contumacy

contumacy (countable and uncountable, plural contumacies)

From Latin contumācia, from contumāx (“refusing to appear in a court of law in disobedience of a summons; insolent, obstinate, stiff-necked”).

[T]heſe Muſhrome Lords (Spirituall onely in Title, but wholly Temporall in reality), firſt ſprouted up by inſenſible degrees in the Church of Christ; ſo it is moſt infallibly convinced of notorious falſehood, by the multitude of thoſe moſt execrable Treaſons, Treacheries, Conſpiracies, Rebellions, Contumacies, Inſurrections, Seditions, and Anti-Monarchiall practiſes of Lordly Prelates, againſt their Soveraignes, in all ages ſince they grew rich and potent, in all Kingdomes and Churches where they have been admitted; […]

1641, William Prynne, “The Prologve”, in The Antipathie of the English Lordly Prelacie, both to Regall Monarchy, and Civil Unity: or, An Historicall Collection of the Severall Execrable Treasons, Conspiracies, Rebellions, Seditions, State-schismes, Contumacies, Antimonarchicall Practices, & Oppressions of our English, British, French, Scottish, and Irish Lardly Prelates, against our Kingdomes, Lawes, Liberties; and of the Severall Warres, and Civil Dissentions Occasioned by Them, in or against our Realm, in Former and Latter Ages. … The First Part, volume I, London: Printed by authority for Michael Sparke, senior, →OCLC, page 1:

Persons Judicially cited, are ſometimes wont, by a Non-Appearance in Court, to contemn the Judges Authority; and thereby to render themſelves contumacious: wherefore, I will conſider theſe Perſons under the following heads. […] 2dly, Examine how many Species or Kinds of Contumacy there are. […] The Plaintiff on the Return of a Peremptory Citation ought not to accuſe the Contumacy of the Perſon ſummon'd, otherwiſe he ſhall not be adjudged contumacious.

1726, John Ayliffe, “Of Contumacy, and the Several Kinds thereof”, in Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani: or, A Commentary, by Way of Supplement to the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England. Not only from the Books of the Canon and Civil Law, but likewise from the Statute and Common Law of this Realm. …, London: Printed for the author, by D. Leach, and sold by John Walthoe in the Middle Temple Cloysters, James and John Knapton in St Paul's Churchyard, Richard Standfast in Westminster-Hall, William and John Innys at the West End of St Paul's, Francis Clay and Daniel Brown without Temple Bar, London, and Simon Martin, bookseller in Leicester, →OCLC, page 196:

When an accused person, or a witness, refuses to obey a citation, he shall be cited a second time; and if he still continue to refuse, he shall be excluded from the communion of the church for contumacy, until he repent.

1839, Broadway Tabernacle Anti-slavery Society, Proceedings of the Session of Broadway Tabernacle, Against Lewis Tappan: With the Action of the Presbytery and General Assembly, New York, N.Y.: [S. W. Benedict]; for sale at No. 43 Nassau Street, →OCLC, page 25:

I know how distasteful to God, contumacy, and contempt, and disobedience to order and authority is; and I know, (and all men, that choose not ignorance, may know) that our excommunications (though calumniators impute them to small things, because, many times, the first complaint is of some small matter) never issue but upon contumacies, contempts, disobediences to the church. But they are real contumacies, not interpretative, apparent contumacies, not presumptive, that excommunicate a man in heaven; and much circumspection is required, and (I am far from doubting it) exercised in those cases upon earth; […]

1839, John Donne, Henry Alford, “Sermon LXVI. Preached at St. Paul's, January 29, 1625. Psalm lxiii. 7.”, in The Works of John Donne, D.D., Dean of Saint Paul's, 1621–1631. With a Memoir of His Life. … In Six Volumes, volume III, London: John W. Parker, West Strand, →OCLC, page 164:

The old law came to recognize a procedure of contumacy, which constitutes a point of departure for our legal system so far as that relates to the doctrine of default, although the procedure has completely changed its aspect in the course of its successive transformations. […] As in the Germanic practice, the procedure by contumacy resulted, not in a condemnation for the act struck at by the prosecution, but in the outlawry of the person guilty of contumacy. Every safeguard given by the law was withdrawn from the person who refused to submit to the law.

1913, [Jean Paul Hippolyte Emmanuel] A[dhémar] Esmein, translated by John Simpson, A History of Continental Criminal Procedure: With Special Reference to France (The Continental Legal History Series; V), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 73:

Contumacy · Generally speaking, contumacy is the deliberate disregard for legitimate authority. In canon law, contumacy is discussed in two matters. First, a party to an ecclesiastical case or controversy, though usually the respondent, who willfully and without reason refuses to appear before an ecclesiastical court, or who otherwise withholds necessary cooperation from the court, can be declared absent, that is, contumacious, and thereupon forfeits all or some of his or her rights before the tribunal[…]. The second and rather more common use of contumacy occurs in the matter of ecclesiastical penalties. In this sense, one who, after a warning, refuses to desist from delictual behaviour is considered contumacious, and thereby renders himself liable to censure[…].

1998, Peter M. J. Stravinskas, editor, Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia, rev. edition, Huntington, Ind.: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, →ISBN, page 278:

(chiefly Christianity and law) Disobedience, resistance to authority.

Dictionary of National Biography
Edward I of England
John Balliol
King of Scots
Kingdom of Scotland
Leslie Stephen
Robert Bruce, 5th Lord of Annandale
Wars of Scottish Independence
earl of Fife

Contumacy in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)


legacy

From Middle English legacie, from Old French legacie and Medieval Latin lēgātia, from Latin lēgātum.

(law) Money or property bequeathed to someone in a will.

إرْث

money or property bequeathed to someone in a will


attendant

From Middle English attendant, attendaunt, from Old French attendant.

(law) One who owes a duty or service to another.


attendant

the widow attendant to the heir

The tenant in dower[…]shall be attendant unto them by the rate and portion of the rent.

(law) Depending on, or owing duty or service to.


nolo contendere

en-noun

nolo contendere (plural nolo contenderes)

Directly from Latin nolō contendere (“I do not wish to contend”).

der

(law) No contest. A plea by a defendant accused of a crime that, without admitting guilt, does not dispute the charge.


genericize

en-verb

genericize (third-person singular simple present genericizes, present participle genericizing, simple past and past participle genericized)

genericizes (present singular third-person)
genericizing (participle present)
genericized (participle past)
genericized (past)

/dʒɪˈnɛɹ.ɪˌsaɪz/

genericized trademark
genericized trademark

(law, transitive) To turn into a genericized trademark.

To make generic.
To turn into a genericized trademark.


saving

en-noun

saving (countable and uncountable, plural savings)

daylight saving time(or daylight saving)

paradox of saving(see paradox of thrift)

saving and transitional provisions

Tis Good Advice not to Contend with Those that are too Strong for us, but still with a saving to Honesty and Justice

1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:


partition

partition (countable and uncountable, plural partitions)

/pɑɹˈtɪ.ʃən/

/pɑɹˈtɪ.ʃɪn/

Recorded c.1430, "division into shares, distinction," from Middle English particioun, from Old French particion (modern partition), from Latin partitio, partitionem (“division, portion”), from partitus, the past participle of partire (“to split (up), part(ition)”).

der

(law) The severance of common or undivided interests, particularly in real estate. It may be effected by consent of parties, or by compulsion of law.


limitation

en-noun

limitation (countable and uncountable, plural limitations)

Borrowed from Latin limitatio. Morphologically limit + -ation.

fee simple subject to executory limitation

The lawyer obtained impunity by dragging his obviously guilty client's case beyond the ten-year limitation.

(law) A time period after which some legal action may no longer be brought.

давност

time period — see also statute of limitations, prescription


chancellor

/ˈtʃɑːnsələ/

/ˈt͡ʃænsələ/

Angela Merkel
Frick Collection
Hans Holbein the Younger
Thomas More

From Anglo-Norman or Middle English chaunceler, chanceler, canceler (“chief administrative or executive officer of a ruler; chancellor, secretary; private secretary, scribe; Lord Chancellor of England; officer of the ruler's exchequer; a high administrative or executive officer (for example, a deputy or representative of a bishop; the head of a university)”), from Old French cancelier, chancelier (“chancellor”), from Late Latin cancellārius (“secretary; doorkeeper, porter; usher of a court of law stationed at the bars separating the public from the judges”), from Latin cancellī (plural of cancellus (“grate; bars, barrier; railings”), diminutive of cancer (“grid; barrier”), from Proto-Italic *karkros (“enclosure”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, turn”)) + -ārius (suffix forming nouns denoting an agent of use).
The word was present as Late Old English canceler, cancheler, from Norman cancheler, but was displaced in the 13th century by the Old French and Anglo-Norman forms mentioned above.

refn

From the Frick Collection in New York City, New York, USA.

مُسْتَشَار

senior secretary or official with administrative or legal duties, sometimes in charge of some area of government

The state [of Virginia, USA] is divided into 9 chancery districts, in each of which a superiour court of chancery is held. There are 4 chancellors.

1821–1822, “Virginia State Law and Regulations”, in William Griffith, editor, Annual Law Register of the United States, volume III, Burlington, N.J.: David Allinson, published 1822, →OCLC, paragraph VI (The “Superiour Courts of Chancery”), page 321, column 1:

In some of the states, as New York, Virginia, and South Carolina, the equity court is a distinct tribunal, having its appropriate judge, or chancellor, and officers.

1864, John Bouvier, “CHANCERY”, in A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America, […], 11th edition, volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: George W[illiam] Childs, […], →OCLC, paragraph 3, page 219, column 2:

[John] Blair [Jr.] began his long judicial career when the state legislature—following the establishment of Virginia's judicial department in October, 1777—elected him one of five judges of the newly organized General Court. By 1779 he had become chief justice of that court, and, in November, 1780, he became chancellor of the three-member High Court of Chancery.

1985, “John Blair: Appointment as Associate Justice in 1789”, in Maeva Marcus, James R. Perry, editors, The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800, volumes 1, part 1 (Appointments and Proceedings), New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 54:

(US, law) The chief judge of a court of chancery (that is, one exercising equity jurisdiction).


first e-rights

2003, Technically you have used "first e-rights" and can no longer sell it as an unpublished story/article ... Once a story is printed on the web, first e-rights have been used but first print rights are still available. — Tina Morgan Know Your Rights, appearing in Fiction Factor: The online magazine for fiction writers.

(copyright law) The right to publish a work for the first time in electronic form.


