Legal glossary category
General legal terms
Browse 500 glossary entries in the General legal terms category, with short plain-English descriptions and direct links to the full term pages.
pool
Imagine a 'pool' as a shared space where different things—like money, people, or rights—are gathered together for a specific purpose.
Open term →pooling servicing
Imagine a big company that takes care of many different customers' needs all at once.
Open term →portfolio
Imagine a collection of all the things someone owns or is responsible for, like stocks, real estate, or skills.
Open term →portion
Imagine a piece of something big.
Open term →position
Imagine 'position' as where you stand in a legal game—like being first or last on a team, or the specific spot a person holds in a lawsuit.
Open term →possession
Imagine 'possession' as having the official right to say something is yours.
Open term →postage
Imagine postage as the money you pay to get your letters or packages delivered across the country.
Open term →posted
Imagine you have something important—like a rule or a complaint—and you put it down so everyone can see it.
Open term →power
Imagine 'power' as the legal ability to make decisions or enforce rules.
Open term →practice
Imagine 'practice' as doing your best job correctly when you need to apply a rule or skill to solve a problem, like practicing a specific legal dut...
Open term →precedent
Imagine a past court decision that shows how to solve a problem.
Open term →predecessor
Imagine someone who came before you in the timeline of events.
Open term →preemptive
It means doing something right now to stop a bad thing from happening later.
Open term →preferred
Imagine 'preferred' as the best option when you have choices.
Open term →preferred shares
Imagine a company decides to sell pieces of its ownership.
Open term →preferred stock
Imagine a special type of share in a company's ownership.
Open term →prejudice
Imagine a situation where someone has a strong, often negative, feeling about something—like believing one person is more likely to win than another.
Open term →preliminary
Imagine a judge saying something is 'preliminary' means it's just a first step—like a test to see if the main problem is real before deciding on th...
Open term →premises
Imagine 'premises' as the actual piece of land or building that someone owns or uses for a specific purpose in a legal case.
Open term →premium
Imagine paying extra money for something important, like getting a special deal or a better service.
Open term →prepaid
Imagine you pay for something right away, like buying a ticket for a movie, but instead of getting the thing immediately, you get a receipt that sa...
Open term →prepare
It means to get things ready right before you need them, like getting ready to start a race or preparing the paperwork needed for a court case.
Open term →prepay
Imagine you are signing up for a service, and you pay a little money right away to start the process.
Open term →prescribed
Imagine a rule that says something must be done.
Open term →present
Imagine 'present' as meaning 'right now.' In law, it means that a condition, right now, is actually true or valid according to the rules laid down...
Open term →present value
It's a way to figure out what something is worth *now*, even if you plan to get money later.
Open term →preserve
Imagine 'preserve' as making sure something important—like a right or a document—is kept safe and protected so it doesn't get lost or damaged durin...
Open term →president
The President is the main leader of the entire U.S.
Open term →press
Imagine 'press' as a tool that pushes or squeezes something.
Open term →prevailing
Imagine a judge or lawyer saying that one side (like the plaintiff) has won or is right, meaning their argument or claim is the strongest and most...
Open term →prevent
It means to stop something from happening.
Open term →price
Imagine 'price' as the cost of something—like how much a house costs, or what a lawyer charges for an hour.
Open term →primary
Imagine 'primary' as the main thing in a rulebook or a lawsuit.
Open term →prime
Imagine 'prime' as the very best or first thing—like the main rule or the most important part of a deal.
Open term →prime rate
Imagine this is the starting price for interest on a loan.
Open term →principal
Imagine 'principal' as the main person who is in charge of something important, like the main boss or the main person making the decision in a laws...
Open term →principal amount
Imagine the starting number of money in a deal.
Open term →principal balance
Imagine you have a big bill or a large amount of money owed; the principal balance is the main starting number—the original amount before any chang...
Open term →principal place of business
It means the main office or location where a company's headquarters or primary operational base is established, which is crucial for determining ju...
Open term →principles
Think of 'principles' as the basic, core rules of the game—the main ideas that tell you how to solve a problem or what the most important rules are...
