Legal jargon

About this list

Courtroom and contract language, from act of God to test case. The meanings are Wiktionary’s and describe general usage; they are not legal advice.

200 terms, A to Z

act of God

An unforeseen occurrence beyond one's control, such as a natural disaster.

after the fact

After the occurrence of some action or event, such as a crime or the formation of a contract.

and company

Used as part of the name of a company with multiple owners.

at bar

Before the court; under consideration by the court.

average

A financial loss due to damage to transported goods; compensation for damage or loss.

away-going

Sown during the last years of a tenancy, but not ripe until after its expiration.

base court

An inferior court of law, not a court of record.

before the fact

Before the commission of a crime.

bill of rights

A formal statement of the rights of a specified group of people.

blood test

An analysis of blood performed on two subjects to determine whether they are biologically related, such as a paternity test.

book law

Written law, statute law.

business law

All the law that governs commercial infrastructure and interactions, including contracts, intellectual property, employment law, and corporate law.

by blood

Sharing a relationship that connects two individuals through their biological parents.

call to the bar

Admission to practice in the courts.

case note

A legal analysis of a case that has been tried.

case report

An account of a legal action which has been tried and decided, usually including the judgment(s) verbatim, together with a headnote explaining the legal issues determined, intended for the information of legal…

case-in-chief

The stage during trial in which the party with the burden of proof presents supporting evidence.

cause of action

A condition under which one party would be entitled to sue another.

child support

The ongoing obligation for a periodic payment made directly or indirectly by an obligor, usually the noncustodial parent, to an obligee, usually the custodial parent or other guardian, for the financial care and…

city and county

a local authority area formed by uniting the territory of a county and a city

civil law

The body of law dealing with the private relations between members of a community;

class action

A lawsuit brought by a single plaintiff or small group of plaintiffs as a representative of a large group of others having a common interest, with everyone in the large group eligible to receive damages if the…

clean money

Money that is legally or honestly gained or earned.

clear title

Full ownership of something, usually land, that is free of any encumbrances.

co-decision

A procedure, in the European Union, that requires consensus to be reached between the Council and the Parliament for legislation to be adopted

common law

Law developed by judges, courts, and agency adjudicatory tribunals, through their decisions and opinions (also called case law) (as opposed to statutes promulgated by legislatures, and regulations promulgated by the…

community property

Property that is acquired during a marriage, excluding gifts and inheritances, that is owned jointly by both spouses and is divided upon divorce, annulment or death.

community service

Such work performed as an alternative for a criminal penalty.

Companies Act

A stock short title used for legislation relating to companies.

company law

The branch of law which deals with the formation and running of companies.

company time

A time in which an employee is being compensated by their employer, and for which the employer is therefore responsible for the welfare of the employee, and also in which the employee is expected to refrain from…

contract law

The area of law pertaining to the rights and duties that arise from agreements.

contract time

The total number of working days specified in a contract for completion of all work.

control order

An order made by the Home Secretary to restrict an individual's liberty for the purpose of protecting members of the public from a risk of terrorism.

court case

a legal case to be resolved in a court

court costs

Expenses other than attorney's fees associated with the prosecution or defense of a lawsuit for which, in some jurisdictions, the prevailing party may demand repayment.

court of justice

A court of law.

court of record

A trial court in which a clerk or reporter takes down a record of proceedings, which is preserved at least long enough for all appeals to be exhausted, or for some further period of time provided by law.

court order

A legally binding directive issued by a judge or authorized judicial officer that requires an individual or an entity to fulfill or perform specific actions or refrain from certain behaviors.

cross action

countersuit

death-price

A monetary value assigned to a person based on their social rank, representing the compensation to be paid by an offender to the victim’s family in the event of unlawful killing.

due process

A legal concept where a person is ensured all legal rights when deprived of their liberty for a given reason.

due process of law

due process

e-right

A right of a person in the context of electronic media and communications.

fair use

A doctrine in intellectual property law that permits one party to make use of another party's protected intellectual property (such as a copyright or trademark) under narrowly defined circumstances.

family court

A court convened to decide matters and make orders in relation to family law, such as the custody of children.

family law

The area of private law pertaining to family matters and domestic relations.

family office

A business whose function is to centralize the asset management of a large family fortune (wealth held by a family).

