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Bachelor of Laws
n. the degree in law from a law school, abbreviated to LLB, which...
back-to-back life sentences
n. slang for consecutive life terms imposed by a judge when there...
bad debt
n. an uncollectible debt. The problem is to determine when a debt...
bad faith
1) n. intentional dishonest act by not fulfilling legal or contra...
bail
1) n. the money or bond put up to secure the release of a person ...
bail bond
n. a bond provided by an insurance company through a bail bondsma...
bail bondsman
n. a professional agent for an insurance company who specializes ...
bailee
n. a person, also called a custodian, with whom some article is l...
bailiff
n. 1) a court official, usually a deputy sheriff, who keeps order...
bailment
n. 1) the act of placing property in the custody and control of a...
bailor
n. a person who leaves goods in the custody of another, usually u...
bait and switch
n. a dishonest sales practice in which a business advertises a ba...
balance due
n. the amount of a debt still owed on an account or the principal...
balance sheet
n. the statement of the assets and the liabilities (amounts owed)...
bank
n. 1) an officially chartered institution empowered to receive de...
bankruptcy
n. a federal system of statutes and courts which permits persons ...
bankruptcy court
n. the specialized federal court in which bankruptcy matters unde...
bankruptcy proceedings
n. the bankruptcy procedure is: a) filing a petition (voluntary o...
bar
1) n. collectively all attorneys, as "the bar," which comes from ...
bar association
n. an organization of lawyers. There are two types, one of which ...
bar examination
n. the examination given in each state by either the highest cour...
bargain
n. 1) a mutual agreement or contract between two parties which is...
barratry
n. creating legal business by stirring up disputes and quarrels, ...
barrister
n. in the United States a fancy name for a lawyer or attorney. In...
basis
n. the original cost of an asset to be used to determine the amou...
battery
n. the actual intentional striking of someone, with intent to har...
beach bum trust provision
n. a requirement in a trust that a beneficiary can only receive p...
bearer
n. anyone holding something, such as a check, promissory note, ba...
bearer paper
n. negotiable instrument (e.g. a bond) which is payable to whoeve...
belief
n. convinced of the truth of a statement or allegation. In a comm...
bench
n. 1) general term for all judges, as in "the bench," or for the ...
bench warrant
n. a warrant issued by a judge, often to command someone to appea...
beneficial interest
n. the right of a party to some profit, distribution, or benefit ...
beneficial use
n. the right to enjoy the use of something (particularly such ple...
beneficiary
n. a broad definition for any person or entity (like a charity) w...
benefit
1) n. any profit or acquired right or privilege, primarily throug...
benefit of counsel
n. having the opportunity to have an attorney and legal advice in...
bequeath
v. to give personal property under provisions of a will (as disti...
bequest
n. the gift of personal property under the terms of a will. Beque...
best evidence rule
n. the legal doctrine that an original piece of evidence, particu...
bestiality
I'm just ordinary people
and the same with heart
100000000000000000000
00 farmers and ordinary
people below
n. copulation by a human with an animal, which is a crime in all ...
beyond a reasonable doubt
adj. part of jury instructions in all criminal trials, in which t...
BFP
n. slang for bona fide purchaser, which means someone who purchas...
bias
n. the predisposition of a judge, arbitrator, prospective juror, ...
bid
n. an offer to purchase with a specific price stated. It includes...
bifurcate
v. the order or ruling of a judge that one issue in a case can be...
bifurcation
n. the act of a judge in dividing issues before a trial so that o...
bigamy
n. the condition of having two wives or two husbands at the same ...
bilateral contract
n. an agreement in which the parties exchange promises for each t...
bill
n. 1) what is commonly called a "check" by which the signer requi...
bill of attainder
n. a legislative act which declares a named person guilty of a cr...
bill of exchange
n. a writing by a party (maker or drawer) ordering another (payor...
bill of lading
n. a receipt obtained by the shipper of goods from the carrier (t...
bill of particulars
n. a written itemization of claims which a defendant in a lawsuit...
