Legal Glossary

Ultimate Legal & Personal Injury Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X/Y/Z

A

Abandonment — Failure to care for or support someone or something legally required.
Abatement — Reduction, removal, or suspension of a legal action.
Accident Report — Written documentation of an accident, often used in personal injury cases.
Accomplice — A person who helps another commit a crime.
Acquittal — A judgment that a criminal defendant is not guilty.
Action — A legal proceeding in which a party seeks a remedy.
Adjournment — Postponement of a court session.
Adjudication — A court decision resolving a dispute.
Adverse Party — The opposing party in a legal case.
Affidavit — A sworn written statement used as evidence.
Agent — Someone authorized to act on behalf of another person or entity.
Allegation — A claim or assertion made in a legal proceeding.
Appeal — Request for a higher court to review a lower court’s decision.
Appellant — The party filing an appeal.
Appellee — The party opposing an appeal.
Arbitration — Resolution of a dispute by a neutral third party outside of court.
Assault — An act causing fear of imminent harm, sometimes accompanied by physical contact.
Assumption of Risk — A defense claiming the injured party knowingly accepted a danger.
At-Fault — Legally responsible for causing harm or injury.
Attorney — A licensed professional who represents clients in legal matters.

B

Bail — Money or property given to secure release from custody pending trial.
Bankruptcy — Legal process for individuals or businesses unable to repay debts.
Battery — Unlawful physical contact or harm to another person.
Bench Trial — Trial conducted solely before a judge without a jury.
Beneficiary — A person entitled to receive benefits or property under a will or trust.
Binding Precedent — Court decisions that lower courts must follow.
Bodily Injury — Physical harm to a person.
Breach of Contract — Failure to fulfill terms of a legally binding agreement.
Breach of Duty — Failure to meet the standard of care owed to another, central in negligence cases.
Burden of Proof — Obligation to prove a claim or defense.
Business Liability — Legal responsibility a business may have for harm caused by its operations.

C

Case Law — Law established by previous court decisions.
Causation — Link between an act and resulting injury or damage.
Civil Case — Lawsuit involving private parties over non-criminal matters.
Claim — Demand for legal remedy or compensation.
Class Action — Lawsuit representing a group of people with similar claims.
Comparative Negligence — Reducing damages based on the plaintiff’s own share of fault.
Contributory Negligence — Defense claiming the injured party contributed to their own harm.
Complaint — Initial document outlining the plaintiff’s claims.
Compensatory Damages — Money awarded to reimburse actual losses.
Contingency Fee — Lawyer’s fee paid only if the case is won, typically a percentage of the award.
Contract — A legally enforceable agreement.
Counterclaim — Claim filed by a defendant against the plaintiff.
Conviction — Court’s finding that a defendant is guilty of a crime.
Contempt of Court — Behavior disrespecting the court or obstructing proceedings.

D

Damages — Money awarded for loss, injury, or harm.
Direct Damages — Compensation for immediate harm caused by another’s actions.
Discovery — Pre-trial exchange of evidence between parties.
Disability Claim — Request for benefits due to injury or illness limiting work capacity.
Dismissal — Court termination of a case.
Duty of Care — Legal obligation to act reasonably to prevent harm to others.
Defendant — Person or entity being sued or charged in a legal proceeding.
Deposition — Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded for trial.
Default Judgment — Court ruling in favor of one party due to the other party’s failure to act.

E

Economic Damages — Compensation for measurable financial losses such as medical bills or lost income.
Emotional Distress — Psychological harm suffered due to another’s actions.
Employer Liability — Legal responsibility an employer may have for employee actions or workplace injuries.
Evidence — Information used to support or refute claims.
Expert Witness — Specialist providing opinion testimony based on expertise.
Exhibit — Material evidence submitted to a court.
Estate — Property and assets owned by a person at death.

F

Felony — Serious crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
Foreseeability — Reasonable prediction that an action could cause harm.
Fraud — Intentional deception resulting in harm or financial loss.
Funeral Expenses — Costs recoverable in wrongful death claims.
Force Majeure — Contractual clause excusing performance due to extraordinary events.
Family Law — Area of law dealing with divorce, custody, and support.

G

Guardian — Court-appointed individual responsible for another who cannot care for themselves.
Gross Negligence — Extreme carelessness showing disregard for safety.
Government Immunity — Protection against certain lawsuits for government entities or employees.
Grand Jury — Citizens deciding whether sufficient evidence exists to indict a defendant.

H

Hearing — Court session to resolve preliminary or specific legal issues.
Hostile Witness — Witness opposed to the party who called them, allowing cross-examination.
Hospital Record — Medical documentation used in personal injury or malpractice cases.
Hazardous Condition — Unsafe situation or property condition causing potential injury.

