministerial act :: n. an act, particularly of a governmental employee ... exercising any individual judgment.chancery legal definition :: n. a court that can order acts performed. Today ch ... ts in most states. See also: equity testamentary disposition legal definition :: n. how the terms of a will divide the testator's ( ... named beneficiaries. See also: will contract of sufferance :: n. a "hold-over" tenancy after a lease has expired ... y tenancy at will unlawful detainer 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. clean hands doctrine latin :: n. a rule of law that a person coming to court wit ... ices. See also: affirmative defense sine qua non only relates to contract law :: (see-nay kwah nahn) prep. Latin for "without which ... qua non of the injury to Playmate. Other Law Terms - Aa 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 |