Bill of Rights
n. the first ten amendments to the federal Constitution demanded ...
bill of sale
n. a written statement attesting to the transfer (sale) of goods,...
binder
n. a written statement of the key terms of an agreement, in parti...
blackmail
n. the crime of threatening to reveal embarrassing, disgraceful o...
blank endorsement
n. endorsement of a check or other negotiable paper without namin...
blue laws
n. state or local laws which prohibit certain activities, particu...
blue ribbon jury
n. a jury selected from prominent, well-educated citizens, someti...
blue sky laws
n. laws intended to protect the public from purchasing stock in f...
board of directors
n. the policy managers of a corporation or organization elected b...
boiler room
n. a telephone bank operation in which fast-talking telemarketers...
boilerplate
n., adj. slang for provisions in a contract, form or legal pleadi...
bona fide
adj. Latin for "good faith," it signifies honesty, the "real thin...
bona fide purchaser
n. commonly called BFP in legal and banking circles; a person who...
bond
n. 1) written evidence of debt issued by a company with the terms...
bondsman
n. 1) someone who sells bail bonds. 2) a surety (guarantor or ins...
booby trap
n. a device set up to be triggered to harm or kill anyone enterin...
book account
n. an account of a customer kept in a business ledger of debits a...
book value
n. a determination of the value of a corporation's stock by addin...
bottomry
n. a mortgage contract in which a ship and/or its freight is pled...
boycott
n. organized refusal to purchase products or patronize a store to...
breach
1) n. literally, a break. A breach may be a failure to perform a ...
breach of contract
n. failing to perform any term of a contract, written or oral, wi...
breach of promise
n. historically, the dumping of a female fiancee by her intended ...
breach of the peace
n. any act which disturbs the public or even one person. It can i...
breach of trust
n. 1) any act which is in violation of the duties of a trustee or...
breach of warranty
n. determination that a statement as to title of property, includ...
breaking and entering
n. 1) the criminal act of entering a residence or other enclosed ...
bribery
n. the crime of giving or taking money or some other valuable ite...
brief
1) n. a written legal argument, usually in a format prescribed by...
broker
n. in general, a person who arranges contracts between a buyer an...
brought to trial
v. the act of actually beginning a trial, usually signaled by swe...
bucket shop
n. an unofficial and usually illegal betting operation in which t...
building and loan
n. another name for savings and loan association. As the name imp...
bulk sale
n. the sale of all or a large part of a merchant's stock as well ...
bulk sales acts
n. state laws (spelled out in the Uniform Commercial Code adopted...
bulk transfer
bulk sale
burden
n. anything that results in a restrictive load upon something. Th...
burden of proof
n. the requirement that the plaintiff (the party bringing a civil...
burglary
n. the crime of breaking and entering into a structure for the pu...
business
n. any activity or enterprise entered into for profit. It does no...
business invitee
n. a person entering commercial premises for the purpose of doing...
but for rule
n. one of several tests to determine if a defendant is responsibl...
buy-sell agreement
n. a contract among the owners of a business which provides terms...
bylaws
n. the written rules for conduct of a corporation, association, p...
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Choose a Letter:
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Select a word:
C.I.F.
n. the total of cost, insurance and freight charges to be paid on...
calendar
1) n. the list of cases to be called for trial before a particula...
calendar call
n. the hearing at which a case is set for trial.
call
n. the demand by a corporation that a stockholder pay an installm...
calumny
n. the intentional and generally vicious false accusation of a cr...
cancel
v. to cross out, annul, destroy, void and/or rescind a document. ...
cancellation
cancel
caning
n. a punishment for crimes employed in certain Asian countries (n...
canon law
n. laws and regulations over ecclesiastical (church) matters deve...
cap
n. slang for maximum, as the most interest that can be charged on...
capital
1) n. from Latin for caput, meaning "head," the basic assets of a...
capital account
n. the record which lists all basic assets of a business, not inc...
capital assets
n. equipment, property, and funds owned by a business.
capital expenditure
n. payment by a business for basic assets such as property, fixtu...
capital gains
n. the difference between the sales price and the original cost (...
capital investment
capital expenditure
capital offense
n. any criminal charge which is punishable by the death penalty, ...
capital punishment
n. execution (death) for a capital offense. The U.S. Supreme Cour...
capital stock
n. the original amount paid by investors into a corporation for i...
capitalization
n. 1) the act of counting anticipated earnings and expenses as ca...
