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Select a word:
abandoned property
n. property left behind (often by a tenant) intentionally and per...
abuse of process
n. the use of legal process by illegal, malicious, or perverted m...
acceleration clause
n. a provision in a contract or promissory note that if some spec...
Administrative Procedure Act
n. the federal act which established the rules and regulations fo...
adverse possession
n. a means to acquire title to land through obvious occupancy of ...
after-acquired property
n. 1) personal or real property acquired by a debtor after he/she...
attorney's work product
n. written materials, charts, notes of conversations and investig...
bankruptcy proceedings
n. the bankruptcy procedure is: a) filing a petition (voluntary o...
bona fide purchaser
n. commonly called BFP in legal and banking circles; a person who...
breach of promise
n. historically, the dumping of a female fiancee by her intended ...
burden of proof
n. the requirement that the plaintiff (the party bringing a civil...
capital assets
n. equipment, property, and funds owned by a business.
capital offense
n. any criminal charge which is punishable by the death penalty, ...
case law
n. reported decisions of appeals courts and other courts which ma...
cause
from Latin causa 1) v. to make something happen. 2) n. the reason...
cause of action
n. the basis of a lawsuit founded on legal grounds and alleged fa...
cestui que use
(pronounced ses-tee kay use or setty kay use) n. an old-fashioned...
challenge for cause
n. a request that a prospective juror be dismissed because there ...
civil procedure
n. the complex and often confusing body of rules and regulations ...
community property
n. property and profits received by a husband and wife during the...
compromise
1) n. an agreement between opposing parties to settle a dispute o...
compromise verdict
n. a decision made by a jury in which the jurors split the differ...
consequential damages
n. damages claimed and/or awarded in a lawsuit which were caused ...
conservator
n. a guardian and protector appointed by a judge to protect and m...
consumer protection laws
n. almost all states and the federal government have enacted laws...
defense attorney
n. 1) the attorney representing the defendant in a lawsuit or cri...
depose
v. 1) to ask questions of a witness or a party to a lawsuit at a ...
devise
1) v. an old-fashioned word for giving real property by a will, a...
devisee
n. a person who receives a gift of real property by a will. The d...
direct and proximate cause
n. the immediate reason damage was caused by an act or omission (...
false pretenses
n. the crime of knowingly making untrue statements for the purpos...
foreseeability
n. reasonable anticipation of the possible results of an action, ...
franchise tax
n. a state tax on corporations or businesses.
hostile possession
n. occupancy of a piece of real property coupled with a claim of ...
illusory promise
n. an agreement to do something that is so indefinite one cannot ...
in terrorem clause
(in tehr-roar-em)n. from Latin for "in fear," a provision in a wi...
informed consent
n. agreement to do something or to allow something to happen only...
insanity defense
n. the claim of a defendant in a criminal prosecution that he/she...
intervening cause
n. an event which occurs between the original improper or dangero...
inverse condemnation
n. the taking of property by a government agency which so greatly...
joint and several
adj. referring to a debt or a judgment for negligence, in which e...
joint enterprise
n. a generic term for an activity of two or more people, usually ...
jury selection
n. the means by which a jury is chosen, with a panel of potential...
lapse
1) v. to fail to occur, particularly a gift made in a will. 2) v....
lease
1) n. a written agreement in which the owner of property (either ...
leasehold
n. the real estate which is the subject of a lease (a written ren...
lessee
n. the person renting property under a written lease from the own...
libel per se
n. broadcast or written publication of a false statement about an...
license
1) n. governmental permission to perform a particular act (like g...
licensee
n. a person given a license by the government or under private ag...
long cause
n. a lawsuit in which it is estimated that a trial will take more...
malicious prosecution
n. filing a lawsuit with the intention of creating problems for t...
malum prohibitum
(mal-uhm prohibit-uhm) adj. Latin meaning "wrong due to being pro...
master and servant
n. the body of law, including statutes and legal decisions which ...
material representation
n. a convincing statement made to induce someone to enter into a ...
misappropriation
n. the intentional, illegal use of the property or funds of anoth...
negligence per se
(purr say) n. negligence due to the violation of a public duty, s...
nolle prosequi
(no-lay pro-say-kwee) n. Latin for "we shall no longer prosecute,...
non-conforming use
n. the existing use (residential, commercial, agricultural, light...
non-profit corporation
n. an organization incorporated under state laws and approved by ...
offer of proof
n. an explanation made by an attorney to a judge during trial to ...
offset
1) n. also called a "setoff," the deduction by a debtor from a cl...
passenger
n. a rider who has paid a fare on a train, bus, airline, taxi, sh...
personal service
n. delivering a summons, complaint, notice to quit tenancy or oth...
possessory interest
n. in real estate, the intent and right of a person to occupy and...
premises
n. 1) in real estate, land and the improvements on it, a building...
prescriptive easement
n. an easement upon another's real property acquired by continued...
presentment
n. 1) making a demand for payment of a promissory note when it is...
privilege against self incrimina-tion
n. a right to refuse to testify against oneself in a criminal pro...
pro per
adj. short for "propria persona," which is Latin for "for oneself...
pro se
(proh say) prep. Latin for "for himself." A party to a lawsuit wh...
probable cause
n. sufficient reason based upon known facts to believe a crime ha...