I

Immunity — Protection from legal liability under certain conditions.
Indemnity — Compensation for loss or damage.
Independent Medical Examination (IME) — Third-party medical evaluation requested by insurers or courts.
Intentional Tort — Deliberate act causing harm, e.g., assault or battery.
Insurance Claim — Request for coverage or payment under an insurance policy.
Insurance Policy — Contract between insurer and insured outlining coverage.
Injury Settlement — Agreement resolving a personal injury claim.

J

Judgment — Final court decision resolving a dispute.
Jurisdiction — Court’s authority to hear and decide a case.
Jury — Citizens deciding facts and rendering a verdict.
Joint and Several Liability — Multiple defendants held individually or collectively responsible for damages.
Judicial Review — Court’s authority to assess the legality of governmental or lower court actions.

K

Kidnapping — Unlawful taking or confinement of a person.
Knowingly — Acting with awareness or intent, important in intentional torts or criminal cases.

L

Liability — Legal responsibility for actions or omissions causing harm.
Lien — Legal claim on property to secure payment.
Litigation — Court process resolving disputes.
Loss of Consortium — Compensation for loss of companionship or support due to injury.
Lost Wages — Income lost because of injury.
Landlord Liability — Legal responsibility of property owners for tenant safety.

M

Malpractice — Professional negligence causing harm, e.g., medical or legal.
Mediation — Neutral third-party dispute resolution.
Misdemeanor — Less serious crime, usually punishable by fines or up to one year in jail.
Motion — Formal request for a court ruling.
Motor Vehicle Accident — Collision causing injury or property damage.
Medical Bills — Costs recoverable in personal injury claims.
Mitigation — Efforts to reduce or minimize damages.

N

Negligence — Failure to exercise reasonable care resulting in harm.
No-Fault Insurance — Auto insurance that covers injuries regardless of who caused the accident.
Notice of Claim — Pre-filing requirement to notify a government entity of a potential lawsuit.
Nuisance — Interference with property use or enjoyment.

O

Offer — Proposal forming part of a contract or settlement.
Opinion Evidence — Expert testimony providing specialized analysis.
Occupational Injury — Work-related harm.
Order of Protection — Court order preventing harassment or harm.

P

Pain and Suffering — Compensation for physical and emotional distress.
Paralegal — Legal professional assisting attorneys.
Personal Injury — Harm caused by another’s negligence or intentional act.
Plaintiff — Person filing a lawsuit.
Plea Bargain — Agreement in criminal cases to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
Power of Attorney — Legal authorization to act on another’s behalf.
Punitive Damages — Money awarded to punish egregious conduct.
Product Liability — Legal responsibility for injuries caused by defective products.
Property Damage — Harm or destruction of property recoverable in lawsuits.

Q

Quash — To annul or void a legal proceeding or document.
Quid Pro Quo — Exchange of one thing for another, often in contracts or employment law.

R

Recklessness — Acting with disregard for others’ safety.
Remand — Sending a case back to a lower court.
Respondent — Party responding to a lawsuit or appeal.
Res Ipsa Loquitur — Doctrine allowing negligence to be inferred from circumstances.
Retention of Evidence — Preserving documents or property for legal proceedings.

S

Settlement — Agreement resolving a dispute without trial.
Slip-and-Fall — Injury caused by unsafe property conditions.
Statute of Limitations — Time limit to file a legal claim.
Subrogation — Insurer’s right to recover costs from a responsible party.
Summons — Court notice to appear in a lawsuit.
Survival Action — Claim continuing on behalf of a deceased person’s estate.

T

Tort — Civil wrong causing harm or loss.
Trial — Legal proceeding to resolve disputes.
Transcript — Written record of court proceedings.
Trespass — Unauthorized entry onto property causing potential liability.
Temporary Disability — Short-term inability to work due to injury.
Third-Party Claim — Claim filed against someone other than the direct parties involved.

U

Uninsured Motorist Coverage — Insurance protecting against accidents with uninsured drivers.
Usury — Charging illegal interest rates on a loan.

V

Verdict — Decision reached by a jury or judge.
Venue — Appropriate court location for a case.
Vicarious Liability — Responsibility of one party for another’s actions, such as employer for employee.

W

Witness — Person giving testimony under oath.
Wrongful Death — Claim for death caused by another’s negligence or intentional act.
Workers’ Compensation — Benefits for employees injured on the job.
Waiver — Voluntary relinquishment of a right.
Will — Legal document specifying distribution of property after death.
Warranty — Guarantee that goods meet certain standards or are free of defects.

X/Y/Z

Excess Insurance — Coverage providing additional protection beyond primary insurance limits.
Yield Sign Liability — Legal responsibility for failure to yield causing accidents.
Zone of Danger — Legal concept where a plaintiff is at immediate risk of harm.