capitalized value
n. anticipated earnings which are discounted (given a lower value...
capricious
adv., adj. unpredictable and subject to whim, often used to refer...
caption
n. the first section of any written legal pleading (papers) to be...
care
n. in law, to be attentive, prudent and vigilant. Essentially, ca...
careless
adj., adv. 1) negligent. 2) the opposite of careful. A careless a...
carnal knowledge
n. from Latin carnalis for "fleshly:" sexual intercourse between ...
carrier
n. in general, any person or business which transports property o...
carryback
n. in taxation accounting, using a current tax year's deductions,...
carrying for hire
n. the act of transporting goods or individuals for a fee. It is ...
carrying on business
v. pursuing a particular occupation on a continuous and substanti...
carryover
n. in taxation accounting, using a tax year's deductions, busines...
cartel
n. 1) an arrangement among supposedly independent corporations or...
case
n. short for a cause of action, lawsuit, or the right to sue (as ...
case law
n. reported decisions of appeals courts and other courts which ma...
case of first impression
n. a case in which a question of interpretation of law is present...
case system
n. the method of studying law generally used in American law scho...
cashier's check
n. a check issued by a bank on its own account for the amount pai...
casual
adj. defining something that happens by chance, without being for...
casualty
n. 1) an accident which could not have been foreseen or guarded a...
casualty loss
n. in taxation, loss due to damage which qualifies for a casualty...
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...
caveat
n. (kah-vee-ott) from Latin caveat for "let him beware." 1) a war...
caveat emptor
(kah-vee-ott emptor) Latin for "let the buyer beware." The basic ...
cease and desist order
n. an order of a court or government agency to a person, business...
certificate of deposit (CD)
n. a document issued by a bank in return for a deposit of money w...
certificate of incorporation
n. document which some states issue to prove a corporation's exis...
certificate of title
n. generally, the title document for a motor vehicle issued by th...
certified check
n. a check issued by a bank which certifies that the maker of the...
certiorari
n. (sersh-oh-rare-ee) a writ (order) of a higher court to a lower...
cestui que trust
n. (properly pronounced ses-tee kay, but lawyers popularly pronou...
cestui que use
(pronounced ses-tee kay use or setty kay use) n. an old-fashioned...
chain of title
n. the succession of title ownership to real property from the pr...
challenge
n. the right of each attorney in a jury trial to request that a j...
challenge for cause
n. a request that a prospective juror be dismissed because there ...
chambers
n. the private office of a judge, usually close to the courtroom ...
champerty
n. an agreement between the party suing in a lawsuit (plaintiff) ...
chancellor
n. from the old English legal system, a chancellor is a judge who...
chancery
n. a court that can order acts performed. Today chancery courts a...
change of circumstances
n. the principal reason for a court modifying (amending) an exist...
character witness
n. a person who testifies in a trial on behalf of a person (usual...
charge
n. 1) in a criminal case, the specific statement of what crime th...
charitable contribution
n. in taxation, a contribution to an organization which is offici...
charitable remainder trust (Charitable Remainder Irrevocable Unitrust)
n. a form of trust in which the donor (trustor or settlor) places...
charity
n. 1) in general the sentiment of benevolence, doing good works, ...
charter
n. the name for articles of incorporation in some states, as in a...
chattel
n. an item of personal property which is movable, as distin-guish...
chattel mortgage
n. an outmoded written document which made a chattel (tangible pe...
check
n. a draft upon a particular account in a bank, in which the draw...
Chief Justice
n. the presiding judge of any State Supreme Court and the U.S. Su...
child
n. 1) a person's natural offspring. 2) a person 14 years and unde...
child custody
n. a court's determination of which parent, relative or other adu...
child support
n. court-ordered funds to be paid by one parent to the custodial ...
churning
n. the unethical and usually illegal practice of excessive buying...
circuit courts
n. a movable court in which the judge holds court sessions at sev...
circumstantial evidence
n. evidence in a trial which is not directly from an eyewitness o...
citation
n. 1) a notice to appear in court due to the probable commission ...
cite
v. 1) to make reference to a decision in another case to make a l...
citizen
n. person who by place of birth, nationality of one or both paren...
civil
adj. 1) that part of the law that encompasses business, contracts...