Open term →prior
Imagine something happened *before* something else.
Open term →prior consent
Imagine 'prior consent' means getting the official 'yes' from someone before you do something important.
Open term →prior notice
It means telling someone ahead of time about something important—like saying 'here is the notice'—so that the other person knows exactly what happe...
Open term →prior occurrence
Imagine something that happened *before* something else.
Open term →priority
Imagine 'priority' as deciding which thing gets the most attention first when there are many things to do.
Open term →privacy
Privacy means that a person has the right to decide who sees their personal details, like their name, address, or health records, and how those det...
Open term →private
Imagine 'private' means that something belongs only to you, or that a certain area is set aside just for your use.
Open term →private placement
Imagine a company wants to sell shares, but instead of putting them up for everyone to buy (like in a big public market), they offer those shares p...
Open term →privilege
Imagine a special rule where certain conversations or actions are so important that the courts agree not to look at them or question them.
Open term →privileged information
Imagine this is secret information that the law says must be kept safe.
Open term →pro forma
Imagine a 'pro forma' is like a detailed budget plan for a business.
Open term →pro rata
Imagine you have a pie, and 'pro rata' means figuring out how much of the pie each person gets based on their share.
Open term →pro rata share
Imagine you have a pie, and instead of giving everyone the same piece, you decide how much of the pie each person gets based on what they deserve.
Open term →procedure
A 'procedure' is a set of defined steps that must be followed in order to complete a task or achieve a goal under the rules of law or contract.
Open term →proceeds
Imagine you won a game or got money from a lawsuit; 'proceeds' is the total amount of money you get after winning or getting paid.
Open term →process
Imagine 'process' as the set of steps you need to follow to get something done.
Open term →procure
It means to get something you need by making a deal or asking for it legally.
Open term →produce
It means to make something happen or create it.
Open term →product
A product is a thing that is sold or delivered.
Open term →professional
A person who is highly skilled and qualified to do a job or perform a task, usually through education or experience.
Open term →profit
Imagine profit as the extra money you get after paying all your bills.
Open term →program
Imagine a 'program' is like a set of instructions or a plan that tells everyone exactly what to do and how to do it to solve a problem or achieve a...
Open term →prohibited
It means something is totally 'not allowed' or 'forbidden.' Think of a rule that says, 'This action is prohibited,' meaning you can't do it.
Open term →project
A 'project' is a planned task or goal that needs to be completed.
Open term →project cost
Imagine you are planning a big building project.
Open term →promissory
It's a formal promise where someone agrees to do something for another person, often involving money or an action, and it's written down so everyon...
Open term →promissory note
It's a formal promise that says someone owes money and agrees to pay it back later.
Open term →promotional
Imagine 'promotional' as trying to get something good for the law—like getting a judge to agree with your argument or getting a company to offer a...
Open term →proper
Imagine 'proper' means doing exactly what you are supposed to do.
Open term →property
Imagine 'property' as something you legally own.
Open term →proportion
Imagine 'proportion' as figuring out how much one thing is compared to another thing, like deciding that one piece of the pie is a certain fraction...
Open term →proportionate
Imagine 'proportionate' means that something is exactly the right amount for what it should be.
Open term →proposal
Imagine it as a formal suggestion where someone writes down a plan for how to solve a problem.
Open term →proprietary
Imagine something that belongs only to you.
Open term →proprietary information
Imagine something super special and secret that only your company knows.
Open term →prosecution
It means the official action taken by the government to formally charge someone with a crime.
Open term →prospectus
Imagine it's like a big instruction manual for selling stocks or bonds.
Open term →protect
Imagine 'protect' means making sure your stuff is safe and secure.
Open term →protective order
Imagine a special rule the judge makes to protect someone's rights when they are involved in a lawsuit or official process.
Open term →protest
Imagine a protest is when people gather together to show that they disagree with something important—like a law, a decision, or a rule.
Open term →provide
It means to give what someone needs or asks for according to a rule or agreement.
Open term →provisions
Imagine 'provisions' are the specific rules written down in a contract.
