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nominal damages :: legal definition


Nominal damages - n. a small amount of money awarded to a plaintiff in a lawsuit to show he/she was right but suffered no substantial harm. The most famous case of nominal damages was when Prime Minister Winston Churchill was awarded a shilling (about 25 cents) in a libel lawsuit he had brought against author Louis Adamic for writing that Churchill had been drunk during a dinner at the White House. The Prime Minister was vindicated, but the jury could not find that his towering reputation had been damaged.

See also: damages and Related Law Terms ↓


Related Law Terms

child custody :: n. a court's determination of which parent, relati ... pport custody divorce joint custody
cross-complaint :: n. after a complaint has been filed against a defe ... g prayer service of process summons
damages :: n. the amount of money which a plaintiff (the pers ... liquidated damages special damages
dismiss :: v. the ruling by a judge that all or a portion (on ... nst that party. See also: dismissal
emotional distress :: n. an increasingly popular basis for a claim of da ... ar value upon it. See also: damages
exemplary damages :: n. often called punitive damages, these are damage ... See also: damages punitive damages
file :: 1) v. to deposit with the clerk of the court a wri ... rrespondence and notes on the case.
harassment :: (either harris-meant or huh-rass-meant) n. the act ... See also: harass sexual harassment
interest :: n. 1) any and all, partial or total right to prope ... nal property real property standing
jury :: n. one of the remarkable innovations of the Englis ... hallenge sequester venire voir dire
last clear chance :: n. a rule of law in determining responsibility for ... contributory negligence negligence
liability :: n. one of the most significant words in the field ... bility joint tortfeasors negligence
libel :: 1) n. to publish in print (including pictures), wr ... libel per se public figure slander
lis pendens :: (lease pen-dense) n. Latin for "a suit pending," a ... ob can be penalized by court order.
long-arm statute :: n. law which gives a local state court jurisdictio ... rt jurisdiction over the defendant.
malicious prosecution :: n. filing a lawsuit with the intention of creating ... vor of the victim. See also: malice
malpractice :: n. An act or continuing conduct of a professional ... eed. See also: errors and omissions
mental anguish :: n. mental suffering which includes fright, feeling ... See also: damages mental suffering
Miranda warning :: n. the requirement, also called the Miranda rule, ... me such a suspect? See also: rights
no fault insurance :: n: a type of automobile insurance required of car ... ling lawsuits. See also: negligence
quotient verdict :: n. an award of money damages set by a jury in a la ... rial motion for a new trial verdict
rescue doctrine :: n. the rule of law that if a rescuer of a person h ... to the car grill. See also: damages
retraction :: n. 1) to withdraw any legal document in a lawsuit ... igation. See also: defamation libel
statute of limitations :: n. a law which sets the maximum period which one c ... ies. See also: demurrer laches toll
wrongful death :: n. the death of a human being as the result of a w ... ual beneficiaries (family members).

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 - N

N.O.V. :: adj. shorthand acronym of Latin for non obstante v ... notwithstanding the verdict verdic
National Labor Relations Board :: n. an independent regulatory commission created in ... see union and organizing elections.
natural law :: n. 1) standards of conduct derived from traditiona ... eated by mankind through the state.
natural person :: n. a real human being, as distinguished from a cor ... ated at law as a fictitious person.
necessary :: adj., adv. 1) essen- tial. 2) less forcefully, it ... nient, useful or making good sense.
necessary inference :: n. 1) a conclusion militated by reason and logic a ... nown facts. 2) unavoidable meaning.
necessary party :: n. a person or entity whose interests will be affe ... o: indispensable party proper party
negative declaration :: n. a finding by a city council or other local gove ... so: EIR environmental impact report
negative pregnant :: n. a denial of an allegation in which a person act ... suse, just the amount and the date.
negligence :: n. failure to exercise the care toward others whic ... gence per se res ipsa loquitur tort
negligence per se :: (purr say) n. negligence due to the violation of a ... riving. See also: negligence per se
negligent :: adj., adv. careless in not fulfilling responsibili ... esponsibility. See also: negligence
negotiable instrument :: n. check, promissory note, bill of exchange, secur ... bearer paper bill of exchange check
negotiation :: n. 1) the transfer of a check, promissory note, bi ... te. See also: negotiable instrument
net :: : n., adj. the amount of money or value remaining ... or net estate. See also: net estate
net estate :: n. the remaining estate of a person who has died, ... alue. See also: estate tax gift tax
new matter :: n. newly claimed facts or legal issues raised (bro ... ee also: affirmative defense answer
next friend :: n. a person (often a relative) who voluntarily hel ... filed. See also: guardian ad litem
next of kin :: n. 1) the nearest blood relatives of a person who ... See also: descent and distribution
nihil :: (ni [as in it]-hill) n. from Latin for nothing. ... t]-hill) n. from Latin for nothing.