probate
1) n. the process of proving a will is valid and thereafter admin...
probative
adj. in evidence law, tending to prove something. Thus, testimony...
probative facts
n. evidence which tends to prove something which is relative to t...
process
n. in law, the legal means by which a person is required to appea...
process server
n. a person who serves (delivers) legal papers in lawsuits, eithe...
product liability
n. the responsibility of manufacturers, distributors and sellers ...
prohibition
n. forbidding an act or activity. A court order forbidding an act...
promise
1) n. a firm agreement to perform an act, refrain from acting or ...
promissory note
n. a written promise by a person (variously called maker, obligor...
proof
n. confirmation of a fact by evidence. In a trial, proof is what ...
proper party
n. a person or entity who has an interest (financial or protectio...
property
n. anything that is owned by a person or entity. Property is divi...
property damage
n. injury to real or personal property through another's negligen...
property tax
n. an annual governmental tax on real property or personal proper...
propria persona
adj. from Latin, for oneself.
prosecute
v. 1) in criminal law, to charge a person with a crime and therea...
prosecution
n. 1) in criminal law, the government attorney charging and tryin...
prosecutor
n. generic term for the government's attorney in a criminal case,...
prospectus
n. a detailed statement by a corporation required when there is a...
prostitute
n. a person who receives payment for sexual intercourse or other ...
prostitution
n. the profession of performing sexual acts for money. Prostituti...
proximate cause
n. a happening which results in an event, particularly injury due...
public easement
n. the right of the general public to use certain streets, highwa...
public use
n. the only purpose for which private property can be taken (cond...
quasi community property
n. in community property states, property acquired by a couple wh...
race to the courthouse
n. slang for the rule that the first deed, deed of trust, mortgag...
real property
n. 1) all land, structures, firmly attached and integrated equipm...
recourse
n. the right to demand payment to the writer of a check or bill o...
release on one's own recognizance
v. for a judge to allow a criminal defendant pre-trial freedom wi...
return of service
n. written confirmation under oath by a process server declaring ...
sealed verdict
n. the decision of a jury when there is a delay in announcing the...
search
v. 1) to examine another's premises (including a vehicle) to look...
search and seizure
n. examination of a person's premises (residence, business or veh...
search warrant
n. a written order by a judge which permits a law enforcement off...
second degree murder
n. a non-premeditated killing, resulting from an assault in which...
secured transaction
n. any loan or credit in which property is pledged as security in...
securities
n. generic term for shares of stock, bonds and debentures issued ...
security deposit
n. a payment required by a landlord from a tenant to cover the ex...
security interest
n. generic term for the property rights of a lender or creditor w...
sedition
n. the federal crime of advocacy of insurrection against the gove...
seduction
n. the use of charm, salesmanship, promises, gifts and flattery t...
seisin
(sees-in) n. an old feudal term for having both possession and ti...
seized
(seised) n. 1) having ownership, commonly used in wills as "I giv...
seizure
n. the taking by law enforcement officers of potential evidence i...
self-defense
n. the use of reasonable force to protect oneself or members of t...
self-incrimination
n. making statements or producing evidence which tends to prove t...
seller
n. one who sells goods or other property to a buyer (purchaser).
senior lien
n. the first security interest (lien or claim) placed upon proper...
sentence
1) n. the punishment given to a person convicted of a crime. A se...
separate property
n. in community property states (California, Texas, Arizona, Idah...
separation
n. married persons living apart, either informally by one leaving...
separation agreement
n. an agreement between two married people who have agreed to liv...
servant
n. an employee of an employer, technically one who works for a ma...
service
n. 1) paid work by another person, either by contract or as an em...
service by FAX
n. delivery of legal documents required by statute to be "served"...
service of process
n. the delivery of copies of legal documents such as summons, com...
services
n. work performed for pay.
servient estate
n. real property which has an easement or other use imposed upon ...
setoff
(offset) n. a claim by a defendant in a lawsuit that the plaintif...
settlor
n. the person who creates a trust by a written trust declaration,...
severable contract
n. an agreement which is made up of several separate contracts be...
several liability
n. referring to responsibility of one party for the entire debt (...
sex offender
n. generic term for all persons convicted of crimes involving sex...
shifting the burden of proof
n. the result of the plaintiff in a lawsuit meeting its burden of...
special prosecutor
n. an attorney from outside of the government selected by the Att...
specific devise
n. the gift in a will of a certain piece of real estate to a cert...
spendthrift clause
n. a provision in a trust or will that states that if a prospecti...
sublease
n. the lease to another of all or a portion of premises by a tena...
substituted service
n. accomplishing service (delivery) of legal documents required t...
supersedeas
(sooh-purr-said-ee-uhs) Latin for "you shall desist," an order (w...
superseding cause
n. the same as an "intervening cause" or "supervening cause," whi...
tangible property
n. physical articles (things) as distinguished from "incorporeal"...
title search
n. the examination of county records for the property's title his...
trade secret
n. a process, method, plan, formula or other information unique t...
triple net lease
n. a lease in which the lessee's (tenant's) rent includes a share...
undisclosed principal
n. a person who uses an agent for his/her negotiations with a thi...
unreasonable search and seizure
n. search of an individual or his/her premises (including an auto...
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