Open term →proxy
Imagine a 'proxy' is someone who steps in to speak for you in a court case or a contract.
Open term →public
Imagine 'public' as something that belongs to everybody—like the general people or the general rules that apply to everyone in a legal setting.
Open term →public offering
Imagine a company decides to sell shares of its business to everyone.
Open term →public utility
Imagine a company that provides something super important for everyone to use, like the power in your home or the water coming from the tap.
Open term →published
Imagine 'published' means that a rule or decision has been officially announced and made public so everyone knows it.
Open term →punitive
Imagine 'punitive' means that when someone has done something wrong (like in a lawsuit), they are looking for more money than just the actual loss.
Open term →purchase
Imagine 'purchase' as deciding to buy something important, like a house or a valuable item.
Open term →purchase order
Imagine it's like a special paper that says exactly what you want to buy from a company.
Open term →purchase price
Imagine you are buying a house; the purchase price is the exact dollar amount you agree to pay to the seller for that house.
Open term →purpose
Imagine 'purpose' as the main reason why someone is doing something in a lawsuit or agreement.
Open term →qualification
It means that a person has met all the required tests or conditions so that they are officially allowed to have a certain position or right in a le...
Open term →qualify
Imagine you need to prove you are the right person to be in a situation.
Open term →quality
Quality means making sure something is good enough or meets the right standard.
Open term →quantity
It means a specific number or amount.
Open term →quarter
Imagine a quarter is like one piece of money, often a coin or a bill, that helps people pay for things in court or business deals.
Open term →quorum
It means that a quorum is the minimum number of people needed to agree on something.
Open term →range
Imagine a range as a set of choices.
Open term →rata
Imagine 'rata' as a specific rule for how much one thing relates to another thing.
Open term →rate
Imagine 'rate' as the price tag for something—like how much a lawyer charges for an hour of work, or the speed at which a legal requirement needs t...
Open term →rate of return
Imagine 'rate of return' as the percentage that shows how much money you make after putting in some money.
Open term →rating agency
Imagine a company that looks at how good or bad a business is, like giving it a score or a grade.
Open term →ratio
Imagine a ratio as a way to compare things.
Open term →real
Imagine 'real' as something that actually exists and can be touched or proven; it means something is genuinely there, not just an idea.
Open term →real estate
It means the physical stuff—the land and the buildings on it—that people own or use.
Open term →real property
Imagine real property as the actual piece of land or building that someone owns.
Open term →realization
Imagine realizing something important in a court case.
Open term →realized
Imagine you finally understand something important after a long time of confusion.
Open term →reason
It means the main cause or justification behind something that happened or was decided.
Open term →reasonable cost
It means that the money spent on something is fair and justified according to the rules or expectations set by the law or contract.
Open term →reasonable efforts
It means making a good, careful effort to do what is needed or expected by the law, like trying your best to fix a problem or find a solution when...
Open term →reasonable time
It means a fair amount of time allowed before something happens, like waiting for a judge to make a decision or giving someone enough time to fix a...
Open term →recapitalization
Imagine a company that needs more money to run its business.
Open term →receipt
Imagine a receipt is like a paper that proves you paid for something.
Open term →received
Imagine you get something important—like a letter or an official notice.
Open term →receivership
Imagine a company that has too many debts and isn't paying them.
Open term →recipient
Imagine 'recipient' as the person or thing that gets what is being sent or addressed in a legal situation.
Open term →recitals
Imagine these are the 'introduction' parts of a legal paper.
Open term →reclassification
Imagine you have something that was originally called 'A' but now needs to be officially changed to 'B'.
Open term →recommended
It means suggesting the best or most suitable option when making a decision in a legal setting, like suggesting which contract clause should be fol...
Open term →reconciliation
Imagine you have two lists of numbers; reconciliation is checking to see if those lists match up perfectly.
Open term →record
Imagine a 'record' as a piece of paper or digital file that officially keeps track of what happened or what was decided.
Open term →recourse
Imagine 'recourse' is like asking for something back when something went wrong.