civil action
n. any lawsuit relating to civil matters and not criminal prosecu...
civil calendar
n. the list of lawsuits (cases) that are approaching trial in any...
civil code
n. in many states, the name for the collection of statutes and la...
civil law
n. 1) a body of laws and legal concepts which come down from old ...
civil liability
n. potential responsibility for payment of damages or other court...
civil liberties
n. rights or freedoms given to the people by the First Amendment ...
civil penalties
n. fines or surcharges imposed by a governmental agency to enforc...
civil procedure
n. the complex and often confusing body of rules and regulations ...
civil rights
n. those rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, the 13th and 14...
claim
1) v. to make a demand for money, for property, or for enforcemen...
claim against a governmental agency
n. any time one believes he/she has a right to payment for damage...
claim against an estate
n. upon the death of a person and beginning of probate (filing of...
claim in bankruptcy
n. the written claim filed by persons or businesses owed money (c...
class
n. in legal (not sociological) terms, all those persons in the sa...
class action
n. a lawsuit filed by one or more people on behalf of themselves ...
clean hands doctrine
n. a rule of law that a person coming to court with a lawsuit or ...
clear and convincing evidence
n. evidence that proves a matter by the "preponderance of evidenc...
clear and present danger
n. the doctrine established in an opinion written by Oliver Wende...
clear title
n. holding ownership of real property without any claims by other...
clerk
n. 1) an official or employee who handles the business of a court...
close corporation
n. a corporation which is permitted by state law to operate more ...
closed shop
n. a business that will hire only union members by choice or by a...
closing
n. the final step in the sale and purchase of real estate in whic...
closing argument
n. the final argument by an attorney on behalf of his/her client ...
cloud on title (cloud)
n. an actual or apparent outstanding claim on the title to real p...
co-trustee
n. a trustee of a trust when there is more than one trustee servi...
code
n. a collection of written laws gathered together, usually coveri...
Code of Professional Responsibility
n. a set of rules governing the ethical conduct of attorneys in t...
codefendant
n. when more than one person or entity is sued in one lawsuit, ea...
codicil
n. a written amendment to a person's will, which must be dated, s...
codify
v. to arrange and label a system of laws.
cohabitation
n. living together in the same residence, generally either as hus...
coinsurance
n. an insurance policy in which the insurance company insures onl...
collateral
1) n. property pledged to secure a loan or debt, usually funds or...
collateral attack
n. a legal action to challenge a ruling in another case. For exam...
collateral descendant
n. a relative descended from a brother or sister of an ancestor, ...
collateral estoppel
n. the situation in which a judgment in one case prevents (estops...
collusion
n. where two persons (or business entities through their officers...
collusive action
n. a lawsuit brought by parties pretending to be adversaries in o...
color of law
n. the appearance of an act being performed based upon legal righ...
color of title
n. the appearance of having title to personal or real property by...
comaker
n. when two or more people sign a check or a promissory note, eac...
comity
n. when one court defers to the jurisdiction of another in a case...
commencement of action
n. an action (a lawsuit) commences (begins officially) when the p...
comment
n. a statement made by a judge or an attorney during a trial whic...
commercial frustration
n. an unforeseen uncontrollable event which occurs after a writte...
commercial law
n. all the law which applies to the rights, relations and conduct...
commingling
n. the act of mixing the funds belonging to one party with those ...
commission
n. 1) a fee paid based on a percentage of the sale made by an emp...
commitment
n. a judge's order sending someone to jail or prison, upon convic...
common area
n. in condominium and some cooperative housing projects, the area...
common carrier
n. an individual, a company or a public utility (like municipal b...
common counts
n. claims for debt alleged in a lawsuit (included in the complain...
common law
n. the traditional unwritten law of England, based on custom and ...
common property
n. 1) real property owned by "tenants in common," who each have a...
common stock
n. stock in a corporation in which dividends (payouts) are calcul...
common-law marriage
n. an agreement between a man and woman to live together as husba...
community property
n. property and profits received by a husband and wife during the...
commutation
n. the act of reducing a criminal sentence resulting from a crimi...
commute a sentence
v.
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The People's Law Dictionary by Gerald and Kathleen Hill Publisher Fine Communications
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