JD

juvenile delinquent
juvenile delinquent#English

(law) Initialism of juvenile delinquent.


larceny

en-noun

larceny (countable and uncountable, plural larcenies)

Coined in Middle English (as larceni) between 1425 and 1475 from Anglo-Norman larcin (“theft”), from Latin latrocinium (“robbery”), from latro (“robber, mercenary”), from Ancient Greek λάτρον (látron, “pay, hire”).

der

“Why are you walking around,” inquired Oedipa, “with your eyes closed, Metzger?” “Larceny,” Metzger said, “maybe they'll need a lawyer.”

1966 March, Thomas Pynchon, chapter 3, in The Crying of Lot 49, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC, page 37:

He was prudent enough not to admit he was earning money, which went down well with you, for you knew already he was working “black,” as the Germans call it — meaning illegally, and at night. Shrewd chap, you thought; resourceful; not above a bit of larceny.

(law, uncountable) The unlawful taking of personal property as an attempt to deprive the legal owner of it permanently.

кражба

law: unlawful taking of personal property

That young man already has four assaults, a DUI, and a larceny on his record.

(law, countable) An individual instance of such a taking.


felonious

en-adj

felonious (comparative more felonious, superlative most felonious)

more felonious (comparative)
most felonious (superlative)

From Middle English *felonious (implied in feloniously; compare felonous); equivalent to felony + -ous.

felonious homicide

(law) Done with intent to commit a crime.


completion

termination

antonym(s) of “making complete, accomplishment”

Borrowed from Latin completio, completionem, from complere (“to fill up, complete”); comparable to English complete + -ion.

(law) The conclusion of an act of conveyancing concerning the sale of a property.

exécution

law: conclusion of an act of conveyancing


justify

en-verb

justify (third-person singular simple present justifies, present participle justifying, simple past and past participle justified)

justifies (present singular third-person)
justifying (participle present)
justified (participle past)
justified (past)

From Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin justificare (“make just”), from Latin justus, iustus (“just”) + ficare (“make”), from facere, equivalent to just + -ify.

(law) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a charge or accusation.

J'USTIFYING BAIL, practice, is the production of bail in court, who there justify' themselves against the exception of the plaintiff.

1839, John Bouvier, A Law Dictionary Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America and of the Several States of the American Union, volume I, Philadelphia: T. & J.W. Johnson, page 557:

(law) To qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.


Constitution

The Constitution is anchored in English liberal thought and the Magna Carta.

The US Constitution was written in 1787.

As the search continued, I developed five criteria for the selection process. The next Chief Justice must have a top-flight legal mind; he must be young enough to serve at least ten years; he should, if possible, have experience both as a practicing lawyer and as an appeals court judge; he must generally share my view that the Court should interpret the Constitution rather than amend it by judicial fiat; and he must have a special quality of leadership that would enable him to resolve differences among his colleagues so that, as often as possible, the Court would speak decisively on major cases with one voice or at least with a strong voice for the majority opinion.

1978, Richard Nixon, RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon, Grosset & Dunlap, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 419:

The Constitution is very clear. My job was oversee the session of Congress where objections could be heard. And I made sure that objections would be recognized, so we would hear whatever evidence and other debate there was. But the Constitution says you open and count the votes, no more no less. The Constitution affords no authority to the Vice President or anyone else to reject votes or return votes to the states.

2023 July 5, Mike Pence, 7:52 from the start, in Watch All In With Chris Hayes Highlights: July 6, MSNBC, archived from the original on 2023-07-07:

(law) The supreme law of some countries, such as Australia, Ireland, and the United States.


PH

en-noun

PH (countable and uncountable, plural PHs)

preliminary hearing
preliminary hearing#English

(law) Initialism of preliminary hearing.


Roe

From a Middle English nickname meaning a roe.

Ultimately, Ms. Bottone said she just wanted to know whether she could keep driving in the H.O.V. lane for the remainder of her pregnancy, as she said she had in her previous pregnancies, long before the overturning of Roe.

2022 July 12, Luke Vander Ploeg, “Can You Drive Alone in the H.O.V. Lane if You’re Pregnant? A Post-Roe Quandary.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(US, law, US politics, informal) Ellipsis of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 US Supreme Court case which legalized abortion and reaffirmed the existence of a right to privacy under due process following the 14th Amendment.


Trinity

(UK, Ireland, law, education) Ellipsis of Trinity term.


Union

(locomotive): Derived from the name of the only U.S. company to use that configuration.

(chiefly India, with determiner, law) Alternative form of union


interlocutory

(law) Expressed during a legal action that awaits final decision.

(law) Of or pertaining to legal action that is temporary or provisional.


refresher

(law) A fee paid to counsel to continue with a case, especially one that was adjourned.


riparian

/ɹʌɪˈpɛːɹɪən/

/ɹɪˈpɛːɹɪən/

Borrowed from Latin rīpārius (“relating to a riverbank”) + -an.

bor

(chiefly law) A person or other entity that lives or owns property along the shore of a river.


rog

en-noun

rog (countable and uncountable, plural rogs)

(law, informal) an interrogatory (sense 1)


affirm

en-verb

affirm (third-person singular simple present affirms, present participle affirming, simple past and past participle affirmed)

affirms (present singular third-person)
affirming (participle present)
affirmed (participle past)
affirmed (past)

From Middle English affermen, from Old French afermer, affermer, from Latin affirmare, adfirmare (“to present as fixed, aver, affirm”), from ad (“to”) + firmare (“to make firm”), from firmus (“firm”).

(law) To state under a solemn promise to tell the truth which is considered legally equivalent to an oath, especially of those who have religious or other moral objections to swearing oaths; also solemnly affirm.


capital stock

en-noun

capital stock (usually uncountable, plural capital stocks)

(law, accounting, US) The total amount of common and preferred stock (shares) that a company can issue.


coterminous

From Latin conterminus, from con- (“with”) + terminus (“border, end”). The spelling with co- instead of con- is probably influenced by the related prefix co-.

(law) Said of linked or related property leases that expire together.


J

In the result, six members of the Court (Dawson J. dissenting) are in agreement that the common law of this country recognizes a form of native title which, in the cases where it has not been extinguished, reflects the entitlement of the indigenous inhabitants, in accordance with their laws or customs, to their traditional lands and that, subject to the effect of some particular Crown leases, the land entitlement of the Murray Islanders in accordance with their laws or customs is preserved, as native title, under the law of Queensland. The main difference between those members of the Court who constitute the majority is that, subject to the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), neither of us nor Brennan J. agrees with the conclusion to be drawn from the judgments of Deane, Toohey and Gaudron JJ. that, at least in the absence of clear and unambiguous statutory provision to the contrary, extinguishment of native title by the Crown by inconsistent grant is wrongful and gives rise to a claim for compensatory damages.

1992 June 3, Chief Justice Anthony Mason, Justice Michael McHugh, “Mabo v Queensland (No 2)”, in Australasian Legal Information Institute, High Court of Australia:

(law, postnominal) (plural JJ) Abbreviation of judge or justice.


R

The English case of R v R [1992] AC 599 ruled that rape can be committed by a husband against his wife.

(law) the Crown, the government of a monarchy (abbreviating rex (“king”) or regina (“queen”))


prender

Audio (US)

Borrowed from French prendre (“to take”), from Latin prehendere (“to take”).

(law) The power or right of taking a thing before it is offered


drop-dead

drop-dead date

The intruding investor (VC #2) makes an offer at a pre-money valuation of $15 million, subject to due diligence, and the expiration of the "drop dead" date, meaning the date in the initial investor's term sheet when exclusivity expires.

2003, Joseph W. Bartlett, Ross Barrett, Michael Butler, Advanced Private Equity Term Sheets and Series A Documents:

As the drop-dead date approaches, my mind becomes more focused.

2010, Richard L. Daft, The Executive and the Elephant, page 96:

If the assets [of a steel mill] were not sold by a fixed date, […]the “drop-dead” provision of the settlement agreement would take effect. Under that provision, the mills would be closed, the stay would be lifted, and the secured creditors would take possession. Probably neither the debtor nor the secured creditors believed that a sale could be completed before the drop-dead date.

2019, Lynn M. LoPucki, Elizabeth Warren, Robert M. Lawless, Secured Transactions: A Systems Approach, page 107:

(informal, not comparable, business, law) Absolutely final; being the deadline, especially in relation to a date set out in a contract upon which adverse consequences will flow if the contract has not been fulfilled.


P

(law) Initialism of patient. (the subject of proceedings in the Court of Protection)


exigent

From Latin exigēns, present active participle of exigō (“demand, require”).

They also make forthe writs of executions, and of seifin, writs of super seders, for appearance to exigents

(obsolete, British, law) A writ in proceedings before outlawry.


decapitalize

en-verb

decapitalize (third-person singular simple present decapitalizes, present participle decapitalizing, simple past and past participle decapitalized)

decapitalizes (present singular third-person)
decapitalizing (participle present)
decapitalized (participle past)
decapitalized (past)

In 1801 Connecticut decapitalized arson, but only where no victim's life had been placed in danger.

2009, Stuart Banner, The Death Penalty: an American history, page 131:

(transitive, law) To remove (something's) status as a capital crime; to cause (something) to no longer be a capital crime.


K

Abbreviations.
# (stenoscript) Abbreviation of counter, prefix counter-, sequence contr.

ng

prefix <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">counter-</i>, sequence contr.

(law, informal) Abbreviation of contract.


amortize

en-verb

amortize (third-person singular simple present amortizes, present participle amortizing, simple past and past participle amortized)

amortizes (present singular third-person)
amortizing (participle present)
amortized (participle past)
amortized (past)

From Middle English amortisen, from Old French amortir (via the stem amortiss-), from Vulgar Latin *admortīre, derived from Latin mortuus (“dead”).

(real estate, property law, transitive) To alienate (property) in mortmain.


indecent exposure

en-noun

indecent exposure (usually uncountable, plural indecent exposures)

(law) The crime of intentionally exposing one's genitalia in public; in some cases also including the act of public urination and defecation.


cease and desist

en-verb

cease and desist (third-person singular simple present ceases and desists, present participle ceasing and desisting, simple past and past participle ceased and desisted)

ceases and desists (present singular third-person)
ceasing and desisting (participle present)
ceased and desisted (participle past)
ceased and desisted (past)

From cease (“stop”), and desist (“to not do again”).

We are told to cease and desist or we will cease to exist.


cease and desist

a cease-and-desist letter; a cease-and-desist order

copyright infringement
copyright infringement

(law, chiefly attributive) A demand that one stop and not resume continuing a certain behavior, such as copyright infringement, trademark infringement, slander, or libel.


injuria

/ɪnˈdʒʊəɹi.ə/

Borrowed from Latin iniuria. Doublet of injury.