Open term →recover
Imagine you have lost something important—like money or a right—and 'recover' means successfully getting it back.
Open term →recoverability
Imagine you have a right to something (like money or a contract), and 'recoverability' checks if that right is real enough to be claimed in court.
Open term →recovery
Imagine 'recovery' is when someone gets what they are owed after a dispute or legal action.
Open term →redacted
Imagine you have a long paper, and someone decides to cover up some words or sections so that only the most important parts are visible.
Open term →redeem
Imagine you have a ticket or a prize, and 'redeem' means actually taking that ticket or prize to get what it promises.
Open term →redemption
Imagine you have a promise in a contract that says if you pay the money, you get to take something else.
Open term →reduce
Imagine 'reduce' means taking away something from a big pile or a large amount.
Open term →reduction
Imagine you have a big problem, and 'reduction' means making that problem smaller or less serious.
Open term →refer
Imagine you are talking about a rule or a person, and 'refer' means pointing directly to that thing.
Open term →refinancing
Imagine you have a house that has a mortgage, and now you want to get a *new* loan to pay off the old one.
Open term →refrain
Imagine 'refrain' as deciding to stop doing something right now, like saying 'no' to a rule or a demand.
Open term →refund
Imagine you bought something and paid for it.
Open term →refuse
Imagine you have a rule that says something is forbidden; 'refuse' means deciding to say 'no' to that rule or demand.
Open term →register
Imagine you are signing up for a club; 'registering' means officially putting your name down in the official list so everyone knows you are part of...
Open term →registrant
Imagine a person or company that officially applies for something important—like a patent or a trademark—and gets the official paperwork to prove t...
Open term →registrar
Imagine a person or office that has the official job of making sure that important things—like names, deeds, or records—are properly put into the o...
Open term →registration rights
Imagine you have the right to officially put your name or something important onto a list or record.
Open term →registration statement
Imagine a company wants to sell something new to people.
Open term →registry
Imagine it's like a master list where you officially record important things, like the names of companies, patents, or official documents.
Open term →regular
Imagine 'regular' as the standard way things are supposed to happen.
Open term →regulated
Imagine 'regulated' means that the government has set specific rules for something—like a game or a business.
Open term →regulatory
It means the official rules or laws that tell people exactly what to do or not to do in business.
Open term →regulatory authority
Imagine a group of powerful government officials who have the official job of making sure everyone follows the established rules.
Open term →regulatory body
Imagine a group of powerful government offices that make sure everyone follows the rules.
Open term →reimburse
Imagine you paid for a ticket to a movie, and someone else agrees to pay for that ticket.
Open term →reinsurance
Imagine you have a big insurance company that needs to protect itself from big losses.
Open term →reit
Imagine 'reit' as the official way to say someone has the rightful claim over something, like owning a piece of land or a valuable asset.
Open term →related
If something is 'related,' it means there is a connection between things.
Open term →related party
Imagine someone who is closely connected to the main person in a legal case or agreement.
Open term →related person
Imagine someone who is closely connected to the main person in a legal case or agreement.
Open term →relationship
A relationship is how people or things connect—like a family relationship or a business relationship.
Open term →release
Imagine 'release' as saying that someone officially gives up something they were owed or promised.
Open term →relevant
Imagine 'relevant' means that the piece of information you are looking at actually matters to the case.
Open term →reliance
Imagine someone trusts something will happen, and they act based on that trust.
Open term →relief
Imagine when someone has suffered a loss or injury and asks the court for something that will fix their problem, like money or a specific decision...
Open term →remainder
Imagine you have a piece of land, and some people have already claimed their share.
Open term →remedy
Imagine a 'remedy' as the official fix or solution that the judge gives when someone has lost a battle in court.
Open term →remit
Imagine 'remit' as telling someone exactly how much money needs to be sent or paid.
Open term →remittance
Imagine it as sending money to pay a bill.
Open term →remove
Imagine you have a big set of rules (like a law book), and 'remove' means taking out one of those rules entirely.
Open term →remuneration
It means the money someone gets for doing a job or service.
