A–Z Reference
Legal Glossary: Common Legal Terms Defined
Plain-English definitions for 100+ legal terms. Whether you're trying to understand a contract, a court order, or what your lawyer just said — start here.
A
- Acquittal
- A judgment that a criminal defendant has not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Ad Litem
- A Latin term meaning 'for the lawsuit' — used to describe a person appointed by the court to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another, such as a guardian ad litem for a minor.
- Adjudication
- The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment or decree in a court proceeding.
- Adverse Possession
- A legal doctrine under which a person who does not have legal title to property may acquire ownership through continuous possession for a statutory period.
- Affidavit
- A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, signed before a notary or other authorized officer.
- Alimony
- Court-ordered financial support paid by one spouse to the other after divorce; also called spousal support or maintenance.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
- Methods of resolving disputes outside of court, including mediation, arbitration, and negotiation.
- Annulment
- A legal procedure that declares a marriage null and void, treating it as if it never existed.
- Appeal
- A request to a higher court to review and change the decision of a lower court.
- Arbitration
- A method of dispute resolution where a neutral third party (the arbitrator) renders a binding or non-binding decision after hearing both sides.
- Arraignment
- The first formal court appearance in a criminal case, where the defendant is informed of the charges and enters a plea.
- Asset Protection
- Legal strategies used to safeguard wealth from creditors, lawsuits, or judgments.
- At-Will Employment
- An employment relationship where either party can end the relationship at any time, for any lawful reason or no reason at all.
B
- Bail
- Money or property pledged to a court to secure a defendant's release from custody and ensure their appearance at trial.
- Bankruptcy
- A legal process providing relief to individuals or businesses unable to repay their debts.
- Bench Trial
- A trial conducted before a judge without a jury, in which the judge serves as the fact-finder.
- Beneficiary
- A person designated to receive funds or property from a will, trust, insurance policy, or retirement account.
- Breach of Contract
- The failure to perform any term of a contract without a legal excuse.
- Brief
- A written legal argument submitted to a court setting out facts, legal issues, and supporting authority.
- Burden of Proof
- The duty of a party in a lawsuit to prove the facts they have alleged; the standard varies (preponderance of evidence, clear and convincing, beyond a reasonable doubt).
C
- Capacity
- The mental ability to understand the nature and consequences of one's actions, such as signing a will or contract.
- Cause of Action
- A set of facts sufficient to justify the right to sue and obtain a remedy from the court.
- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
- A form of bankruptcy that liquidates a debtor's non-exempt assets to repay creditors and discharges most remaining unsecured debt.
- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
- A reorganization bankruptcy in which a debtor proposes a three- to five-year plan to repay all or part of their debts.
- Civil Law
- The body of law dealing with non-criminal disputes between individuals or organizations, typically involving compensation rather than punishment.
- Class Action
- A lawsuit filed by one or more plaintiffs on behalf of a larger group of people with similar claims.
- Collateral
- Property pledged as security for the repayment of a loan or fulfillment of an obligation.
- Common Law
- Law derived from judicial decisions and custom rather than from statutes or regulations.
- Comparative Negligence
- A legal doctrine reducing a plaintiff's recovery in proportion to their share of fault for the injury.
- Compensatory Damages
- Money awarded to a plaintiff to compensate for actual losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
- Complaint
- The initial document filed by a plaintiff to start a civil lawsuit, stating the claims and relief sought.
- Conservator
- A person appointed by a court to manage the financial or personal affairs of someone unable to do so themselves.
- Consideration
- Something of value exchanged between parties to form a binding contract.
- Contingency Fee
- An attorney fee paid only if the client wins, typically calculated as a percentage of the recovery.
- Contract
- A legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties.
- Conviction
- A formal judgment that a person is guilty of a criminal offense.
- Counterclaim
- A claim brought by a defendant against the plaintiff in the same lawsuit.
- Custody
- Legal authority over a child or property; in family law, the right and responsibility to care for a child.
D
- Damages
- Monetary compensation awarded to a person who has suffered a legally recognized loss or injury.
- Default Judgment
- A binding judgment in favor of the plaintiff when the defendant fails to respond or appear.
- Defendant
- The person or entity against whom a lawsuit is filed or who is accused in a criminal case.
- Deferred Adjudication
- A plea agreement in which the court defers a finding of guilt while the defendant completes probation; on successful completion, the case is dismissed.
- Deposition
- Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded for use in discovery or at trial.
- Discovery
- The pre-trial process by which parties obtain evidence from each other through interrogatories, depositions, requests for documents, and admissions.
- Discharge
- In bankruptcy, the court order that releases the debtor from personal liability for certain debts.
- Discrimination
- Unequal treatment based on a protected characteristic such as race, sex, age, religion, disability, or national origin.
- Dissolution
- The legal termination of a marriage, partnership, or business entity.
- Domestic Violence
- Abusive behavior in any relationship used by one partner to gain or maintain power over another.
- DUI / DWI
- Driving Under the Influence / Driving While Intoxicated — operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- Due Process
- The constitutional guarantee of fair treatment through the judicial system, including notice and an opportunity to be heard.
E
- Easement
- A right to use another person's land for a specific purpose, such as a driveway or utility line.
- EEOC
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — the federal agency that enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws.
- Eminent Domain
- The government's power to take private property for public use with just compensation.
- Equity
- In law, the system of remedies based on fairness; in property, the value of an asset above what is owed on it.
- Estate
- All of the property, real and personal, owned by a person at the time of death; also used in property law to describe ownership interests.