(law) injury; invasion of another's rights


Roman

en-adj

Roman (comparative more Roman, superlative most Roman)

more Roman (comparative)
most Roman (superlative)

From Old French Romain, from Latin Rōmānus. In reference to the Byzantine Empire, via the Byzantine Greek endonym Ῥωμαῖος (Rhōmaîos). By surface analysis, Rome + -an. Doublet of Romano.

You will find the term defined at the end of Roman one.

(law, colloquial) Used to distinguish a Roman numeral from an Arabic numeral in oral discourse.


consent decree

(law) A decree of a court giving effect to an agreement between the litigating parties.


constituent

From Latin cōnstituēns, present participle of cōnstituō (“I establish”), from com- (“together”) + statuo (“I set, place, establish”); see statute or statue, and compare institute and restitute.

(law) One who appoints another to act for him as attorney in fact


DPOA

(law) Initialism of durable power of attorney.


TUPE

w:Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006

(UK, law) Acronym of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006.


POA

power of attorney
power of attorney#English


HIPAA

(US, law) Acronym of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.


SORA

(law) Acronym of Sex Offenders Registration Act.


PPO

en-noun

PPO (countable and uncountable, plural PPOs)

(law) Initialism of personal protection order.


CJ

And though in Dodd and Eletcher the judgment was reversed, it was to the dissatisfaction of C. J. Holt, and other judges […]

1792, Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench: In the Eleventh and Twelfth Years of the Reign of King George the Second. [1737-1738]:


FOP

FOP (countable and uncountable, plural FOPs)

freedom of panorama
freedom of panorama#English

(law) Initialism of freedom of panorama.


qadi

From Arabic قَاضٍ (qāḍin, “judge”). Doublet of alcalde, casis, and cauzee.

To this the Jew agreed, and the two went together to the great hall, in which the kadi was administering justice.

legal treatises dealing with the subject usually spoke of the appointment to office of a qadi [...].

1985, Yasmin Hussain, Sharon Siddique, Ahmad Ibrahim, Readings on Islam in Southeast Asia:

The Qazi, his spiritual adviser, had recommended that the Russian be taken out into the desert and buried alive [...].

1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 74:

While sharia law for divorce in many Muslim countries has been modified by governments, in Israel reform was initiated by qadis.

2011 July 22, Jill Hamilton, The Guardian:

(Islam, law) A judge who is trained in and practices Islamic law


MCL

(law) Initialism of Michigan Compiled Laws.


PD

PD (countable and uncountable, plural PDs)


APA

(law) Initialism of assistant prosecuting attorney.


MCR

(law) Initialism of Michigan Court Rules.


squib

Possibly imitative of a small explosion.

unk

Possibly

(law) In a legal casebook, a short summary of a legal action placed between more extensively quoted cases.


CAA

(law) Initialism of court-appointed attorney.


ADR

en-noun

ADR (countable and uncountable, plural ADRs)

/eɪ diː ˈɑː/

alternative dispute resolution
alternative dispute resolution#English

(law) Initialism of alternative dispute resolution.


HR

HR (countable and uncountable, plural HRs)

/eɪt͡ʃ ɑː(ɹ)/

(law, politics) Initialism of house resolution.


PII

public-interest immunity
w:public-interest immunity

(UK, law) Initialism of public-interest immunity.


GAL

(law) Initialism of guardian ad litem, an individual (often a lawyer) appointed to represent the best interests of a child or incapacitated person for the purpose of a legal procedure.


CER

Three principal types of emission credits may also be traded under this regime: (a) the “emission reduction unit” (ERU); (b) the “certified emission reduction” (CER); and (c) the “removal unit” (RMU). Each ERU, CER, and RMU is an entitlement to emit the equivalent of one metric ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. […] CERs arise from the “clean development mechanism” in Article 12 of the protocol.

2014, John G Sprankling, “Rights in Airspace and Outer Space”, in The International Law of Property, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 174:

certified emission reduction
certified emission reduction#English

(law) Initialism of certified emission reduction.

(Michigan, law) Initialism of certified electronic recorder.


COBRA

There were COBRA forms to fill out for insurance, and unemployment to file for.

2021, Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness, Canongate Books (2022), page 478:

w:Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985

(US, law) Initialism of Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, especially the provision that allows some employees to continue their group-based health insurance after leaving a job; also, health insurance obtained under this law.


meretricious

en-adj

meretricious (comparative more meretricious, superlative most meretricious)

more meretricious (comparative)
most meretricious (superlative)

/ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/

/ˌmɛɹəˈtɹɪʃəs/

From Latin meretrīcius, from meretrīx (“harlot, prostitute”), from mereō (“earn, deserve, merit”) (English merit) + -trīx (“(female agent)”) (English -trix).

(law) Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).


FOIA

First use appears c. 1968, in the publication Administrative Law Review.

FOIA is what enables regular people to pester powerful federal agencies into handing over information about what they’ve been up to. FOIA’s website calls it “the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government.”

2017 July 23, Michelle Cottle, “The War on the Freedom of Information Act”, in The Atlantic:

w:Freedom of Information Act (United States)

(law, US politics) Acronym of Freedom of Information Act.


FOIA

en-verb

FOIA (third-person singular simple present FOIAs, present participle FOIAing, simple past and past participle FOIAed)

FOIAs (present singular third-person)
FOIAing (participle present)
FOIAed (participle past)
FOIAed (past)

(law, transitive) To request or obtain records using the Freedom of Information Act.


CPS

‘Itʼs entrapment,’ said Silver. ‘The CPS wonʼt prosecute.’

2020, Ben Aaronovitch, False Value, Gollancz, page 233:

Big showering of affection at beginning of relationship can be used to confuse victims and gain control, CPS warns[.]

2023 April 23, Amelia Gentleman, “CPS includes ‘love-bombing’ in guidance on abusive partners prosecution”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Crown Prosecution Service
w:Crown Prosecution Service

(UK, law) Initialism of Crown Prosecution Service.


PT

en-noun

PT (countable and uncountable, plural PTs)


RC

RC (countable and uncountable, plural RCs)

(law) Initialism of receiving and concealing (stolen property).


FC

FC (countable and uncountable, plural FCs)


registrar

/ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪsˌtɹɑɹ/

From Medieval Latin registrārius, from registrum (“register”) + -ārius (“agent”). See more at register.

chief executive officer
chief executive officer

An official keeper or recorder of records.

(law) The chief executive officer of a judicial forum, in charge of the entire registry of the department.


defender

From Middle English defender, deffender, defendere, defendour, defendoure, partly from Anglo-Norman defendour, from Old French defendëor; partly from Middle English defenden + -ere, equivalent to defend + -er.

There was another protection to which she was intitled by that law, namely, a defender; but she had none.

1822, Thomas Bayly Howell, A Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors from the Earliest Period to the Year 1783, page 729:

So, what is contemplated under this model is that the defender would work with civil legal services lawyers to address the clients' needs.

2007, Barry Krisberg, Susan Marchionna, Christopher Baird, Continuing the Struggle for Justice, →ISBN, page 248:

It puts you at the head of the table, at a right angle to the witness; the court reporter sits to your right, and the defender sits on the witness's far side.

2010, Henry L. Hecht, Effective Depositions, →ISBN, page 243:

(law, rare) A lawyer who represents defendants, especially a public defender; a defense attorney (US) or defence counsel (UK).


uplift

en-verb

uplift (third-person singular simple present uplifts, present participle uplifting, simple past and past participle uplifted)

uplifts (present singular third-person)
uplifting (participle present)
uplifted (participle past)
uplifted (past)

извисявам

to raise something or someone to a higher level

A man who abused a Police Community Support Officer for being transgender has received an uplifted sentence at Mold Magistrates' Court... At Court the prosecutor applied for the sentence for the public order offence to be uplifted to reflect the hate crime aspect. This resulted in the Court imposing a greater penalty.

2020 January 29, “Transphobic hate crime results in increased sentence for Mold teenager”, in Crown Prosecution Service, London: Crown Prosecution Service, retrieved 2020-01-30:

(law, of a penalty) To aggravate; to increase.

(law, Australia, transitive) To remove (a document) from its current possessor and take it into one's own possession.


uplift

en-noun

uplift (countable and uncountable, plural uplifts)

The CMA fined the companies involved £3.4 million, which included uplifts for director level involvement.

2020, David Begg, Economics for Business, page 148:

(law) An increase in a fine or penalty due to aggravating circumstances.


residue

residue (countable and uncountable, plural residues)

From Middle English residue, from Old French residu, from Latin residuum, neuter of residuus (“remaining”), from resideō (“I remain behind”).

(law) Whatever property or effects are left in an estate after payment of all debts, other charges and deduction of what is specifically bequeathed by the testator.

kuolinpesän jakamaton nettovarallisuus

(law) property or effects remaining in an estate after deduction of debts, charges and bequests


descend

en-verb

descend (third-person singular simple present descends, present participle descending, simple past and past participle descended)

descends (present singular third-person)
descending (participle present)
descended (participle past)
descended (past)
descend (infinitive)

PIE word
 *de
The verb is derived from Middle English descenden (“to move downwards, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to go from a better to a worse condition, decline, degenerate; to be a descendant, derive from (a source); etc.”), from Anglo-Norman descendere, descendre, and Old French descendere, descendre (“to move downwards, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to be a descendant, derive from (a source); etc.”) (modern French descendre), and from their etymon Latin dēscendere, the present active infinitive of dēscendō (“to come or go down, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to be a descendant; etc.”), from de- (prefix meaning ‘from; down from’) + scandō (“to ascend, climb; to clamber”) (from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to climb, scale; to dart; to jump”)).
The noun is derived from the verb.

laskea

to pass from a higher to a lower part of (something)

afgaan

to physically move or pass from a higher to a lower place or position

The crown descends to the heir of the previous monarch.

[I]f the Tenant giue a part of the Tenancie to the father of the Lord in Taile, the father dieth, and this deſcends to the Lord, in this caſe by Act in Law the Seigniorie is ſuſpended in part and in eſſe for part, and the ſame Law is of a Rent charge.

1628, Edw[ard] Coke, “Of Rents”, in The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, →OCLC, book 2, section 222, folio 148, verso:

As to eleemoſynary corporations, by the dotation the founder and his heirs are of common right the legal viſitors, to ſee that that property is rightly employed, vvhich vvould otherwiſe have deſcended to the viſitor himſelf: […]

1765, William Blackstone, “Of Corporations”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 469:

The possession of the sacred fire and of the ancestral sticks, carrying with it both political authority and priestly dignity, descends in the male line, and hence generally passes from father to son.

