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Of a sound mind; sane.
- Browse Related Terms: Absence d'esprit, Capacity, Compos mentis, Mutual assent, Non compos mentis, Sanae mentis
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Without recourse.
- Browse Related Terms: A datu, A maximis ad minima, Ab initio, Ad finem, Ad libitum (Abbr. ad lib), Ad rem, Ad valorem, Admortization, Adversus, Agenda, Alibi, Alii, Alter ego, Anno Domini (Abbr. A.D.), Ante, Causa proxima, Cestui, Contra pacem, Coup de grace, Cum, De novo, Eo ipso, Esse, ET, Et alii (Abbr. et al.), Et sequentia (Abbr. et seq.), ex officio, Ex post facto, Gravis, Hoc, Id est (Abbr. i.e.), Idem (Abbr. Id.), In actu, In esse, In extenso, In hoc, In initio, In limine, In medias res, In rem, In toto, Indigent, Infra, Inter alia, Ipse, Ipso facto, Merger, Non, Opere citato (Abbr. op. cit.), Per viam, Post, Post hoc, Pro confesso, Pro nunc, Quantum meruit, Quid pro quo, Res judicata, Sans recours, Secundum, Sequitur (Abbr. seq.), SINE, Sui generis, Supra, Totum, Ubi supra, Ultra, Vel, Vel non, Versus (Abbr. v. or vs.), Waiver, Water rights
All > Law > Common Legal Terms
To wit; that is to say (most often seen in pleadings abbreviated as s. or ss.)
- Browse Related Terms: Cross-examination, cross-examine, Deposition, Direct examination, Hearsay, Hostile witness, Impeachment, Leading question, Objection, Scilicet (Abbr. scil.), Sequestration of witnesses, statement, subpoena duces tecum, testimony, Waiver of immunity
All > Law > Common Legal Terms
To mark a document with a seal; to authenticate or make binding by affixing a seal. Court seal, corporate seal.
- Browse Related Terms: Booking, Deficient, Dissolution, Expungement, Locus sigilli (Abbr. L.S.), Quantum (Pl. quanta), Quantum sufficit, Seal
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All > Law > Common Legal Terms
A written order issued by a judge that directs a law enforcement officer to search a specific area for a particular piece of evidence.
Orders that a specific location be searched for items, which if found, can be used in court as evidence. Search warrants require probable cause in order to be issued.
- Browse Related Terms: Arrest warrant, Bench warrant, Initial appearance, Return, Search warrant, warrant
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All > Law > Common Legal Terms
Legal encyclopedias, treatises, legal texts, law review articles, and citators. Writings which set forth the opinion of the writer as to the law.
- Browse Related Terms: Constitutional law, Defense of property, Loose-leaf services, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Per se doctrine, Primary authority, Probable cause, public law, Ratio legis, Recognizance, Restatement, Secondary authority
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According to.
- Browse Related Terms: A datu, A maximis ad minima, Ab initio, Ad finem, Ad libitum (Abbr. ad lib), Ad rem, Ad valorem, Admortization, Adversus, Agenda, Alibi, Alii, Alter ego, Anno Domini (Abbr. A.D.), Ante, Causa proxima, Cestui, Contra pacem, Coup de grace, Cum, De novo, Eo ipso, Esse, ET, Et alii (Abbr. et al.), Et sequentia (Abbr. et seq.), ex officio, Ex post facto, Gravis, Hoc, Id est (Abbr. i.e.), Idem (Abbr. Id.), In actu, In esse, In extenso, In hoc, In initio, In limine, In medias res, In rem, In toto, Indigent, Infra, Inter alia, Ipse, Ipso facto, Merger, Non, Opere citato (Abbr. op. cit.), Per viam, Post, Post hoc, Pro confesso, Pro nunc, Quantum meruit, Quid pro quo, Res judicata, Sans recours, Secundum, Sequitur (Abbr. seq.), SINE, Sui generis, Supra, Totum, Ubi supra, Ultra, Vel, Vel non, Versus (Abbr. v. or vs.), Waiver, Water rights
All > Law > Common Legal Terms
According to law.
