Popular Legal Definitions A-Z
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Browse thousands of legal terms and phrases selected by the Lawi Project editors and suggest new words for the largest law dictionary of the world.
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: A
absolute divorce
absolute estate
accessory contract
act
actual damages
actual fraud
adjective law
administrative law
administrative law judge
affidavit
affirmative injunction
agency by estoppel
aggravated assault
aleatory contract
alias writ
alimony trust
alternative writ
ancillary jurisdiction
anticipatory search warrant
appeal
appeal bond
appellate jurisdiction
arbitration
arrest of judgment
arrest warrant
assault
assault with intent
assessment lien
attachment lien
attorney-in-fact
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: B
bail bond
bankruptcy court
bankruptcy estate
bare license
bargain and sale deed
battery
bench trial
bench warrant
benefit of inventory
best evidence
best evidence rule
bid bond
bilateral contract
bill in the nature of a bill of review
bill of indictment
bill of particulars
bill of rights
blue law
blue-sky law
bond
book-entry bond
breach of duty
breach of the peace
breach of trust
breach of warranty
burden of proof
business judgment
business judgment rule
business trust
bypass trust
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: C
carrier’s lien
case law
choate lien
civil assault
civil law
collateral estoppel
collateral negligence
common law
common-law
common-law copyright
common-law lien
common-law marriage
commutative contract
comparative negligence
condition implied in law
constructive fraud
contract
contract bond
contract carrier
contract clause
contract of adhesion
contract under seal
contributory negligence
county court at law
criminal assault
criminal law
criminal lawyer
criminal negligence
cross-appeal
cross-motion
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: D
dead man’s statute
death warrant
declaration of trust
declaratory judgment
deed of trust
default judgment
demonstrative evidence
demurrer to the evidence
deposition
depraved-heart murder
derivative evidence
destination contract
determinable easement
direct appeal
direct damages
direct estoppel
direct evidence
discovery
discovery rule
discretionary trust
district attorney
District Court of Appeal
diversity jurisdiction
divorce a mensa et thoro
doctor of law
doctor of the science of law
dual contract
due process
due process clause
durable power of attorney
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: E
easement appurtenant
easement by estoppel
easement by implication
easement by prescription
easement in gross
eight-hour law
equitable estoppel
equitable lien
equity capital
equity court
equity security
estate tax
estoppel
estoppel by deed
estoppel by judgment
estoppel by silence
evidence
evidence in chief
ex parte
ex post facto law
exclusive easement
exclusive jurisdiction
exculpatory evidence
executory contract
expectation damages
express contract
extradition warrant
extraordinary writ
extrinsic evidence
extrinsic fraud
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: F
factor’s lien
family law
federal common law
federal question jurisdiction
fee simple absolute
fee simple on condition subsequent
felonious assault
felony
felony murder
fiduciary duty
fiduciary relationship
fiduciary shield doctrine
file wrapper estoppel
final judgment rule
final offer arbitration
financial responsibility law
finding of law
first lien
first-degree murder
floating lien
formal contract
forward contract
fraud
fraud in law
fraud in the factum
fraud in the inducement
fraud on the court
fraud on the market theory
freedom of contract
futures contract
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: G
gag order
general agent
general assignment
general counsel
general damages
general jurisdiction
general law
general lien
general power of attorney
general verdict rule
general warrant
generation-skipping transfer tax
generation-skipping trust
gift inter vivos
gift tax
good consideration
Good Samaritan law
good title
grand theft
grantor trust
gratuitous contract
grievance arbitration
gross estate
gross negligence
guaranteed investment contract
guardian
guardian ad litem
guest statute
guilty
guilty but mentally ill
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: H
habeas corpus
habeas corpus ad faciendum et recipiendum
habeas corpus ad prosequendum
habeas corpus ad subjiciendum
habeas corpus ad testificandum
habeas corpus cum causa
habitual criminal
habitual criminal law
hate crime
hearing
hearsay evidence
hearsay rule
hedonic damages
high court
High Court of Justice
high crime
high-low agreement
hold harmless
home equity loan
homicide
homicide by misadventure
honorary trust
horizontal agreement
hostile environment harassment
hostile environment sexual harassment
hostile possession
House bill
house counsel
HUD-1 settlement statement
Huntley hearing
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: I
illusory contract
impeachment evidence
implied contract
implied in law
implied trust
in personam jurisdiction
in rem jurisdiction
inadvertent discovery
inchoate lien
incidental damages
indecent assault
indictment
individual policy pension trust
inevitable discovery
informal contract
injunction
injunction bond
innominate contract
installment contract
inter vivos trust
interest arbitration
interlocutory injunction
internal law
international law
intrinsic evidence
intrinsic fraud
investment contract
involuntary lien
irrevocable power of attorney
issue of law
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: J
jailhouse lawyer
joint and several liability
joint custody
joint liability
joint tenancy
judge
Judge Advocate General
judgment
judgment creditor
judgment debt
judgment debtor
judgment in rem
judgment lien
judgment n.o.v.