1911, J[ames] G[eorge] Frazer, “The Fire-drill”, in The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion, 3rd edition, part I (The Magic Art and the Evolution of Kings, volume II), London: Macmillan and Co., […], →OCLC, page 217:

Senses relating to passing down from a source to another thing.

(intransitive, chiefly law) Of property, a right, etc.: to pass down to a generation, a person, etc., by inheritance.

periytyä

of property, a right, etc.: to pass down to a generation, a person, etc., by inheritance


EPA

Coordinate term: LPA

enduring power of attorney
enduring power of attorney#English

(countable, law, England and Wales) Initialism of enduring power of attorney.


tacking

en-noun

tacking (countable and uncountable, plural tackings)

The English doctrine of tacking was first solemnly established in Marsh v . Lee , under the assistance of Sir Matthew Hale , who compared the operation to a plank in shipwreck gained by the last mortgagee

1826, James Kent, Commentaries on American Law:

(law) A union of securities given at different times, all of which must be redeemed before an intermediate purchaser can interpose a claim.

(law) The joining together of consecutive periods of possession of property, especially between squatters in cases of adverse possession.


MQSA

(US, law) Initialism of Mammography Quality Standards Act.


FAA

Federal Arbitration Act
w:Federal Arbitration Act

(law) Initialism of Federal Arbitration Act (9 USC 1).


ex post facto

From Latin ex (“from”) + post (“after”) + facto, ablative of factum (“deed”). In Latin, ex takes the ablative case, while post takes the accusative case. (See Wikipedia for a discussion of the grammatical form and usage of this phrase.)

Coupled with the Constitution's proscription of ex post facto laws is a similar prohibition against bills of attainder.

1998, Daniel E. Troy, Retroactive Legislation, page 56:

That the tax would take effect after some of the payments were made also raises issues. Says former Attorney General Richard Thornburg, also in an e-mail: "Such legislation could well run afoul of constitutional restrictions on bills of attainder, ex post facto laws, laws impairing the obligations of contract, unauthorized takings of property and the like."

2009 March 21, Jim McTague, “Would a Tax on Bonuses Be Constitutional?”, in Barron's:

(law) Formulated or enacted after some event, and then retroactively applied to it.

taannehtiva

formulated or enacted after some event, then retroactively applied to it


ex post facto

What he did was not a crime when he did it, but he was convicted ex post facto.

(law) By retroactive application of a law formulated or enacted after the deed in question.


AHA

AHA (countable and uncountable, plural AHAs)

Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy#English

(countable, property law, England and Wales) Initialism of Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy.


AHA

Agricultural Holdings Act
w:Agricultural Holdings Act

(countable, property law, England and Wales) Initialism of Agricultural Holdings Act.


CPR

Civil Procedure Rules
w:Civil Procedure Rules

(law, England and Wales) Initialism of Civil Procedure Rules.


JAG

(law, military) Acronym of judge advocate general.


ICT

ICT (countable and uncountable, plural ICTs)

(law) Initialism of International Crimes Tribunal.


factum

(law, civil law) Anything stated and made certain.

Somebody's own act and deed.
Anything stated and made certain.

(law) The due execution of a will, including everything necessary to its validity.

But according to a factum filed by Crown prosecutors, Shaikh's status was "confidential informer," therefore RCMP did not direct him about what to do at the camp.

2009 January 31, Isabel Teotonio, “Police mole trapped teen, court told”, in Toronto Star:

(law, Canada) A statement of fact and law delivered before a court.

Fraud in the factum


MSA

MSA (countable and uncountable, plural MSAs)

(law) Initialism of master service agreement.


CFR

Code of Federal Regulations
w:en:Code of Federal Regulations

(US, law) Initialism of Code of Federal Regulations.


STA

(law, US) Initialism of special temporary authority (to operate a radio station in the US)


PL

The government's primary market promotion tool is Public Law 480, the Food for Peace program. Since its inception in 1954, PL 480 has provided an outlet in less-developed countries for American agricultural surpluses.

1982, Richard Gilmore, A Poor Harvest: The Clash of Policies and Interests in the Grain Trade, page 21:

(US, law, government) Initialism of public law.


CR

CR (countable and uncountable, plural CRs)

Most continuing resolutions are temporary measures that expire on the date specified in the CR, or are superseded by enactment of the regular appropriations act.

2004, Allen Schick, The Federal Budget: Politics, Policy, Process, →ISBN, page 228:

A few days later in a meeting with the president, Clinton asked Gingrich for a continuing resolution (CR) to continue funding the government until they could work out a compromise. “If I go back and try to get a longterm CR without a budget from you, the next time you'll be dealing with Speaker Armey," he said.

2008, Steven M. Gillon, The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry that Defined a Generation, →ISBN:

CRs are a common occurrence because it is highly unusual for Congress and the president to pass all 13 appropriations bills by the start of the new fiscal year.

2014, Robert E. Dewhirst, John David Rausch, Encyclopedia of the United States Congress, →ISBN, page 149:

continuing resolution
continuing resolution#English

(US politics, law) Initialism of continuing resolution.


living will

(law) 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 being kept alive by artificial means, in the event of being severely disabled or suffering from a terminal illness.

levenstestament

document giving durable power of attorney to a surrogate decision-maker for healthcare purposes


PACE

Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
w:Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

(UK, law) Acronym of Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.


CAS

Court of Arbitration for Sport
w:Court of Arbitration for Sport

(law, sports) Initialism of Court of Arbitration for Sport.


Gen.

(law) Abbreviation of general (business or agency description).


DNC

(US, law, historical) Initialism of District of North Carolina, a former United States federal court.


CBA

(law) Initialism of County Bar Association.


ATP

ATP (countable and uncountable, plural ATPs)

Mr Sumption said: "The object would be to enable the Secretary of State to reconsider the decision, not simply so as to consider the reduction in the scope of the extradition proceedings which arises from the decision of the House of Lords, but to consider whether, in the light of that reduction, it would be right to issue an ATP (authorisation to proceed) at all."

1999 March 29, “Pinochet lawyers to challenge extradition ruling”, in The Guardian:

(law, project management) Initialism of authorization to proceed.


tried

en-adj

tried (comparative more tried, superlative most tried)

more tried (comparative)
most tried (superlative)

From Middle English tried, tryed, equivalent to try + -ed.

(law) Put on trial, taken before a lawcourt.


NPS

en-noun

NPS (countable and uncountable, plural NPSs)

new psychoactive substance
new psychoactive substance#English

(law) Initialism of new psychoactive substance.


JIT

joint investigation team
joint investigation team#English

(law) Initialism of joint investigation team.


escheat

escheat (countable and uncountable, plural escheats)

From Middle English eschete, from Anglo-Norman escheat, Old French eschet, escheit, escheoit (“that which falls to one”), from the past participle of escheoir (“to fall”), from Vulgar Latin *excadēre, from Latin ex + cadere (“fall”).

(law) The return of property of a deceased person to the state (originally to a feudal lord) where there are no legal heirs or claimants.


tax evasion

(taxation, criminology) The illegal avoidance of paying tax, especially by making a false declaration of income etc.


tax haven

Such colonies claim to be "more British than the British", except that they pay no UK tax and act as tax havens for funds from Britain. Gibraltar has made a particular specialism of internet gambling.

2013 August 14, Simon Jenkins, “Gibraltar and the Falklands deny the logic of history”, in The Guardian:

(law, business, taxation) A jurisdiction that levies low tax rates on certain economic activities, especially to attract wealthy individuals and foreign businesses.

belastingparadys

country that levies low taxes on foreign businesses


reporter

→ Catalan: repòrter

→ Greek: ρεπόρτερ (repórter)

non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger

From Middle English reportour, from Old French reporteur; equivalent to report + -er.

(law) A case reporter; a bound volume of printed legal opinions from a particular jurisdiction.


DMCA

Digital Millennium Copyright Act
w:Digital Millennium Copyright Act

(US law) Initialism of Digital Millennium Copyright Act.


soc

From Middle English soke, sok, soc, from Old English sōcn. More at soke.

As proprietors of the soc, the lords claimed a great number of fees and perquisites, payable by all classes of people, whether free or servile, who negotiated any affairs within the soc, and which no doubt formed in themselves a considerable source of revenue.

1869, George Norton, Commentaries on the History, Constitution, and Chartered Franchises of the City of London, page 96:

Doubts have recently been cast upon Maitland's view that the Anglo-Saxon "sac and soc" included the right to hold a petty court, to compel tenants to attend it, and to take profits from it.

2001, Theodore Frank Thomas Plucknett, A Concise History of the Common Law, page 96:

(UK, law, historical) The lord's power or privilege of holding a court in a district, as in manor or lordship; jurisdiction of causes, and the limits of that jurisdiction.


IST

(law) Initialism of incompetent to stand trial.


acquest

acquest (countable and uncountable, plural acquests)

From Middle English aqueste (later conflating with enqueste), from Old French aquest, (French acquêt), from Vulgar Latin *acquaesitum, ultimately from Latin quaerere (“seek”). Doublet of acquis.

(law) Property acquired by purchase, gift, or otherwise than by inheritance.


AST

AST (countable and uncountable, plural ASTs)

assured shorthold tenancy
w:assured shorthold tenancy

(property law, real estate, England and Wales) Initialism of assured shorthold tenancy.


precept

Borrowed from Late Latin praeceptum, form of praecipiō (“to teach”), from Latin prae (“pre-”) + capiō (“take”).

(law) A written command, especially a demand for payment.


FBT

FBT (countable and uncountable, plural FBTs)

farm business tenancy
farm business tenancy#English

(countable, property law, England and Wales) Initialism of farm business tenancy.


FQPA

(US, law) Initialism of Food Quality Protection Act.


disclaimer

Partly from Middle English discleymer, from Anglo-Norman desclamer; and partly from disclaim + -er.

(law) A denial, disavowal, or renunciation, as of a title, claim, interest, estate, or trust; relinquishment or waiver of an interest or estate.

farağatnamə

law: denial, disavowal, or renunciation (as of a title, claim, interest, estate, or trust; relinquishment or waiver of an interest or estate)


arguendo

1978, Matter of Green, 586 F. 2d 1247 - U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
Assuming arguendo that those assertions are factually true, we find respondent's claim to be without legal merit.

Grant me, arguendo, that sort of scenario, with the Soviet federation rebuilding and small wars raging here and there, as the world of the millennium.

1990 February 5, William Safire, “Staying a Superpower”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(law) for the sake of argument; assuming without deciding; identifying the premises of a hypothetical argument while making it clear that no finding is being made on whether the premises are true.