Open term →render
Imagine 'render' as the official action where someone finally delivers what they promised to deliver, like delivering a verdict in a trial or compl...
Open term →renewal
It means making a deal last longer than it was supposed to, like when you sign a paper saying the old one is still good for another year.
Open term →rent
Rent is the regular money you pay to live in a house or apartment that someone else owns.
Open term →rental
Imagine renting a place, like an apartment or a house.
Open term →reorganization
Imagine a big company that needs to change how it runs or how its money is organized.
Open term →repaid
Imagine you owe someone money, and 'repaid' means you actually pay all that money back to the person who lent it to you, completing the debt.
Open term →repair
Imagine you have broken something—like a broken leg or a leaky pipe.
Open term →repay
Imagine you owe someone money for something, and 'repayment' is the action of giving that money back to them so they are no longer owed anything.
Open term →replace
Imagine 'replace' as saying, 'take out the old thing and put in a new thing.' In law, it means swapping out one obligation or term for another, ens...
Open term →report
Imagine 'report' as a formal summary.
Open term →reportable event
Imagine a situation where something important happens—like a big problem or a major change—that needs to be officially reported.
Open term →reporting period
Imagine a set period of time, like a month or a year, that is used to look at the results.
Open term →reporting requirements
Imagine you have to tell the government or the court exactly what happened or what is happening.
Open term →represent
Imagine you are telling someone that you will speak for them in court or in a business deal.
Open term →representation
Imagine you are officially chosen to speak for someone in court or a contract.
Open term →repurchase
Imagine you bought something, and then later someone else agreed to buy that same thing back.
Open term →repurchase request
Imagine you own something valuable, and now someone wants to buy it back.
Open term →reputable
It means someone is trustworthy and good enough to rely on, like a reliable person or company when making a deal or trusting a legal process.
Open term →request
It means asking for something specific—like asking a judge to decide on a point, or asking a company to deliver goods as specified in a contract.
Open term →requirement
It means a necessary rule or duty that someone has to follow.
Open term →resale
Imagine you bought something and then decided to sell it to someone else.
Open term →rescinded
Imagine you had a promise or a decision, and now someone officially says, 'That promise is officially taken back.' It means the original agreement...
Open term →research
Imagine 'research' is like carefully looking into something to find out the truth about a legal situation.
Open term →reserve
Imagine you have a piece of land or a right to something, and 'reserve' means deciding that part is yours and set aside for your use, often ensurin...
Open term →reserve bank
Imagine a special bank that holds some of the country's money.
Open term →residence
Imagine 'residence' as the specific address where you live, which helps decide which state or court has authority over your legal problems.
Open term →residual
Imagine you have a game where the rules say that if you win, but there's still some prize money left over after paying all the debts.
Open term →resign
It means saying 'no more work' or 'enough,' formally telling the company that you are quitting your job or position.
Open term →resold
Imagine you have something valuable, like a house or a car.
Open term →resolution
Imagine a 'resolution' is like when a judge or a group of experts makes a final decision after looking at all the facts and arguments presented in...
Open term →resolve
Imagine 'resolve' as the moment when two people finally agree on what happened in a disagreement.
Open term →resource
Imagine a resource as something important that you need to use to win a game or complete a task.
Open term →response
Imagine you are asked a question in court; the 'response' is your official answer or reply to that question.
Open term →restated
Imagine you have a rule or a promise, and someone says 'restated'—that means they are saying the rule or promise again, but maybe in a clearer way.
Open term →restrict
Imagine 'restrict' means putting up a rule that says, 'Here is the limit,' or 'This is the boundary.' In law, it means setting limits on what someo...
Open term →restricted stock
Imagine a special type of share in a company's treasure chest.
Open term →restricted subsidiaries
Imagine a big company that owns several smaller companies (subsidiaries).
Open term →restructuring
Imagine a big company decides to change how it runs its business—like deciding to reorganize all its departments or assets to make things run bette...
Open term →result
Imagine 'result' as the final answer after a court decides something or a contract dictates what happens.