federal law

A legislation enacted by the national government of a country with a federal system, such as the United States.

federal question

a cause of action brought in a court under the United States Constitution or a federal statute. A federal question gives rise to federal question jurisdiction

final account

The statement submitted at the close of the matter.

first article

A prototype or archetype.

first e-rights

The right to publish a work for the first time in electronic form.

first party

The plaintiff in a lawsuit.

first-degree

The most severe level of felony, typically involving planning or other aggravating factors.

for cause

For a legitimate, specific reason; with justification.

free and clear

In a condition of lawful outright ownership, without restrictions or encumbrances.

friend of the court

Amicus curiae, a person or organization allowed to argue in court who is not a party to the legal action.

future interest

In property law and real estate, a legal right to property ownership which will vest in the future, but which does not include the right to present possession or enjoyment of the property.

general issue

A simple denial of the entire charge, such as "not guilty".

good cause

Adequate or substantial grounds or reason to take a certain action, or to fail to take an action prescribed by law.

good law

A legal statute, regulation, or judicial decision that is considered still valid and applicable.

half blood

A person who shares one parent with another; a half-sibling.

hand down

To deliver (the decision of a court, etc.)

hand up

To deliver an indictment (e.g. to a judge).

high crime

A major crime or wrongdoing, notably one subject to trial before the highest courts which may impose the gravest punishments.

I rest my case

My argument is proven; I conclude my statement.

in camera

Without the presence of the public or the media (in court)

in court

Inside of a courthouse, for a legal trial.

in evidence

Received by a court of law as competent evidence.

in re

In the matter of; with regard to.

in respect of

On account of; by reason of; because of.

interest in land

A proprietary interest (such as ownership, a right or some other benefit) in relation to some land, which may be held in gross or appurtenant to some other interest.

issue date

The day or date when something is put forth and officialized.

IT law

Law as it relates to information technology, including computing and the internet, information technology law.

just cause

A common standard in employment law, as a form of job security, indicating that a terminated employee has been dismissed from the job for misconduct, or another sufficient reason.

known and described as

called or named

law day

A day when a local court meets, especially the court for each of the hundreds (administrative divisions)

law of the land

A particular law or the complete set of laws currently in effect within a jurisdiction, especially with emphasis on the official and authoritative nature of such law.

law of the sea

The body of international law that concerns the principles and rules by which public entities, especially states, interact in maritime matters, including navigational rights, sea mineral rights, and coastal waters…

law report

A publication containing legal opinions from a selection of case law decided by courts.

law review

A scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association.

leading case

A reported decision which has come to be regarded as settling the law of the question involved.

legal name

The name of a natural person recognized on official records, especially as recorded on a birth certificate or as changed by a legal process.

legal person

An aggregate of people, legal entity, or body corporate who have (some of) the legal rights and responsibilities of a natural person under the law.

legal service

An aid provided by a lawyer, or any other person licensed to practice law, to a client.

legal system

The process by which a governing body enforces the law and legal procedures.

let

An obstacle or hindrance.

life interest

A right, typically in the form of regular income, that lasts for the lifetime of the person benefiting from that right.

living will

A document, made by a person when still legally fit to do so, which provides clear instructions or principles to be employed by a surrogate decision-maker, such as expressing a desire to be allowed to die instead of…

long title

The formal, official title of an act (or other piece of legislation); such titles are rarely (if ever) used in practice, and in some cases consist of hundreds of words.

lost property

Property that is found in such a state as to make it likely that the original owner unintentionally ceased to be in possession of the property, and would be unable to locate the property.

lower court

An inferior court.

make a case

To argue for a set of facts or arguments in support of one side in a legal case.

material fact

A fact essential to make a case or a defense, or the absence of which negates a case or defense.

material support

(in the context of support for terrorism) Any property, or service, including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses,…

matter of fact

An issue concerning the factual circumstances of a cause of action that is to be tried or proved; an allegation forming the basis of a claim or defense, as opposed to a matter of law.

matter of law

A matter involving a judicial inquiry into the applicable law.

matter of record

A fact that is contained within court files or has otherwise been entered into evidence before the court.

military law

The body of rules and regulations prescribed for governing members of the armed forces.

name change

The legal act by a person of changing their name.

natural law

The set of universal legal or moral principles said to be discernible from nature by reason alone; one of these principles.

natural person

A human being, as opposed to an organization.

next friend

A person who represents another person who is under disability or otherwise unable to maintain a suit on their own behalf, and who does not have a legal guardian.

no-bill

The situation where the jury has not found sufficient cause to support the alleged charges.

of age

Having existed for a certain period of time; used in referring to a person's age.

of even date

Having the same date.