(law) Used to set off the facts presented in an argument on a point of law from facts in dispute in the case.


appurtenance

From Middle English appurtenaunce, from Anglo-Norman apurtenance and Old French apartenance, from apartenir, from Latin appertineō (“I belong, I appertain”). Equivalent to appertain + -ance. More at appertain.

der

It is well settled that a water right may pass with land as an appurtenance thereto, or as a parcel thereof.

1908, Samuel Charles Wiel, Water Rights in the Western States, page 340:

Also I will that anon after the said nine years after my decease determined that my said feoffees make estate of all the said manors, lands and tenements with the appurtenance to my next heir and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten.

2019, Michèle Schindler, Lovell our Dogge:

(law) A subordinate interest in land which benefits a principal estate, which cannot be detached from or held separately to that estate; an appurtenant interest.

Zubehör

(law) minor property that passes with the main property


reversible

/ɹəˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪbəl/

Probably from Middle French, equivalent to reverse + -ible.

(law) Providing sufficient reason for a court decision to be overturned on appeal.


tenement

From Middle English tenement, from Anglo-Norman tenement (“holding”), from Old French tenement, from Medieval Latin tenimentum, from Latin teneō (“hold”).

The island of Brecqhou is a tenement of Sark.

(law) Any form of property that is held by one person from another, rather than being owned.

verpachting

any form of property that is held by one person from another, rather than being owned


alimony

en-noun

alimony (countable and uncountable, plural alimonies)

→ Welsh: alimoni

Known since the 17th century, from Latin alimōnia (“food, support, nourishment, sustenance”) (English aliment, as in alimentary), itself from alō (“to nourish”) + -mōnia (“action, state, condition”).

der

Who won, huh? Nobody. Used to be sex was the only free thing, No longer. Alimony… palimony… it's all financial. Love is an illusion.

1985, Joel Schumacher, Carl Kurlander, St. Elmo's Fire (motion picture), spoken by Kevin Dolenz (Andrew McCarthy):

(law, sometimes derogatory) A court-mandated allowance made to a former spouse by a divorced or legally separated person.


on the bench

(law, of a judge) Presiding over a court.


aspirational

en-adj

aspirational (comparative more aspirational, superlative most aspirational)

more aspirational (comparative)
most aspirational (superlative)

/ˌæspəˈɹeɪʃənəl/

(law) Expressing a hope or intention but not creating a legally binding obligation.


warranty

en-noun

warranty (countable and uncountable, plural warranties)

From Middle English warantye, warantie, from Anglo-Norman warrantie, an Old Northern French variant of Old French guarantie (Modern French garantie). Doublet of guarantee and guaranty. More at warrant.

covenant of warranty
covenant of warranty

(countable, law, real estate, obsolete) A legal agreement that was a real covenant and ran with the land: The grantor of a piece of real estate held in freehold, and his heirs, were required to officially guarantee their claim and plead their case for the title. If evicted by someone with a superior claim (paramount title), they were also required to hand over other real estate of equal value in recompense. It has now been replaced by personal covenants and the covenant of warranty.

(law, countable, real estate) A covenant, also called the covenant of warranty, whereby the grantor assures the grantee that he or she will not be subject to the claims of someone with a paramount title, thereby guaranteeing the status of the title that is being conveyed.

(countable, law) A legal agreement, either written or oral (an expressed warranty) or implied through the actions of the buyer and seller (an implied warranty), which states that the goods or property in question will be in exactly the same state as promised, such as in a sale of an item or piece of real estate.

garanci

legal: an agreement which states that the goods or property in question will be in exactly the same state as promised

(countable, insurance law) A stipulation of an insurance policy made by an insuree, guaranteeing that the facts of the policy are true and the insurance risk is as stated, which if not fulfilled renders the policy void.

אחראיות יצרן

insurance law: a stipulation of an insurance policy made by an insuree, guaranteeing that the facts of the policy are true and the insurance risk is as stated


proceeding

/pɹəˈsiːdɪŋ/

December 7 2016, Kelly Phillips Erb writing in Forbes, House Says No To Renewed Efforts To Impeach IRS Commissioner
Since impeachment is a legal proceeding, while anyone can make a motion to start the process, the Judiciary Committee determines whether there are sufficient grounds for impeachment.

(law) Any legal action, especially one that is not a lawsuit.


floater

From float + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

kelluja

person who physically floats in a gas or liquid

paikanvaihtaja

person without a fixed or lasting affiliation, position, or role

kelluva esine

thing which physically floats in a gas or liquid

leijuri

["]Suppose I should tell you that there's a permanent order in the sheriff's office, left there by the old sheriff, that if I ever use your name or admit I'm your wife I'll get a floater out of the county and out of the state. Does that tempt you?" / "Tempt me to do what?" / "To get me floated and take all the money."

1952 September 19, John Steinbeck, chapter 31, in East of Eden, New York, N.Y.: The Viking Press, →OCLC, book 3, section 1, page 383:

(figurative) A thing which moves from place to place, as if floating.

(US, law) A criminal sentence which is suspended so long as the convicted person leaves an area.


purview

From Middle English purveu (“proviso”), from Anglo-Norman purveu est (“it is provided”), or purveu que (“provided that”) (statutory language), from Old French porveü (“provided”), past participle of porveoir (“to provide”), from Latin prōvideō (see provide). Influenced by view and its etymological antecedents.


extort

en-verb

extort (third-person singular simple present extorts, present participle extorting, simple past and past participle extorted)

extorts (present singular third-person)
extorting (participle present)
extorted (participle past)
extorted (past)

Borrowed from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere (“to twist or wrench out, to extort”); from ex (“out”) + -tort, from torqueō (“twist, turn”).

Weirdly, Renton doesn’t look too much older and the same also goes for Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), who has exchanged heroin for cocaine and nowadays runs an escort-and-blackmail business, secretly videoing clients and extorting money, working with his female business partner, Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova).

2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in the Guardian:

(transitive, law) To obtain by means of the offense of extortion.

勒索

to obtain by means of the offense of extortion


strike out

strike out (third-person singular simple present strikes out, present participle striking out, simple past struck out, past participle struck out or (somewhat archaic) stricken out)

strikes out (present singular third-person)
striking out (participle present)
struck out (past)
struck out (participle past)
stricken out (archaic participle past)

A Suit filed by respondent Establissment Sima of Vaduz was on the 2nd day of March, 1988 struck out by the Federal High Court. An application under Order 9 rule 6 Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules was argued before that court on 17th day of October, 1988 for relisting the suit. Even though the present appellant as respondent to that motion opposed, the prayer was granted.

1990 December 14, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Nigeria National Supply Co. Ltd v Establissment Sima of Vaduz, number SC 137/1989:

The Government requested that the applications be partly struck out of the list of cases in accordance with Article 37 § 1 (c) of the Convention, challenging the right of the heirs of the four applicants who had died in the course of the proceedings (Mr Hristozov, Mr Petrov, Ms Pencheva and Mr Behar, see paragraph 4 above) to pursue the applications in their stead. In their view, those heirs could not claim to be indirect victims, and did not have a valid interest in obtaining a ruling by the Court, because the alleged breaches of Articles 2, 3 and 8 of the Convention did not affect them, for two reasons. First, the authorities’ refusal to allow the applicants access to the unauthorised medicinal product that they wished to have administered did not affect other individuals, such as their heirs. Secondly, the rights invoked by the applicants were deeply personal in nature. Moreover, it was not the Court’s task to determine in the abstract whether the relevant domestic law provisions were in line with the Convention.

2012 November 13, European Court of Human Rights, Hristozov and others v. Bulgaria, number 47039/11, marginal 68:

In 2016 36,579 applications were declared inadmissible or struck out of the list of cases by a Single Judge, a Committee or a Chamber, a 15% decrease compared with 2015 (43,133). The Single-Judge formation decided 30,998 cases in 2016, a decrease of 15% compared with 2015 (36,308). 3,772 applications were struck out by a Chamber or a Committee, in a decision or a judgment, following a friendly settlement or a unilateral declaration, a decrease of 18% (4,628 in 2015). Friendly settlements (2,005) increased by 21% (1,658 in 2015) and unilateral declarations decreased by 41% (1,767 compared to 2,970 in 2015). The remainder of the applications were declared inadmissible by a Chamber or a Committee or struck out by these formations on other grounds.

2016, European Court of Human Rights, Analysis of statistics 2016, page 4:

(law, figurative) to treat something as settled


coroner

From Middle English coroner, from Old French curuner, from Medieval Latin custōs placitōrum corōnae (“guardian of the crown's pleas”). The function was originally to protect royal properties.

der

(Commonwealth, Ireland, Japan, law) A public official who presides over an inquest into unnatural deaths, and who may have (or historically had) additional powers such as investigating cases of treasure trove.


procession

en-verb

procession (third-person singular simple present processions, present participle processioning, simple past and past participle processioned)

processions (present singular third-person)
processioning (participle present)
processioned (participle past)
processioned (past)

From Middle English processioun, borrowed from Old French pourciession, from Latin prōcessiō (“a marching forward, an advance, in Late Latin a religious procession”), from prōcēdere, past participle prōcessus (“to move forward, advance, proceed”); see proceed.

der

To procession the lands of such persons as desire it.

1856, Alexander Mansfield Burrill, A Law Dictionary and Glossary, PROCESSIONING:

(transitive, law, US, North Carolina, Tennessee) To ascertain, mark, and establish the boundary lines of (lands).

North Carolina; Tennessee; North Carolina; Tennessee


test paper

(law) An instrument admitted as a standard or comparison of handwriting in those jurisdictions in which comparison of hands is permitted as a mode of proving handwriting.


test case

(law) A legal action intended to set a precedent.

Testfall

a legal action intended to set a precedent


textualism

en-noun

textualism (countable and uncountable, plural textualisms)

And this is the upshot of textualism: textualists do not want judges to make the law. This, at least, is the official doctrine, and it sounds very democratic.

2007, Andrei Marmor, Law in the Age of Pluralism, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 198:

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is generally committed to textualism, a judicial approach that focuses on the words of the law as written rather than its larger purpose or the intentions of its drafters. In a 2015 appearance at Harvard Law School, Justice Kagan said that textualism had triumphed across the ideological spectrum. “We’re all textualists now,” she said then.

2022 June 30, Adam Liptak, “Supreme Court Limits E.P.A.’s Ability to Restrict Power Plant Emissions”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(law) A formalist legal theory that interprets based on the ordinary meaning of the legal text.


court martial

court martial (plural (formal) courts martial or (informal) court martials)

courts martial (formal plural)
court martials (informal plural)

A calque of French cour martiale, hence the unusual order of adjective following noun.