judgment nisi
judgment non obstante veredicto
judgment notwithstanding the verdict
judgment of acquittal
judgment on the merits
judgment-proof
judicial lien
judicial writ
junior lien
jurisdiction
jury duty
jury trial
jus ad rem
justice of the peace court
juvenile court
juvenile delinquent
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: K
kidnap
kin
knock and announce rule
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: L
labor contract
land installment contract
land trust
landlord’s lien
law clerk
law of the case
law of the land
lawyer
leash law
legal estate
legal fraud
legal interest
legal separation
legal title
lemon law
liability insurance
libel
libel per quod
libel per se
license bond
lien
lien creditor
life estate
limited divorce
limited jurisdiction
limited liability company
limited liability partnership
liquidated damages
local law
lynch law
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: M
mail fraud
mandatory injunction
manifest weight of the evidence
marital deduction trust
maritime contract
maritime law
maritime lien
martial law
material breach
material evidence
material witness
materialman’s lien
matter of law
measure of damages
mechanic’s lien
mens rea
military law
misdemeanor
misdemeanor-manslaughter
mistake of law
mitigation of damages
money judgment
moratory damages
motion
motion for judgment on the pleadings
motion for more definite statement
motion in bar
motion in limine
motion to suppress
murder
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: N
natural guardian
natural law
necessary party
negative easement
negative testimony
negligence
negligence per se
negligent homicide
new consideration
new trial
nihil-dicit judgment
nisi prius
no bill
no evidence
no-action clause
no-action letter
no-duty doctrine
no-fault divorce
no-knock search warrant
nolle prosequi
nominal consideration
nominal damages
nominate contract
nominee trust
nonclaim statute
nondeductible terminable interest rule
not guilty
not guilty by reason of insanity
notice pleading
notorious possession
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: O
obiter dictum
objection
obstruction of justice
occupation tax
offer
official immunity
omnibus bill
omnibus motion
onerous contract
onerous title
open court
open order
operation of law
opinion testimony
option contract
oral trust
order
order bill of lading
order paper
order to show cause
organic law
organized crime
original jurisdiction
original writ
origination fee
orphans’ court
ostensible agent
out-of-court
output contract
overt act
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: P
parol evidence
parol evidence rule
partnership by estoppel
passive negligence
penal law
pendent party jurisdiction
physical custody
plaintiff
plaintiff in error
power of attorney
prejudice
preliminary injunction
preponderance of the evidence
presumption of law
prima facie case
prima facie evidence
primary evidence
principal contract
private attorney general doctrine
private law
probate
probate court
probate estate
procedural law
promise implied in law
promissory estoppel
public law
punitive damages
purchase money resulting trust
purchase money security interest
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: Q
Q.B.
QDRO
QTIP trust
qualified charitable remainder trust
qualified disclaimer
qualified domestic relations order
qualified immunity
qualified ownership
qualified privilege
qualified residence interest
qualified terminable interest property
qualified witness
quantum meruit
quantum valebant
quash
quasi contract
quasi easement
quasi estoppel
quasi in rem
quasi in rem jurisdiction
quasi-delict
quasi-judicial
quasi-offense
question of fact
question of law
qui tam action
quid pro quo
quid pro quo sexual harassment
quitclaim deed
quotient verdict
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: R
rape shield law
reaffirmation hearing
real estate investment trust
real party in interest
real property
reasonable cause
reasonable doubt
reasonable force
rebuttal evidence
rebuttal witness
reciprocal negative easement
reckless homicide
record title
relevant evidence
rendition warrant
replevin bond
requirements contract
res judicata
residuary estate
restraining order
resulting trust
retaining lien
revenue bill
revenue law
reverse discrimination
revocable trust
right of petition
right of privacy
Roman law
rule of law
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: S
search warrant
second-degree murder
senior lien
sexual assault
sexual harassment
shipment contract
simple assault
slander
slander of title
slight negligence
social contract
sole custody
special contract
special lien
special power of attorney
special warranty deed
specific lien
state law
state’s evidence
statute of limitations
statutory law
statutory lien
subject matter jurisdiction
substantial evidence
substantive evidence
substantive law
substituted contract
summary judgment
Sunday closing law
synallagmatic contract
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: T
tax deed
tax lien
temporary custody
temporary restraining order
testamentary guardian
testamentary trust
testimonial evidence
third-degree murder
third-party complaint
third-party defendant
third-party plaintiff
title search
tort
tort reform
Totten trust
toxic tort
treble damages
trespass to try title
trial court
trial de novo
trial judge advocate
trial jury
trial lawyer
trust account
trust agreement
trust company
trust de son tort
trust indenture
trustee in bankruptcy
trustee process
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: U
uncertificated security
unconscionable
undue influence
unearned premium reserve
unemployment compensation
unified credit
unified transfer tax
uniform act
unilateral contract
unilateral mistake
unit deed
unit trust
United States attorney
United States Claims Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
United States Court of Federal Claims
United States Court of International Trade
United States Court of Veterans Appeals
United States trustee
universal agent
universal life insurance
universal successor
universal title
unlawful detainer
unlawful force
unregistered security
unwritten law
use immunity
use tax
useless gesture exception
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: V
vacant succession
vacate
valuable consideration
valuation hearing
value-added tax
valued policy law
variable life insurance
vehicular homicide
vendor’s lien
verbal act
vertical agreement
vertical privity
vested estate
vested interest
vested right
viatical settlement
vicarious liability
violent felony
void
void-for-vagueness doctrine
voidable
voluntary bankruptcy
voluntary bar
voluntary dismissal
voluntary dissolution
voluntary lien
voluntary manslaughter
voting rights
voting trust
voting trust certificate
Dictionary Popular Legal Terms: X, Y and Z
year-and-a-day rule
yellow-dog contract
zero bracket amount
zero-coupon bond
zipper clause
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