Office action

A formal report from the United States Patent Office examiner detailing which claims in a patent application were allowed for later issue (publication) in a patent and which claims were rejected, and why.

officer of the court

One who, as a function of their professional duties, must promote the effective operation of the judicial system.

on the stand

Testifying at a trial; speaking as a witness during a court case.

order to show cause

A type of court order that requires a person to justify, explain, or prove something to the court.

order-in-council

In some Commonwealth parliamentary systems, a legally-enforceable decree by the executive branch of a government.

out-of-court

Without resorting to formal legal action.

paper day

Any of certain days in each term for hearing causes down in the paper or roll of business.

party of the first part

The party to a legal dispute who first raised a complaint in a court.

party of the second part

The party to a legal dispute against whom a complaint was initially raised in a court.

party to the action

An individual or entity directly involved in a lawsuit or legal proceeding.

perfect

To take an action, usually the filing of a document in the correct venue, that secures a legal right.

personal property

Any property that is movable, that is, not real estate.

personal time

The time allotted to an employee, such as a break or a lunch, during a regular scheduled workday.

physical person

Synonym of natural person.

police court

A court of justice for trying minor criminal cases brought before it by the police, often in summary proceedings.

police power

The inherent power, incident to sovereignty, of a state to regulate and exercise reasonable control over matters of public health, public morals, public safety, and in general, all things relating to the general welfare.

police report

An official record of an incident, documented by a police officer.

policy

A contract of insurance.

popular action

an action in which any person may sue for penalty imposed by statute.

positive law

Law explicitly made, as compared to natural law; law prescribed by express enactment or institution.

post-fine

A duty paid to the king by the cognizee in a fine of lands, when the same was fully passed; the king's silver.

private law

The area of law pertaining to the relationships between private persons (natural or legal persons including corporations), as opposed to relations between the state and private persons.

private property

Property to which individuals or corporations have certain exclusive property rights, but do not necessarily possess.

property law

The area of law concerned with the ownership and conveyance of property rights and title.

property right

Any legal right or interest in a specific property.

property rights

Rights pertaining to the ownership and possession of a given piece of property.

public law

A category of law governing the relationship between the state on the one hand and persons (citizens or legal persons including corporations) on the other.

public policy

The set of policies (laws, plans, actions, behaviors) of a government; plans and methods of action that govern that society; a system of laws, courses of action, and priorities directing a government action.

public property

Property, assets or information directly owned by or under the control of the state.

queen for a day

Describing a proffer letter agreement.

question of fact

An issue that has not been predetermined and authoritatively answered by the law.

question of law

An issue to be decided by the judge, concerning the application or interpretation of the law.

reach-through

Being or relating to a kind of patent claim that attempts to cover basic research or a discovery before it has become a full invention.

real property

Synonym of real estate, land, buildings, etc. as property.

real right

ius in re, a right attached to a thing or property, as ownership, usufruct, servitude, etc (as opposed to a personal right).

reasons

A written judgment or ruling by a judge or similar decision maker.

related right

A right of a creative work not connected with the work's actual author.

report out

To send a piece of legislation back to a legislature to vote on after having considered and edited it.

respect order

A proposed form of ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order).

right to choose

The moral or legal entitlement of a pregnant person to make the full and final decision either to give birth to their child or to abort the fetus.

rule of law

The doctrine that no individual is above the law and that everyone must answer to it.

rule of man

The absence of rule of law in which one person, or a group of persons, rules arbitrarily.

rule on

To make a decision in an official capacity regarding some matter.

say on pay

A rule in corporate law whereby a firm's shareholders have the right to vote on the remuneration of executives.

second-degree

A level of felony somewhat mitigated by various factors.

security interest

The right of a lender to seize possession of collateral offered to secure the loan.

self-help

An act of redressing or preventing a wrong by one's own actions rather than through legal proceedings.