Open term →retail
Retail means selling things directly to people who want to buy them for themselves, like in a store or online shop.
Open term →retained
Imagine you are deciding to *keep* something important for yourself in a legal situation, like choosing to keep a client's file or a piece of prope...
Open term →retained earnings
Imagine this is the total pile of money a company has earned from its business activities, even if it hasn't been paid out yet.
Open term →retention
Imagine you have a rule that says you must keep certain papers or information for a set amount of time.
Open term →retire
Imagine 'retire' as the moment when someone officially stops working for a company or organization.
Open term →retirement income
It is the money that comes from your retirement plan, like a pension or annuity.
Open term →retirement plan
It's a plan where people save money for their future needs, like when they stop working.
Open term →return
Imagine you have something that belongs to someone else.
Open term →revenue
Imagine 'revenue' is the total amount of money a company earns from selling things or doing its job.
Open term →reverse
Imagine 'reverse' as a way to turn something around.
Open term →review
Imagine looking closely at something to see if it's true or false, like checking every piece of evidence in a courtroom case to make sure everythin...
Open term →revised
Imagine a rule book or contract that needs changes.
Open term →revocation
Imagine you have a permission slip for something, and 'revocation' means officially taking that permission slip away.
Open term →revolving
Imagine a pool of money that keeps turning around.
Open term →right
Imagine 'right' as something that is rightfully yours according to the rules of the law.
Open term →risk
Risk means the chance that something bad might happen, like losing money or facing trouble in a lawsuit.
Open term →risk retention
Imagine you have a big problem (a 'risk') and instead of fixing it right away, you decide to keep it—maybe because keeping it helps your overall pl...
Open term →river
A river is a natural stream or body of water that has legal significance, such as being a boundary for land ownership or a source of pollution claims.
Open term →role
Imagine a role is like a job title in a game; it tells you what your character is supposed to do in a legal situation.
Open term →royalty
Imagine you own something special, like a song or a design.
Open term →rto
Imagine you are supposed to go to school or work, but you take some time off.
Open term →rule
A rule is a specific instruction or principle that tells people exactly what they must do or not do in a legal situation.
Open term →rule or regulation
Imagine a 'rule' or 'regulation' as a set of official instructions that tell people exactly what they must do or what is allowed in a legal situation.
Open term →rules and regulations
Imagine 'rules and regulations' as the official playbook for how to play a game or run a business.
Open term →safety
Safety means making sure things are safe so that people don't get hurt.
Open term →salary
It's the regular money a worker gets paid for doing their job.
Open term →sale
Imagine 'sale' as when you agree to trade something for money.
Open term →sample
Imagine a piece of something that is taken out of a bigger pile or group to show what it looks like or to prove a point in court.
Open term →sanctions
Imagine sanctions are like official 'warnings' or 'rules' that say certain people or places have been penalized or restricted by a government.
Open term →satisfaction
Imagine 'satisfaction' as feeling happy after you get what you wanted or needed.
Open term →satisfactory
Imagine 'satisfactory' means that something has met the minimum standard set by the law or contract.
Open term →satisfy
Imagine you have a rule or a promise, and 'satisfy' means making sure you actually do what the rule says to do—like proving that your promise was k...
Open term →savings
Imagine 'savings' as money that you put aside because you want to make sure you have enough money later for something important, like paying bills...
Open term →schedule
A schedule is like a detailed list of when things need to happen or when they *will* happen, making sure everyone knows exactly what needs to be do...
Open term →scope
Imagine 'scope' as the exact area or range of something—like how much space a rule covers or what part of a contract is covered by a specific clause.
Open term →second
It means the very next thing after the first thing.
Open term →secret
Imagine a secret is like a special piece of information that only a few people know about, and it's important enough to keep hidden.
Open term →secretary
A secretary is a person who helps manage paperwork, organizes information, and handles the day-to-day administrative tasks for an office or legal e...
Open term →section
Imagine a big book of rules; a 'section' is like one chapter or part of that book.
Open term →secure
Imagine 'secure' as making sure your important stuff is locked up with strong locks so bad guys can't steal it.