(law, military) A court where cases of military law are heard.

(law, military) A trial before such a tribunal.


court martial

en-verb

court martial (third-person singular simple present court martials, present participle (US) court martialing or (UK) court martialling, simple past and past participle (US) court martialed or (UK) court martialled)

court martials (present singular third-person)
court martialing (US participle present)
court martialling (UK participle present)
court martialed (US participle past)
court martialed (US past)
court martialled (UK participle past)
court martialled (UK past)

(law, military) To subject to trial in a military court.


malice

en-noun

malice (usually uncountable, plural malices)

From Middle English malice, borrowed from Old French malice, from Latin malitia (“badness, bad quality, ill-will, spite”), from malus (“bad”).

der

The question that would have been before the jury was whether Fox committed “actual malice” in airing the claims. That required Dominion to show whether key decision makers were aware the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

2023 April 18, Sam Levine, Kira Lerner, “Fox and Dominion settle for US$787.5m in defamation lawsuit over election lies”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(law) An intention to do injury to another party, which in many jurisdictions is a distinguishing factor between the crimes of murder and manslaughter.


ransom

en-noun

ransom (usually uncountable, plural ransoms)

⇒ Cantonese: 參／参 (sam¹, “hostage”)

From the Middle English ransoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redemptio. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption.

punished with imprisonment and ransom at the King's will

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(historical, law, UK) A sum paid for the pardon of some great offence and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment.


rule nisi

(law) A decree issued by the court that becomes absolute at some later date unless cause is shown why it should not.


amicus curiae

From Latin, amīcus (“friend”) + cūriae (“of the court”), genitive singular of cūria (“court”).

BANNATYNE v BANNATYNE (COMMISSION FOR GENDER EQUALITY, AS AMICUS CURIAE) 2003 (2) SA 363 (CC) "The Court admitted as amicus curiae the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) which lodged empirical data on the state of the maintenance system in South Africa and its effect on the rights of women and children in seeking effective relief pursuant to the Maintenance Act (the Act)."

MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS v FOURIE (DOCTORS FOR LIFE INTERNATIONAL AND OTHERS, AMICI CURIAE)LESBIAN AND GAY EQUALITY PROJECT AND OTHERS v MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS 2006 (1) SA 524 (CC): "Prior to the hearing, applications were made by Doctors For Life International and its legal representative Mr John Smyth, to be admitted as amici curiae.

(law, US) A person or entity who has been allowed by the court to plead or make submissions but who is not directly involved in the action.

(law, Canada) An independent lawyer, not retained by any party, whom the court has ordered to provide legal submissions regarding the matter in dispute; for example, to provide submissions regarding the situation of an unrepresented litigant or accused person.


estoppel

estoppel (countable and uncountable, plural estoppels)

From Middle English *estoppel (found only as stoppel, stoppell, stopple, etc.), probably from Old French estoupail, estopail, estopaille, a bung made of oakum (étoupe), from Latin stuppa ("flax, tow"), from Ancient Greek στύππη (stuppē).

(common law) A legal principle in the law of equity that prevents a party from asserting otherwise valid legal rights against another party because of conduct by the first party, or circumstances to which the first party has knowingly contributed, make it unjust for those rights to be asserted.


tortfeasor

From Anglo-Norman tortfeasor, from Old French tortfesor, tort-faiseur, torfesor, torzfesor (“wrongdoer”), from tort (“a misdeed, a wrong”) + fesor, faiseur (“doer”).

[…] there is an exception “in the cases of heir and executor, who may plead a release to the ancestor or testator whom they respectively represent; so also with respect to several tortfeasors, for in all these cases there is a privity between the parties which constitutes an identity of person”.

1881, Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Common Law:

Damages paid by the settling tortfeasor which are greater than the pro rata amount can easily be attributed to his desire to avoid legal fees and bad press, or misspeculation about the merits and likely outcome of the case.

1992, Moot Court Casebook - Volume 16, pages 9-23:


per curiam

Latin per (“by means of”) curiam (“the court”)

(law) An opinion delivered by an entire court rather than a single judge.


interim order

(law) a court order entered at the beginning of a lawsuit to preserve a semblance of organisational order or to maintain the status quo pending the final disposition of the case


jury pool

(law) the eligible population from which jury members can be selected


headnote

(law) A summary of the relevant aspects of a legal case, usually found at the beginning of a case report.


jury nullification

jury nullification (countable and uncountable, plural jury nullifications)

The prosecutor thought he lost the case, not due to the creation of reasonable doubt, but due to jury nullification.

(law) An acquittal by a jury of a defendant ignoring the facts of the case and/or the law.

lautamiehistön hylkäävä päätös

(law) an acquittal by a jury of a defendant ignoring the facts of the case and/or the law

nullificírujuščij verdíkt sudá prisjážnyx

нуллифици́рующий верди́кт суда́ прися́жных


dep

dep (countable and uncountable, plural deps)

*Abbreviation of several English terms that begin with "dep"
*Clipping of several English terms that begin with "dep"

clipping

Don't worry too much if they don’t give us everything we need in their rog answers; we'll fill the gaps in dep.


ab initio

From Latin ab (“from”) + initiō, ablative singular of initium (“beginning”).

(law) From the time when a law, legal right or decree, contract, ownership interest, partnership (etc.) comes into force.

ab initio

referring to the time from when a legal document comes into force


matter of record

en-noun

matter of record (plural matters of record)

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


jaywalk

en-verb

jaywalk (third-person singular simple present jaywalks, present participle jaywalking, simple past and past participle jaywalked)

jaywalks (present singular third-person)
jaywalking (participle present)
jaywalked (participle past)
jaywalked (past)

Back-formation from jaywalker. Analyzable as jay (“a stupid person”) + walk.

(chiefly US, law, automotive, transitive, intransitive) To behave as a jaywalker; to violate pedestrian traffic regulations by crossing a street away from a designated crossing or to walk in the part of the street intended for vehicles rather than on the sidewalk.

eine Straße an verbotener Stelle überqueren

atravessar no meio da rua

literally: to cross in the middle of the street

переходи́ть доро́гу в неполо́женном ме́сте

but see oförsiktig fotgängare and vårdslös fotgängare.


seisin

From Middle English seisin, seysen, from Old French seisin, from the verb seisir, from Early Medieval Latin sacīre, from the same Proto-Indo-European root as Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (satjan) and Old English settan. More at seize, seise.

(law, historical) An entitlement to a freehold estate with a right to immediate possession; dates from feudal times but is still used in technical discussions of real property law today.


brocard

From French brocard, cognate with Medieval Latin brocarda, brocardicorum opus, a collection of canonical laws written by the bishop Burchard of Worms.

The other question was as to the proper legal meaning of the brocard, “heres heredis mei est heres meus.”

1860, “The Journal of Jurisprudence”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume IV, Edinburgh, page 414:

Blackstone, with a like tenderness of conscience, endeavors to withdraw a single case, a sale of provisions, from the old brocard caveat emptor, and tells us that in such a contract there is a warranty that the provisions are wholesome.

1853, Samuel Owen, “The New York Legal Observer”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume XI, pages 73–4:

(law) A legal principle usually expressed in Latin, traditionally used to concisely express a wider legal concept or rule.


superintending control

(law) The authority that a higher court has to issue an order specifically ordering a lower court to perform (or stop performing) a certain action


spousal support

en-noun

spousal support (usually uncountable, plural spousal supports)


affiant

From the present participle of Old French afier, from Late Latin affidare. Related to affidavit.

Further affiant sayeth naught. (A centuries-old statement that is still used on some legal documents as the final declaration prior to the affiant's signature.)

(law) The individual witness whose statement is contained in an affidavit or sworn deposition.


sua sponte

A borrowing of Latin sua sponte (“at its own prompting; by its own impulse; of its own free will”)

uder

Decretals... ought, properly speaking, to be distinguished, on the one hand from constitutions... enacted by the Pope sua sponte without reference to any particular case, and on the other hand from rescripts... which apply only to special circumstances or individuals, and constitute no general precedent. But this nomenclature is not strictly observed.

1878, "Decretals" in the Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. VII, p. 22

(law) Without prompting or suggestion; on its own initiative.


severalty

en-noun

severalty (countable and uncountable, plural severalties)

(law) The sole ownership of property by someone.


zoning

These towers are not only the product of advances in construction technology – and a global surfeit of super-rich buyers – but a zoning policy that allows a developer to acquire unused airspace nearby, add it to their own lot, and erect a vast structure without any kind of public review process taking place.

2019 June 1, Oliver Wainwright, “Super-tall, super-skinny, super-expensive: the ‘pencil towers’ of New York’s super-rich”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-10-05:

(law) Legislative action for the purpose of regulating the use of property and the construction of buildings within the area under the jurisdiction of the legislative body concerned.

գոտիավորում

legal: regulation of property use and construction


prosecute

en-verb

prosecute (third-person singular simple present prosecutes, present participle prosecuting, simple past and past participle prosecuted)

prosecutes (present singular third-person)
prosecuting (participle present)
prosecuted (participle past)
prosecuted (past)

Borrowed from Latin prōsecūtus, perfect participle of prōsequor. Doublet of pursue, from Old French. Compare also persecute.

to prosecute a man for trespass, or for a riot

To acquit themſelves and proſecute their foes

1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 56, line 898:

(transitive, law) To start criminal proceedings against.

起訴

To start civil or criminal proceedings against

The Vigilante is prosecuted in Federal Court under a lynch bill and winds up in a Federal Nut House specially designed for the containment of ghosts […]

1962 [1959], William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch, New York: Grove Press, page 8:


mens rea

/ˌmɛnz ˈɹiːə/

From Latin mēns + reus (literally “guilty mind”), from the English common law precept Actus non facit reum nisi mens rea sit ("The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty").

As a general rule the act (or omission) causing death and the relevant mens rea must occur at the same time. The most obvious application of this rule to exclude liability is the case where the mens rea is formed after the actus reus has taken place.

2006, David Lanham, David Wood, Bronwyn Bartal, Rob Evans, Criminal Laws in Australia, page 198:

The criminal offences not requiring a mens rea proof for convictions are then specifically indicated in the legislature as being under “strict liability.”

2007, Nikolaj Nottelmann, Blameworthy Belief: A Study in Epistemic Deontologism, page 10:

The majority of serious criminal offences require, in addition to the actus reus, a specific state of mind on the part of the accused, usually referred to as the mens rea. Many less serious crimes require no mens rea, but simply proof that the defendant caused the prohibited harm.