- Estoppel
- A legal doctrine preventing a party from asserting a claim or right that contradicts what they previously said or did.
- Executor
- A person named in a will to administer the deceased's estate.
- Expungement
- The legal process of sealing or destroying a criminal record so it does not appear in most background checks.
F
- Felony
- A serious crime, generally punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.
- Fiduciary
- A person or entity legally obligated to act in another's best interest, such as a trustee, executor, or attorney.
- Fraud
- Intentional misrepresentation made to induce another person to act to their detriment.
G
- Garnishment
- A legal process by which a creditor collects a debt by taking money directly from a debtor's wages or bank account.
- Grand Jury
- A group of citizens convened to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to indict a person for a crime.
- Guardian
- A person legally appointed to care for another (often a minor or incapacitated adult) or that person's property.
H
- Habeas Corpus
- A writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge to determine the legality of their detention.
- Hearsay
- An out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted; generally inadmissible at trial with many exceptions.
I
- Indictment
- A formal accusation by a grand jury that there is enough evidence to charge a person with a crime.
- Injunction
- A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing a specific act.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will; the estate is distributed according to state intestacy laws.
J
- Joint Tenancy
- A form of property ownership in which co-owners share equal interests with a right of survivorship.
- Judgment
- The court's final decision resolving the rights of the parties in a case.
- Jurisdiction
- The authority of a court to hear and decide a case, based on subject matter and the parties involved.
- Jury
- A group of citizens selected to hear evidence and decide questions of fact in a trial.
L
- Lease
- A contract granting use or occupation of property for a specified time in exchange for payment.
- Liability
- Legal responsibility for one's acts or omissions.
- Lien
- A legal claim against property as security for a debt or obligation.
- Litigation
- The process of resolving disputes through the court system.
- Living Trust
- A trust created during a person's lifetime, often used to avoid probate and manage assets during incapacity.
- Living Will
- A legal document expressing a person's wishes regarding end-of-life medical care.
M
- Malpractice
- Professional negligence by a doctor, lawyer, or other professional that causes harm to a client or patient.
- Mediation
- A non-binding form of alternative dispute resolution in which a neutral third party helps the parties reach a settlement.
- Miranda Rights
- Constitutional rights — including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney — that must be read to a person in custody before interrogation.
- Misdemeanor
- A criminal offense less serious than a felony, generally punishable by less than one year in jail.
N
- Negligence
- Failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances.
- Non-Compete
- A contract clause restricting an employee from working for a competitor or in a similar business for a defined period after employment ends.
- Notary Public
- An official authorized to authenticate signatures, administer oaths, and certify documents.
P
- Pain and Suffering
- Non-economic damages compensating for physical pain and mental anguish caused by an injury.
- Paralegal
- A trained legal professional who assists attorneys but is not licensed to practice law independently.
- Parole
- The release of a prisoner before completing a sentence, subject to supervision and conditions.
- Personal Injury
- An area of law involving physical or emotional injury caused by another's negligence or intentional act.
- Petition
- A formal written request to a court asking for specific relief.
- Plaintiff
- The person or entity who initiates a civil lawsuit.
- Plea Bargain
- An agreement in a criminal case where the defendant pleads guilty in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor.
- Power of Attorney
- A legal document authorizing one person to act on another's behalf in financial or medical matters.
- Premises Liability
- Legal responsibility of property owners for injuries occurring on their property due to unsafe conditions.
- Probate
- The court-supervised process of validating a will and administering a deceased person's estate.
- Probation
- A court-ordered period of supervision in the community in lieu of, or in addition to, incarceration.
- Pro Bono
- Legal services provided free of charge, typically to clients who cannot afford to pay.
- Pro Se
- Representing oneself in court without an attorney.
- Punitive Damages
- Damages awarded to punish a defendant for particularly egregious conduct and deter similar acts.
Q
- Quitclaim Deed
- A deed transferring whatever interest the grantor has in a property, without warranties of title.
R
- Reasonable Doubt
- The standard of proof required to convict a person of a crime — proof so convincing that no rational person could doubt it.
- Restraining Order
- A court order requiring a person to stay away from or refrain from contact with another person.
- Retainer
- An advance payment to an attorney to secure their services.
S
- Settlement
- An agreement resolving a dispute without trial.
- Statute
- A written law enacted by a legislature.
- Statute of Limitations
- The deadline by which a lawsuit must be filed; varies by claim and jurisdiction.
- Subpoena
- A court order requiring a person to appear in court or produce documents.
- Summary Judgment
- A court ruling that decides a case without a full trial when there is no genuine dispute of material fact.
T
- Testator
- A person who makes a will.
- Tort
- A civil wrong, other than a breach of contract, for which a court may impose liability.
- Trust
- A legal arrangement in which one party holds property for the benefit of another.
- Trustee
- A person or entity that holds and manages property in a trust for the benefit of others.
V
- Verdict
- The formal decision of a jury on the issues submitted to it.
- Visitation
- The right of a non-custodial parent to spend time with their child according to a court-approved schedule.
W
- Will
- A legal document expressing a person's wishes for distribution of their property after death.
- Witness
- A person who gives sworn testimony in a legal proceeding.
- Wrongful Death
- A civil claim brought by survivors of a person whose death was caused by another's wrongful act or negligence.
- Wrongful Termination
- Firing an employee for an illegal reason, such as discrimination, retaliation, or breach of contract.
Z
- Zoning
- Local government regulation of land use, dividing areas into residential, commercial, industrial, and other zones.
Need Legal Help? Submit Your Case Now.
Free, private, and nationwide. No obligation to hire.
Find Legal Help Now