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Dictionary of Law |
bigamy :: legal definitionBigamy - n. the condition of having two wives or two husbands at the same time. A marriage in which one of the parties is already legally married is bigamous, void, and ground for annulment. The one who knowingly enters into a bigamous marriage is guilty of the crime of bigamy, but it is seldom prosecuted unless it is part of a fraudulent scheme to get another's property or some other felony. Occasionally people commit bigamy accidentally, usually in the belief that a prior marriage had been dissolved. The most famous case in the United States was that of Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachel Robards. Ms. Robards' husband had applied for a divorce, but it had not been granted (it required legislative approval) at the time of her second marriage. She completed the divorce and then the Jacksons remarried. Jackson was embarrassed for life over his carelessness (he was a lawyer and a judge), which had hurt his wife's reputation. Having several wives at the same time is called polygamy and being married to several husbands is polyandry. Related Law Termsaccess :: n. 1) in real estate the right and ability to get ... See also: DNA egress paternity suitadequate remedy :: n. a remedy (money or performance) awarded by a co ... es it, giving cause for his arrest. adultery :: n. consensual sexual relations when one of the par ... s and grist for scandal newspapers. alienation of affections :: n. convincing a wife to leave her husband, often f ... een abolished in almost all states. child custody :: n. a court's determination of which parent, relati ... pport custody divorce joint custody community property :: n. property and profits received by a husband and ... and distribution separate property contract :: 1) n. an agreement with specific terms between two ... n oral contract unilateral contract criminal calendar :: n. the list of criminal cases to be called in cour ... e plea preliminary hearing sentence dower :: n. an old English common law right of a widow to o ... t and distribution widow's election et ux. :: (et uhks) n. abbreviation for the Latin words et u ... ression a chauvinistic anachronism. insanity :: n. mental illness of such a severe nature that a p ... M'Naughten rule temporary insanity 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 not guilty :: n. 1) plea of a person who claims not to have comm ... t guilty by reason of insanity plea separation agreement :: n. an agreement between two married people who hav ... divorce legal separation separation show cause order :: n. an order of the court, also called an order to ... hild. See also: order to show cause spontaneous exclamation :: n. a sudden statement caused by the speaker having ... et hit the girl." See also: hearsay statute of limitations :: n. a law which sets the maximum period which one c ... ies. See also: demurrer laches toll sum certain :: n. a specific amount stated in a contract or negot ... r redecoration of Williams' house." trust :: n. an entity created to hold assets for the benefi ... testamentary trust trustee trustor 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 - BBachelor of Laws :: n. the degree in law from a law school, abbreviate ... troactively. See also: Juris Doctorback-to-back life sentences :: n. slang for consecutive life terms imposed by a j ... ther 25 years for a parole hearing. bad debt :: n. an uncollectible debt. The problem is to determ ... ust no income on which to be taxed. bad faith :: 1) n. intentional dishonest act by not fulfilling ... ean hands doctrine fraud good faith bail :: 1) n. the money or bond put up to secure the relea ... bond bail bondsman own recognizance bail bond :: n. a bond provided by an insurance company through ... urned. See also: bail bail bondsman bail bondsman :: n. a professional agent for an insurance company w ... t to jail. See also: bail bail bond bailee :: n. a person, also called a custodian, with whom so ... he goods. See also: bailment bailor bailiff :: n. 1) a court official, usually a deputy sheriff, ... isdictional territory of a bailiff. bailment :: n. 1) the act of placing property in the custody a ... "bailment." See also: bailee bailor bailor :: n. a person who leaves goods in the custody of ano ... is found. See also: bailee bailment bait and switch :: n. a dishonest sales practice in which a business ... rants the costs of a separate suit. balance due :: n. the amount of a debt still owed on an account o ... cipal due without further interest. balance sheet :: n. the statement of the assets and the liabilities ... ctivity and health of the business. bank :: n. 1) an officially chartered institution empowere ... erred to as "in bank" or "en banc." bankruptcy :: n. a federal system of statutes and courts which p ... y proceedings trustee in bankruptcy bankruptcy court :: n. the specialized federal court in which bankrupt ... : bankruptcy bankruptcy proceedings bankruptcy proceedings :: n. the bankruptcy procedure is: a) filing a petiti ... ankruptcy court claim in bankruptcy bar :: 1) n. collectively all attorneys, as "the bar," wh ... a room, building, or real property. bar association :: n. an organization of lawyers. There are two types ... oluntary organization of attorneys. |