Dictionary of Law
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inspection of documents :: legal definition


Inspection of documents - n. the right to examine and copy the opposing party's papers in a lawsuit which are relevant to the case. A demand (legal request) may be made, but the categories of documents must be stated so that the other party can know what he/she must produce. If the opposition either refuses to produce some documents or appears to hold back, the party wanting to see the documents can bring a "motion to produce" requesting a court order to produce and a penalty (sanctions) to be paid for failure to honor the demand. A party may also use a subpena duces tecum to obtain specific documents if they are known to exist. All of these procedures are part of the discovery process, intended to give both sides extensive pre-trial information. Such exchanges of documents can lead to settlement, minimize surprises at trial and keep one side from hiding material, thus preventing the other from being able to introduce relevant material at trial. However, it is well known that many law firms obfuscate, delay, pretend to misunderstand requests and fail to be forthcoming.

See also: discovery evidence subpena duces tecum trial and Related Law Terms ↓


Related Law Terms

appeal :: 1) v. to ask a higher court to reverse the decisio ... ng, as in "he has filed an appeal."
arbitration :: n. a mini-trial, which may be for a lawsuit ready ... tance of the arbitrator's decision.
attorney's work product :: n. written materials, charts, notes of conversatio ... ivileged communication work product
color of title :: n. the appearance of having title to personal or r ... rty based on this "color of title."
deposition :: n. the taking and recording of testimony of a witn ... See also: deponent depose discovery
discovery :: n. the entire efforts of a party to a lawsuit and ... ee also: deposition interrogatories
escrow :: 1) n. a form of account held by an "escrow agent" ... w the deal." See also: escrow agent
ex parte :: (ex par-tay, but popularly, ex party) adj. Latin m ... and place of any ex parte hearing.
harmless error :: n. an error by a judge in the conduct of a trial w ... ar to be harmless." See also: error
hearsay rule :: n. the basic rule that testimony or documents whic ... interest dying declaration hearsay
interlineation :: n. the act of writing between the lines of a docum ... document re-typed and then signed.
interrogatories :: n. a set of written questions to a party to a laws ... ing. See also: deposition discovery
intervention :: n. the procedure under which a third party may joi ... rvene joinder multiplicity of suits
jury :: n. one of the remarkable innovations of the Englis ... hallenge sequester venire voir dire
jury fees :: n. the rather minimal amount paid each day to juro ... ees as a court cost. See also: jury
material witness :: n. a person who apparently has information about t ... e. See also: material trial witness
motion :: n. a formal request made to a judge for an order o ... g, an oral motion may be permitted.
notice :: n. 1) information, usually in writing in all legal ... Thirty-day notice three-day notice
peremptory challenge :: n. the right of the plaintiff and the defendant in ... challenge for cause jury voir dire
petition :: 1) n. a formal written request to a court for an o ... dent. See also: divorce motion writ
prevailing party :: n. the winner in a lawsuit. Many contracts, leases ... ed before or after trial has begun.
process :: n. in law, the legal means by which a person is re ... service of process subpena summons
record :: 1) v. (ree-cored) to put a document into the offic ... eeding race to the courthouse trial
reformation :: n. the correction or change of an existing documen ... neral partner sues for reformation.
satisfaction of judgment :: n. a document signed by a judgment creditor (the p ... ord. See also: abstract of judgment
shortening time :: n. an order of the court in response to the motion ... e notice is served within 24 hours.
status conference :: n. a pre-trial meeting of attorneys before a judge ... g a trial date. See also: discovery
subpena :: (subpoena): (suh-pea-nah) n. an order of the court ... ubpena duces tecum subpoena witness
subpena duces tecum :: : (suh-pea-nah dooh-chess-take-uhm or dooh-kess-ta ... ng a court order. See also: witness
substitution of attorney :: n. a document in which the party to a lawsuit stat ... t any time. See also: substitute in
summary adjudication of issues :: n. a court order ruling that certain factual issue ... is made. See also: summary judgment
trial :: n. the examination of facts and law presided over ... at a hearing held at a later time.
witness :: 1) n. a person who testifies under oath in a trial ... lso: deposition evidence trial will

Popular Law Searches

legal 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 - I

i.e. :: prep. abbreviation for id est, which is Latin for ... "e.g.," which means "for example."
illegal :: 1) adj. in violation of statute, regulation or ord ... . See also: alien illegal immigrant
illegal immigrant :: n. an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the Unit ... ion date of a visa. See also: alien
illusory promise :: n. an agreement to do something that is so indefin ... he may have thought was a contract.
immaterial :: adj. a commonly heard objection to introducing evi ... ons. See also: irrelevant objection
immediately :: adv. 1) at once. 2) in orders of the court or in c ... oon as can be done" without excuse.
immunity :: n. exemption from penalties, payments or legal req ... ws. See also: governmental immunity
impanel :: v. to select and install a jury. See also: impanel ... l a jury. See also: impaneling jury
impaneling :: n. the act of selecting a jury from the list of po ... e juror jury panel venire voir dire
impeach :: v. 1) to discredit the testimony of a witness by p ... ve been found guilty by the Senate.
impeachment :: n. 1) discrediting a witness by showing that he/sh ... the trial itself. See also: impeach
impleader :: n. a procedural device before trial in which a par ... than having two suits in a series.
implied :: adj., adv. referring to circumstances, conduct or ... nt implied consent implied warranty
implied consent :: n. consent when surrounding circumstances exist wh ... aybe" or "later." See also: implied
implied contract :: n. an agreement which is found to exist based on t ... : contract express contract implied
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing :: n. a general assumption of the law of contracts, t ... -long employment. See also: implied
implied warranty :: n. an assumption at law that products are "merchan ... er. See also: caveat emptor implied
impossibility :: n. when an act cannot be performed due to nature, ... cel) a contract. See also: contract
impotence :: n. the male's inability to copulate. Impotence can ... eans inability to produce children.
impound :: v. 1) to collect funds, in addition to installment ... cases. See also: forfeit forfeiture