Legal Definition & Meaning

The process of calling a witness’s testimony into doubt. For example, if the attorney can show that the witness may have fabricated portions of his testimony, the witness is said to be “impeached;” 2. The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may “impeach” high officers of the federal government, who are then tried by the Senate. Exempt assets Property that a debtor is allowed to retain, free from the claims of creditors who do not have liens on the property.

• Wage garnishment A nonbankruptcy legal proceeding whereby a plaintiff or creditor seeks to subject to his or her claim the future wages of a debtor.
• Worker’s compensation – 1) A state agency which handles claims of workers injured on their jobs.
• Probation officer duties include conducting presentence investigations, preparing presentence reports on convicted defendants, and supervising released defendants.
• Search more than 10,000 legal words and phrases for clear definitions written in plain language.

If both die, it probably will be a close relative. Grand Jury – A group of citizens convened in a criminal case to consider the prosecutor’s evidence and determine whether probable cause exists to prosecute a suspect for a felony. Felony – A serious criminal offense. Usually any offense punishable by death or imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Dismissal without prejudice – When a case is dismissed but the plaintiff is allowed to bring a new suit on the same claim.

The World Law Dictionary

Products Liability. Area of the law involving the liability of manufacturers and sellers of dangerous or defective goods or products. Presumptively Capable of Negligence. Pennsylvania law places minors in three categories based on age.

Appellate court – A court having jurisdiction to hear appeals and review a trial court’s procedure. Amicus curiae – Latin for friend of the court. Refers to a party that is allowed to provide information to a court even though the party is not directly involved in the case at hand.

Collocations with law

In the legal sense, lack of legal capacity to perform some act. Now called Judgment as a matter of Law. An instruction by the judge to the jury to return a specific verdict. Benefits paid to surviving dependents when a work injury results in death. Criminal law declares what conduct is criminal and prescribes punishment to be imposed for criminal conduct. The purpose of criminal law is to prevent harm to society. The person who stenographically records and transcribes testimony during court proceedings or related proceedings such as depositions.

An issue involving the application or interpretation of the Legal Dictionary which is within the province of the judge. Compare with fact question.

Services & Forms

An agreement reached between a plaintiff and a defendant to resolve a lawsuit privately and without a judge’s authorization or approval. Limited Tort Option. In Pennsylvania, purchasers of motor vehicle insurance can choose “limited tort,” which restricts their right to seek money damages for an accident caused by another driver. Under limited tort, the insured can only seek money damages for economic loss, including medical bills. The insured is prohibited from seeking damages for pain and suffering, except under certain limited circumstances. Compare with full tort option.

Statute of Limitations. The time prescribed by statute in which a plaintiff can bring a lawsuit. For the purposes of determining a landowner’s duty of care, somebody who goes onto somebody else’s property for the purpose of companionship and hospitality, not as a part of doing business. This person is treated as a licensee. A judge’s withdrawal from hearing a lawsuit because of personal interest or prejudice.

Exemptions, exempt property Certain property owned by an individual debtor that the Bankruptcy Code or applicable state law permits the debtor to keep from unsecured creditors. The availability and amount of property the debtor may exempt depends on the state the debtor lives in. Declaratory judgment A judge’s statement about someone’s rights. For example, a plaintiff may seek a declaratory judgment that a particular statute, as written, violates some constitutional right. Case law The law as established in previous court decisions.

An https://personal-accounting.org/ between an attorney and his or her client whereby the attorney agrees to represent the client for a percentage of the amount recovered. This fee agreement is frequently used in personal injury actions. Compensatory Damages. Damages that cover actual injury or economic loss.

General Dictionaries

Browse US Legal Forms’ largest database of 85k state and industry-specific legal forms. This guide explains various types of secondary sources, including legal encyclopedias and American Law Reports, and how to use them. Some foreign-language and special-topic legal dictionaries are also part of the Law Library’s collection. The World Law Dictionary is a powerful database currently comprised of over 1.25 million words in the legal domain launched in 20 juristictions.

• Usually any offense punishable by death or imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
• Assumption of a fact that may or may not be true made by a judge to decide a legal question.
• Priority refers to the order in which these unsecured claims are to be paid.
• In a workers compensation case, it’s a bi-annual report of earnings to be completed by the injured employee.
• Fiduciary Duty – An obligation to act in the best interest of another party.
• Used generically, the term judge may also refer to all judicial officers, including Supreme Court justices.