Browse Legal Terms

Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. An act of the highest legislative body of a state or nation. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. The laws of grammar; the laws of visual perspective.

The IRS disagreed with every argument, saying her monies were retirement monies divided in divorce, so they were taxable. The retirement issue was resolved by statute, the court said.

The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may “impeach” high officers of the federal government, who are then tried by the Senate. Federal judges receive petitions for a writ of habeas corpus from state prison inmates who say their state prosecutions violated federally protected rights in some way. Grand jury A body of citizens who listen to evidence of criminal allegations, which is presented by the prosecutors, and determine whether there is probable cause to believe an individual committed an offense. Exempt assets Property that a debtor is allowed to retain, free from the claims of creditors who do not have liens on the property. Exclusionary rule Doctrine that says evidence obtained in violation of a criminal defendant’s constitutional or statutory rights is not admissible at trial. Bankruptcy estate All interests of the debtor in property at the time of the bankruptcy filing.

More meanings of law

Business bankruptcy A bankruptcy case in which the debtor is a business or an individual involved in business and the debts are for business purposes. Bankruptcy A legal procedure for dealing with debt problems of individuals and businesses; specifically, a case filed under one of the chapters of title 11 of the United States Code . Appellate About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgment of a lower court or tribunal. For example, the U.S. circuit courts of appeals review the decisions of the U.S. district courts.

Other definitions for law (2 of

Bench trial A trial without a jury, in which the judge serves as the fact-finder. Alternative dispute resolution A procedure for settling a dispute outside the courtroom. Most forms of ADR are not binding, and involve referral of the case to a neutral party such as an arbitrator or mediator. Shafer knows that federal and state laws and politicians tend to favor mining. Because the technology is still developing, laws governing how AI is used are a work in progress.

Read more about legal commentaries here. With the advance of technology, the legal dictionary has made its way onto the Internet and smartphones. Law students and litigants can now look up the meaning of legal terms in seconds.

This edition also includes expanded coverage of criminology and law enforcement. Unlawful detainer action A lawsuit brought by a landlord against a tenant to evict the tenant from rental property – usually for nonpayment of rent. Probation Sentencing option in the federal courts. Pretrial conference A meeting of the judge and lawyers to plan the trial, to discuss which matters should be presented to the jury, to review proposed evidence and witnesses, and to set a trial schedule.

law noun

The injury exclusion has been in the tax code since 1918, said the court, but hers was a new argument not covered by the statute. She argued that the money was tax-free because she was the former spouse of the participant. She also argued she should step into his shoes and get the same tax treatment he did. After all, she and her husband got the payments tax-free all those years since 1993 while they were married. After her divorce, Shannon Fernandez received payments relating to her ex-husband’s disability. Her husband had been receiving the payments tax-free since 1993 after he was disabled while working for the L.A. When she started receiving payments in 2007 after divorce, Shannon figured that the payments were still tax-free.

Procedure The rules for conducting a lawsuit; there are rules of civil procedure, criminal procedure, evidence, bankruptcy, and appellate procedure. Federal public defender organization As provided for in the Criminal Justice Act, an organization established within a federal judicial circuit to represent criminal defendants who cannot afford an adequate defense. Each organization is supervised by a federal public defender appointed by the court of appeals for the circuit. Due process In criminal law, the constitutional guarantee that a defendant will receive a fair and impartial trial. In civil law, the legal rights of someone who confronts an adverse action threatening liberty or property. Chapter 13 trustee A person appointed to administer a Chapter 13 case. Bankruptcy trustee A private individual or corporation appointed in all Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases to represent the interests of the bankruptcy estate and the debtor’s creditors.