2011, Jonathan Herring, Criminal Law, 7th edition, page 67:

The individual mentes reae of the joint perpetrators have to be considered separately.

2016, Dennis J. Baker, Reinterpreting Criminal Complicity and Inchoate Participation Offences, page 174:

In “Winner,” [Susanna] Fogel dramatizes, onscreen, Reality [Winner]’s mens rea, showing the elaborate details of her plan to print, purloin, and disclose the relevant pages of the Russia file—and the combination of forethought and improvisation on which the plan’s success depends.

2024 September 11, Richard Brody, ““Winner” Takes Political Comedy Seriously”, in The New Yorker:

(law) A guilty mind, the conscious knowing of a perpetrator while committing an act that the act is illicit.


abuse of distress

(idiomatic, historical, law) a wrongful using of an animal or chattel distrained, by the distrainer


interrogatory

/ˌɪntəˈɹɑɡəˌtɔɹi/

/ˌɪntəˈɹɒɡətəɹi/

/ˌɪntəˈɹɒɡətɹi/

From Late Latin; equivalent to interrogate + -ory (“pertaining to”), or more distantly inter- + rogatory.

Sidney interposed with an interrogatory concerning the legality of the evidence

1763-1783, Catharine Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James I to that of the Brunswick Line:

Kimberling, on the advice of his lawyer Frank Kameny, refused to answer several questions put to him on the 16-question interrogatory. After strong objections, the questions in question were withdrawn.

1976 December 11, “Security Clearance Cleared”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 24, page 3:

If those attempts are unsuccessful, the attorney requesting the interrogatories may file a motion for sanctions with the court. The sanctions range from attorney fees to prohibiting the nonanswering party from presenting or defending claims.

2013, James J. Gross, It's Splitsville: Surviving Your Divorce, page 240:

(law) A formal question or set of questions submitted to opposing party to answer, generally governed by court rule.


bench trial

(law) A trial by judge as opposed to a trial by jury.


no contest

Calque of Latin nolō contendere (“I don't want to contest”).

cal

(US, law) A plea in a criminal case which means that the defendant admits no guilt but is no longer contesting the charges brought against him/her.

No contest clauses are valid in California and are favored by the public policies of discouraging litigation and giving effect to the settlor's expressed purposes.

2021, Susan F. French, A California Companion for the Course in Wills, Trusts, and Estates:

(US, law) A clause in a will that imposes a penalty of forfeiture against any beneficiary who challenges the will.


docket

Uncertain; perhaps a diminutive of dock.

(law) A short entry of the proceedings of a court; the register containing them; the office containing the register.

Prozessregister

(law) A schedule of cases awaiting action in a court.


recto

verso

antonym(s) of “front side of a flat object”

reverso

antonym(s) of “right-hand page of a book”

Borrowed from Latin rēctō foliō (“on the right leaf, on the right page”), the ablative case of the Latin rēctus (“right”). Compare versus (“turned”).


counterclaim

(law) A suit filed by a defendant against a plaintiff secondary to the original complaint.


comparator

The applicant is therefore complaining not of a lack of action but rather of the decision of the local authority to reduce the care package that it had hitherto been making available to her. As such, a more appropriate comparator would be the case of Watts v. The United Kingdom (dec.), no. 53586/09 of 4 May 2010, in which the Court was content to proceed on the basis that a decision to close the care home where the elderly applicant was resident and to transfer her to another home constituted an interference with her rights under Article 8.

2014 May 20, European Court of Human Rights, McDonald v. The United Kingdom, number 4241/12, marginal 48:

Roxanne Khazarian (“Plaintiff”) moved to compel discovery from Gerald Metals, LLC and Metals Trading Corp (“Defendants”), seeking the personnel file of Gary Lerner, an employee of Defendants. […] Defendants object to the production of these documents on the grounds that Mr. Lerner is not an appropriate comparator for Ms. Khazarian and his personnel file is therefore irrelevant.

2017 September 11, United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Roxanne Khazarian vs. Gerald Metals, LLC, Metals Trading Corp., Gerald Holdings, LLC, Craig Dean, and Dan Gamez, numbers 3:16-cv-01762(VAB):


bolting

(law) A private arguing of cases for practice by students, as in the Inns of Court.


indemnity

en-noun

indemnity (countable and uncountable, plural indemnities)

From late Middle English indempnite, from Middle French indemnité, from Late Latin indemnitas (“security from damage”), from Latin indemnis (“undamaged”), from in- (“not”) + damnum (“damage”).

der

(law) An obligation or duty upon an individual to incur the losses of another.

(law) The right of an injured party to shift the loss onto the party responsible for the loss.


indictment

en-noun

indictment (countable and uncountable, plural indictments)

18th-century Latinized respelling of Middle English endytement (“action of accusing”), from Anglo-Norman enditement, from enditer, from Late Latin indictāre, from Latin indictus.

inh

(law) An official formal accusation for a criminal offence, or the process by which it is brought to a jury.

[…]— the indictment will remain sealed until his expected arraignment on Tuesday, when the charges will be formally revealed.

2023 March 30, William K. Rashbaum, “This is what will happen when Trump is arrested in the coming days.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(law) The official legal document outlining the charges concerned; bill of indictment.


magistrate

/ˈmæd͡ʒɪstɹət/

(law) A judicial officer with limited authority to administer and enforce the law. A magistrate's court may have jurisdiction in civil or criminal cases, or both.

maistraatti

in foreign contexts; not equivalent in Finland


TRIPS

(copyright law, international law) The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.


encumbrance

en-verb

encumbrance (third-person singular simple present encumbrances, present participle encumbrancing, simple past and past participle encumbranced)

encumbrances (present singular third-person)
encumbrancing (participle present)
encumbranced (participle past)
encumbranced (past)

From Middle English encombraunce, from Old French encombrance, from encombrer.

(law) To apply an encumbrance to (property, etc.).


RESPA

(US, law) Acronym of Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.


POS

en-noun

POS (countable and uncountable, plural POSes or POSs)

proof of service
Wikipedia:Proof of service


lessor

From Middle English lessour, from Anglo-Norman lessour.

(property law) The owner of property that is leased; the landlord to a lease.


testate

From Latin testātus (“testified”), perfect passive participle of testor (“I am witness, testify, attest; I make a will”), from testis (“witness”).

(law) having left a legally valid last will and testament (of one who has died).


testate

(law) one who has left a valid will and testament


parasitic

en-adj

parasitic (comparative more parasitic, superlative most parasitic)

more parasitic (comparative)
most parasitic (superlative)

[ˌpɛɹ.əˈsɪɾ.ɪk]

[ˌpæɹ.əˈsɪɾ.ɪk]

(law) Of emotional damages: accompanying a physical or pecuniary injury.


suppress

en-verb

suppress (third-person singular simple present suppresses, present participle suppressing, simple past and past participle suppressed)

suppresses (present singular third-person)
suppressing (participle present)
suppressed (participle past)
suppressed (past)

From Latin suppressus, perfect passive participle of supprimō (“press down or under”), from sub (“under”) + premō (“press”).

(US, law) To forbid the use of evidence at trial because it is improper or was improperly obtained.


restitution

en-noun

restitution (countable and uncountable, plural restitutions)

/ˌɹɛstɪˈtuʃən/

From Old French restitucion, from Latin restitutio.

(law) A process of compensation for losses.

реституция

legal: process of compensation for losses


insolvent

(law) One who is insolvent; an insolvent debtor.


actus reus

From Late Latin āctus reus (“guilty act”), from Latin āctus (“act”) + reus (“guilty”); after Late Latin and English mens rea.

It is hornbook criminal law that criminal offenses are defined in terms of an actus reus (criminal act) and a mens rea (criminal mind).

1989, James B. Jacobs, Drunk Driving: An American Dilemma, University of Chicago Press, page 65:

A brute emotional reflex to the actus reus, the bad act (‘She killed her husband! Shame!’), could trigger an urge for retribution regardless of her intention.

2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin 2012, page 610:

Every criminal offence must contain actus reus elements. A defendant will not be liable for a criminal offence unless the actus reus of the offence is proved: Deller (1952)36 Cr app r 184. Although the vast majority of criminal offences consist of both actus reus elements and mens rea elements, some criminal offences do not require a mens rea element for every element of the actus reus.

2016, Nicola Monaghan, Criminal Law, 4th edition, Oxford University Press, page 23:

(law) An act, or series of acts, considered as separate from the intentions or state of mind of the perpetrator in the context of criminal law.


suspense

suspense (usually uncountable, plural suspenses)

From Middle English suspense, suspence, from Anglo-Norman suspens (as in en suspens) and Old French suspens, from Latin suspēnsus.

(law) A temporary cessation of one's right; suspension, as when the rent or other profits of land cease by unity of possession of land and rent.


style of cause

(law) the case title for a cause of action/lawsuit; a description of the parties involved, such as Johnson v. Smith.


TDDRA

(US, law) Initialism of Telephone Disclosure and Dispute Resolution Act.


rule of law

(law, often capitalized) The doctrine that no individual is above the law and that everyone must answer to it.

estáu de derechu

the doctrine that no individual is above the law

samartlisa da ḳanonis uzenaesobis ṗrinciṗi

სამართლისა და კანონის უზენაესობის პრინციპი

(law) The maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles.

jogállam

the maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles


examination-in-chief

(law) the examination of a witness by the party who called them.


crossclaim

(law) A secondary lawsuit, brought by a defendant in an original lawsuit, against a co-defendant in the original suit.


crossclaim

en-verb

crossclaim (third-person singular simple present crossclaims, present participle crossclaiming, simple past and past participle crossclaimed)

crossclaims (present singular third-person)
crossclaiming (participle present)
crossclaimed (participle past)
crossclaimed (past)

(law, transitive, intransitive) To file such a secondary lawsuit.


peine forte et dure

Law French, from Middle French peine forte et dure (“severe and hard punishment”).

It was a solid structure, with massy door, sooner than open which in the absence of the ‘Dominie’, we would all have willingly perished by the peine forte et dure.

(law, now historical) Crushing, an old form of punishment (torture) in which the prisoner's body was pressed with heavy weights.

Giles Corey
Law French
Salem witch trials
peine forte et dure


assart

en-noun

assart (countable and uncountable, plural assarts)

From French essart from Vulgar Latin exsartum.