service mark

A trademark denoting the source of a service rather than a product.

service media

Equipment, structures or machinery used for the supply of a service (“utility provided on a continuous basis, such as water supply”).

service of process

The delivery of information to a person or entity providing notice that they are being sued with sufficient detail for them to respond to the suit.

set over

To assign; transfer ownership of something.

several states

The states of the United States, collectively.

shop right

In United States patent law, an implied license under which a firm may use a patented invention, invented by an employee who was working within the scope of their employment, using the firms' equipment, or inventing at…

short title

A title given to an act (or other piece of legislation) to facilitate citation; generally used as the common name for that legislation.

show cause

In English law, to argue against the confirmation of a provisional order or judgment.

side letter

A collective bargaining agreement that is not part of the underlying or primary collective bargaining agreement used by the parties to the contract.

small book

A process by which someone is to be detained or held on investigation without an official charge being filed; suspects placed in it were routinely held incommunicado (denied phone calls and visitors) while detectives…

special issue

An issue taken by denying a particular part of the allegations.

spent

Of legislation or an enactment: no longer in force due to all of its provisions having expired or been completed.

standard of care

In tort law, the degree of caution that a reasonable person should exercise in a given situation so as to avoid causing injury.

state law

A legislation enacted by a state government, particularly in federal systems such as the United States.

state of nature

The way that people lived before there was any organized society.

stop-and-search

Of or pertaining to laws or policing practices, found in some jurisdictions, which permit a law enforcement officer to temporarily detain and search a member of the public based on the officer's suspicions.

style of cause

The case title for a cause of action or lawsuit; a description of the parties involved, such as Johnson v. Smith.

take to court

To sue; to begin a legal process against; to take legal action against.

tax law

The area of law pertaining to the statutory and regulatory rules applicable to taxation.

term of years

An estate in land held under a lease which is not perpetual or indefinite in length, though in some cases may be contingent on some guaranteed occurrence.

terms of service

The terms, conditions, or restrictions under which a person, commonly called an end user, may or may not utilize the aspects of a particular service.

terms of use

The terms, conditions, or restrictions under which a person, commonly called an end user, may or may not utilize the aspects of a particular manufactured object, commonly called the end product.

test case

A legal action intended to set a precedent.

then and in that event

If the relevant situation arises.

this day six months

a motion or reasoned amendment to a second or third reading motion that, when passed, will defeat the bill.

time agreement

An agreement allowing one of the parties in a contract a certain amount of discretion to determine the exact scope or extent of their obligations under it, or for allowing an agreement for an indefinite period.

time and a half

A rate of pay 50% greater than normal, commonly used for overtime work.

time of death

The exact moment of death, denoting the precise date and time of which is established in the location of the residence of a decedent, as a matter of record.

time rate

A form of compensation in which an employee is paid for the amount of time spent at work, usually as a weekly wage or a monthly salary.

time-bar

To invalidate or disallow (a lawsuit or claim) because a legal time limit has passed.

title plan

A plan issued by HM Land Registry that accompanies a title register, showing the extent of the legal title described in that register, and sometimes other interests in land that affect the title.

to have and to hold

To possess for life.

tried

Put on trial, taken before a lawcourt.

true bill

A grand jury's formal decision to indict a criminal defendant, in which the jury has determined there is sufficient evidence (probable cause) to charge the person with a crime and proceed to trial.

trust law

A body of law regulating the legal instrument for holding wealth known as a trust.

Two L

2L

two-L

2L

uses

A form of equitable ownership peculiar to English law, by which one person enjoys the profits of lands, etc. whose legal title is vested in another in trust.

water law

A branch of law dealing with the ownership, control, and use of water as a resource.

water right

Synonym of water privilege (“a legal or property right to access to abundant, affordable and clean water”)

will contract

An agreement entered into between two parties for the exchange of a current performance by one for a future bequest by the other.

within

In the context of which the present document or ruling is made.

without cause

Without any reason or justification.

work product

Things and ideas created by an employee that are considered the legal property of the employer owing to the terms of employment

working time

The period of time that an individual spends at paid occupational labor. Most countries regulate the working time by law, e.g. by stipulating a maximum number of working hours per week. Exact definition varies by the…

written record

A written document containing a piece of information or a description of an event that is recorded on paper.