- Browse Related Terms: Bankruptcy law, Cases, charge, Civil law, Corpus juris, Crime, Custodia legis, De Jure, De minimis non curat lex, Directed verdict, Ex lege, Facto, Family law, Intentional tort, Ipso jure, jurisprudence, Jus civile, Jus commune, Jus divinum, Law Clerk, Legislation, Legitimate, Lex, Lex domicili, Lex loci, Lex scripta, Mitigation, Research, Secundum legem, Statutory law
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According to rule.
- Browse Related Terms: Civil procedure, Code of Professional Responsibility, Headnote, Non sequitur, Nunc pro tunc, Secundum regulam, Sentence Report, U.S. Marshal (or bailiff)
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In bankruptcy, a debt is secured if the debtor gave the creditor a right to repossess the property or goods used as collateral.
- Browse Related Terms: Attachment, bankruptcy, claim, creditor, Debtor, Exempt property, Garnishment, Insolvent, replevin, Secured debts, Trustee, Unsecured debts, Voluntary bankruptcy, Writ of garnishment
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A federal agency which monitors the securities industry.
- Browse Related Terms: Administrative agencies, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Government Printing Office (GPO), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Administration (SBA), Social Security Administration (SSA), Veterans' Administration (VA), Worker's compensation
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The claim that an act otherwise criminal was legally justifiable because it was necessary to protect a person or property from the threat or action of another.
- Browse Related Terms: assignment, Beneficiary, Chattel, Cui bono, Escheat, Estate, Forfeiture, Parens patriae, privilege, Revoke, Self-defense, trust, will
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The constitutional right of people to refuse to give testimony against themselves that could subject them to criminal prosecution. The right is guaranteed in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Asserting the right is often referred to as "taking the Fifth."
- Browse Related Terms: Bequeath, Bequests, Codicil, Disclaim, Ex dono, Lapsed gift, obinson-Patman Act, Self-incrimination, privilege against
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A will whose validity does not have to be testified to in court by the witnesses to it, since the witnesses executed an affidavit reflecting proper execution of the will prior to the maker's death.
- Browse Related Terms: Admonish, Amicus, Amicus curiae, Attorney-at-law, Criminal justice system, Decree, Nulla bona, Self-proving will, Sheriff, Writ of execution
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Always faithful.
- Browse Related Terms: Bona fide, Mala, Mala fide, Malo modo, Semper fidelis
All > Law > Common Legal Terms
The punishment ordered by a court for a defendant convicted of a crime. Federal courts look to the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines when deciding the proper punishment for a given crime.
The punishment ordered by a court for a defendant convicted of a crime.
The punishment ordered by a court for a defendant convicted of a crime. See concurrent and consecutive sentences.
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All > Law > Common Legal Terms
See Presentence Report.
- Browse Related Terms: Civil procedure, Code of Professional Responsibility, Headnote, Non sequitur, Nunc pro tunc, Secundum regulam, Sentence Report, U.S. Marshal (or bailiff)
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A set of rules and principles established by the United States Sentencing Commission that trial judges use to determine the sentence for a convicted defendant.
- Browse Related Terms: A priori, bankruptcy judge, presentence report, Probation officer, Registered mark, sentencing guidelines, Words and Phrases Legally Defined
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To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
To separate. Sometimes juries are separated from outside influences during their deliberations. For example, this may occur during a highly publicized trial.
- Browse Related Terms: Additur, Bailiff, bench trial, Challenge, chambers, charge to the jury, Charge, jury, evidence, Finding, Finis, grand jury, In camera, Instructions, jury instructions, Non-jury trial, petit jury (or trial jury), pretrial conference, Remittitur, Sequester, Sidebar, Verdict
All > Law > Common Legal Terms
Keeping all witnesses (except plaintiff and defendant) out of the courtroom except for their time on the stand, and cautioning them not to discuss their testimony with other witnesses. Also referred to as "separation of witnesses."
- Browse Related Terms: Cross-examination, cross-examine, Deposition, Direct examination, Hearsay, Hostile witness, Impeachment, Leading question, Objection, Scilicet (Abbr. scil.), Sequestration of witnesses, statement, subpoena duces tecum, testimony, Waiver of immunity