[…] an assart of the Forest, is the greatest offence or trespasse of all other, that can be done in the forest, to vert or venison, containing in it as much as waste or more. For whereas the waste of the Forest, is but the felling and cutting downe of the couerts, which may grow againe in time: an assart, is a plucking them vp […]

1607, John Cowell, The Interpreter: or Booke Containing the Signification of Words, Cambridge: John Legate:

(law, obsolete) The act or offence of grubbing up trees and bushes, and thus destroying the thickets or coverts of a forest.


mutation

mutation (countable and uncountable, plural mutations)

Late 14th century as Middle English mutacioun, from Latin mūtātiō, both directly and via Old French mutacion.

(law) The transfer of title of an asset in a register.


forestall

en-verb

forestall (third-person singular simple present forestalls, present participle forestalling, simple past and past participle forestalled)

forestalls (present singular third-person)
forestalling (participle present)
forestalled (participle past)
forestalled (past)

From Middle English forestallen (“to forestall, intercept, ambush, way-lay”), from forestalle (“a forestalling, interception”), from Old English foresteall (“intervention, hindrance of justice, ambush”), from fore- (“ahead of, before”) + steall (“position”), equivalent to fore- + stall.

inh

(UK, law) To obstruct or stop up, as a road; to stop the passage of a highway; to intercept on the road, as goods on the way to market.


condone

en-verb

condone (third-person singular simple present condones, present participle condoning, simple past and past participle condoned)

condones (present singular third-person)
condoning (participle present)
condoned (participle past)
condoned (past)

From Latin condōno (“I forgive”), from con- (“together”) + dōnō (“I give”).

(transitive, law) To forgive (marital infidelity or other marital offense).


peine

en-noun

peine (countable and uncountable, plural peines)

From Old French peine,
from Latin poena,
from Ancient Greek ποινή (poinḗ, “penalty, fine, bloodmoney”). Doublet of pain.


feeder

From Middle English feedere, federe, fedare, equivalent to feed + -er.

(US, law) A judge whose law clerks are often selected to become clerks for the Supreme Court.


road rage

road + rage. First use appears c. 1988 in the Orlando Sentinel.

For quotations using this term, see Citations:road rage.

(automotive, law, psychology) Uncontrollable aggressive behavior by the driver of a road vehicle, especially when caused by stress or frustration.


DPP

After months of troubling silence, the DPP Keir Starmer, finally stepped forward and directly and loudly challenged Yates.

2014, Nick Davies, Hack Attack: How the truth caught up with Rupert Murdoch, Random House, →ISBN, page 299:

Director of Public Prosecutions
w:Director of Public Prosecutions

(chiefly Commonwealth, law) Initialism of Director of Public Prosecutions.


rescission

en-noun

rescission (countable and uncountable, plural rescissions)

1651, Late Latin rescissio, from Latin rescindō (“I cut back”), from re- (“back”) + scindō (“I cut”).

According to him, they said, "'Resign or we'll fire you.'" Frein resigned and left the school building. However, that same day, he called his union representative, who advised him to withdraw his resignation, which he did, within 24 hours. The school district, however, refused to accept his recission ^([sic]), insisting that Frein was no longer employed by the school district.

1983 December 3, Christine Guilfoy, “Houston Teacher Fired Over Ad Response”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 20, page 1:

(law) The undoing of a contract; repeal.


indemnify

en-verb

indemnify (third-person singular simple present indemnifies, present participle indemnifying, simple past and past participle indemnified)

indemnifies (present singular third-person)
indemnifying (participle present)
indemnified (participle past)
indemnified (past)

From indemn (“unhurt”) + -ify (forming verbs)

af

The lender of a thing for use must indemnify the borrower for damage caused by defects or vices in it, which he knew at the time of lending, and concealed from the borrower.

1906, Civil Code of the State of California, page 405:

en:To make restitution or compensation for

(chiefly law) To compensate or reimburse someone for some expense or injury.


tribunal

PIE word
 *tréyes
From Old French tribunal, from Latin tribūnal (“tribunal”), from tribus (“tribe”).

Having now so amply declared unto thee most of the principal things of this thrice-renowned and illustrious city, I will briefly by way of an epitome mention most of the other particulars thereof, and so finally shut up this narration: there are reported to be in Venice and the circumjacent islands two hundred churches in which are one hundred forth-three pairs of organs, fifty-four monasteries, twenty-six nunneries, fifty-six tribunals or places of judgment, seventeen hospitals, six companies or fraternities, whereof I have before spoken; one hundred and sixty-five marble statues of worthy personages, partly equestrial, partly pedestrial, which are erected in sundry places of the city, to the honour of those that either at home have prudently administered the commonweal, or abroad valiantly fought for the same.

1611, Thomas Coryate, Coryat's Crudities hastily gobbled up in Five Months Travels in France, Italy, &c:

(law) An assembly including one or more judges to conduct judicial business; a court of law.


rejoin

en-verb

rejoin (third-person singular simple present rejoins, present participle rejoining, simple past and past participle rejoined)

rejoins (present singular third-person)
rejoining (participle present)
rejoined (participle past)
rejoined (past)

From Middle English rejoynen, from Middle French rejoin- (stem of rejoindre, from re- (“again”) + joindre (“to join”)). By surface analysis, re- + join. Doublet of rejoinder.

/ɹiːˈd͡ʒɔɪn/

(law, intransitive) To answer, as the defendant to the plaintiff's replication.

(patent law, nonstandard) in US patent law To re-insert a patent claim, typically after allowance of a patent application, applied to patent claims that had been withdrawn from examination under a restriction requirement, based on rejoinder (patent law).


mayhem

en-noun

mayhem (usually uncountable, plural mayhems)

From Middle English mayme, mahaime, from Anglo-Norman mahaim (“mutilation”), from Old French meshaing (“bodily harm, loss of limb”), from Proto-Germanic *maidijaną (“to cripple, injure”) (compare Middle High German meidem, meiden (“gelding”), Old Norse meiða (“to injure”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (maidjan, “to alter, falsify”)), from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“to change”). More at mad. The original meaning referred to the crime of maiming, the other senses derived from this.
Another possible etymology derives the Old French from Provençal maganhar, composed of mal (“evil”) and ganhar (“to obtain, receive”) (compare with Spanish ganar and Italian gavagnare and guadagnare), so literally "to obtain, receive something evil).
The sense "chaos" may have arisen by popular misunderstanding of the common journalese expression "rioting and mayhem".

cog

to commit mayhem

There is a story told of a case where a notorious character was charged with the unusual crime of “mayhem”—biting off another man's finger. The defendant's counsel secured adjournment after adjournment—no one knew why.

1912, Arthur Cheney Train, “Tricks of the Trade”, in Courts and Criminals:

"Well, it's a funny thing, but I can't get rid of the impression that at some point in my researches into the night life of London yestreen I fell upon some person to whom I had never been introduced and committed mayhem upon his person."

1917, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, chapter IV, in Piccadilly Jim, New York: Dodd, Mead and Company:

(law) The maiming of a person by depriving them of the use of any of their limbs which are necessary for defense or protection.

(law) The crime of damaging things or harming people on purpose.


mayhem

en-verb

mayhem (third-person singular simple present mayhems, present participle mayheming, simple past and past participle mayhemed)

mayhems (present singular third-person)
mayheming (participle present)
mayhemed (participle past)
mayhemed (past)

the king shal punish him for mayheming of his subject

1628, Edw[ard] Coke, The First Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. […], London: […] [Adam Islip] for the Societe of Stationers, →OCLC:


proceedings

/ˈpɹəʊˌsiːd.ɪŋz/

(law, plural only) The course of procedure in the prosecution of an action at law.


damages

/ˈdæmɪd͡ʒɪz/

The WTO dispute settlement mechanism is characterized by weaknesses such as non-retroactive damages.

2020, Anu Bradford, “8. Is the Brussels Effect Beneficial?”, in The Brussels Effect. How the European Union Rules the World, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 260:

(law) The money paid or awarded to a claimant (in England), a pursuer (in Scotland) or a plaintiff (in the US) in a civil action as compensation for a loss suffered by the same.


assurance

en-noun

assurance (countable and uncountable, plural assurances)

From Middle English assuraunce, from Old French asseürance, from asseürer; as if assure + -ance.

the legal evidences of the conveyance of property are called the common assurances of the kingdom.

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(law) Any written or other legal evidence of the conveyance of property; a conveyance; a deed.

kauppakirja

any written or other legal evidence of the conveyance of property


justiciability

(law) The ability (of a subject matter) to be evaluated and resolved by the courts.

justiciabilité

ability to be evaluated and resolved by the courts


directive

From Middle French directif. The noun senses are from French directive (feminine form of the adjective).

(European Union law) A form of legislative act addressed to the member states. The directive binds the member state to reach certain objectives in their national legislation.

հրահանգ

form of legislative act addressed to the EU member states


justiciable

en-adj

justiciable (comparative more justiciable, superlative most justiciable)

more justiciable (comparative)
most justiciable (superlative)

(law) Of or pertaining to justiciability; able to be evaluated and resolved by the courts; that can be adjudicated.


trophy

→ Japanese: トロフィー (torofī)

→ Korean: 트로피 (teuropi)

→ Malayalam: ട്രോഫി (ṭrōphi)

From Middle French trophée, from Latin trophaeum (“a sign of victory, a monument”), tropaeum, from Ancient Greek τρόπαιον (trópaion, “monument of an enemy's defeat”), from neuter of τροπαῖος (tropaîos, “of defeat”), from τροπή (tropḗ, “a rout, a turning of an enemy”).

трафе́й

object taken by a hunter or conqueror of their success

(criminology, by extension) An object taken by a serial killer or rapist as a memento of the crime.


derogation

en-noun

derogation (countable and uncountable, plural derogations)

/ˌdɛɹəˈɡeɪʃən/

From Old French derogacion (French dérogation), from Latin dērogātiō.

Two sets of Mk. 2 coaches hauled by Class 37s were introduced on peak Rhymney services during the summer. The coaches do not comply with the Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) standards and would therefore need a derogation to continue in passenger service after 31 December.

2019 October, Rhodri Clark, “TfW seeks PRM derogation for Class 37 sets”, in Modern Railways, page 87:

(law) The act of derogating; the temporary or partial nullification of a law.


res judicata

From Latin rēs (“thing, matter, affair”) and jūdicata, feminine nominative singular form of jūdicatus, past participle of jūdico (“judge”).

(law) A legal claim that has already been decided in another lawsuit or proceeding, and therefore must be dismissed.

(law) The legal doctrine that claims already decided in a proceeding may not be brought in any later proceeding.


sole proprietor

sole proprietor (plural sole proprietors)

(law, business) The person who owns and controls a sole proprietorship.

個體戶

person who controls a sole proprietorship