Open term →secured party
Imagine a person who has a legal right to a piece of property, like a house or a car, that they can use as a guarantee to make sure they get paid b...
Open term →securities and exchange commission
The SEC is like a big boss that makes sure that companies selling stocks are honest and fair.
Open term →securitization
Imagine taking lots of different loans or assets that people owe money for, and putting them into one big package of bonds.
Open term →security agreement
Imagine it's a special promise in a contract where one person agrees to give another person something valuable—like a patent or a right to use a pr...
Open term →security interest
Imagine a special right that says you have the right to claim something from someone else's property.
Open term →selection
Imagine deciding which toy to pick from a box of toys; in law, it means choosing one specific option when there are multiple choices available, lik...
Open term →sell
Selling means giving something completely to someone else, like selling your toy for money, but in law, it means transferring ownership of a thing,...
Open term →seller
The person or entity that owns something and decides to sell it to someone else.
Open term →send
It means to actively transmit or deliver something, like sending a letter, sending data over the internet, or sending a legal notice.
Open term →senior
Imagine 'senior' as the most important person in a group or team.
Open term →senior executive
It means a person who is at the very top of the management structure in a company.
Open term →sent
Imagine 'sent' as when you send a message or a piece of paper to someone else.
Open term →sentence
A sentence is just a complete thought, like one little part of a big story.
Open term →separation
Imagine 'separation' as deciding that two things are now separate—like splitting up two friends who used to be together, or dividing up the ownersh...
Open term →series
Imagine 'series' as a specific, ordered list of things—like a sequence of steps in a lawsuit or a series of required disclosures.
Open term →service
Imagine 'service' as doing what you promised to do.
Open term →service provider
A 'service provider' is the person or company that offers something—like a service, a product, or a professional action—to someone else.
Open term →servicing agreement
It's a contract where one person agrees to do a job or provide a service for another person.
Open term →servicing fee
Imagine a small fee that gets charged when someone does a job for you, like paying a little bit to get a service done.
Open term →settle
Imagine settling means agreeing on a final answer after a disagreement.
Open term →settlement
Imagine when two people disagree over something, and instead of fighting in court for a long time, they agree on a solution that settles the issue.
Open term →several
It means 'more than one,' indicating that the count of something is unspecified but greater than one.
Open term →share
Imagine 'share' as deciding how much of a pie gets to be taken by different people.
Open term →shareholder
Imagine a person who owns a piece of a company, like owning a part of a big business.
Open term →shelf
Imagine a shelf in a library; it's a designated space where books can sit.
Open term →short
Imagine 'short' means that something is very brief or quick.
Open term →short-term
Imagine 'short-term' means something that doesn't last very long—like a brief vacation or a short-term contract.
Open term →sign
It means putting your signature on a paper to show that you agree to the terms laid out in a contract.
Open term →signatory
It means a person who puts their signature on a paper.
Open term →signature
Imagine signing a paper with your name; it's like putting your official 'ink' on the document to say, 'Yes, this is what we agreed upon.'
Open term →significant
Imagine something is so important that it really matters in a court case or a contract.
Open term →significant subsidiary
Imagine a big company has a smaller part that is very important to the main company's success.
Open term →simple
Imagine something that is very easy to understand, like a basic rule or a simple agreement.
Open term →single
Imagine 'single' means there is only one thing—like one specific contract, one plaintiff, or one defined party.
Open term →site
Imagine a 'site' as a specific address or location mentioned in a lawsuit or contract.
Open term →software
Software is the set of instructions or programs that make a computer system perform a task, like a legal document management system or an electroni...
Open term →sold
Imagine you have something valuable (like a house or a piece of land), and 'sold' means someone officially agrees to buy it and gives you the paper...
Open term →sole
Imagine 'sole' means that one person has all the power or the only right to do something, like being the only person who can sign a contract or be...
Open term →sole discretion
Imagine this means that one person has the *only* right to decide something—like deciding who gets to use a certain resource or making a final deci...
Open term →solicit
Imagine you are asking someone to do something specific, like asking a friend to help you find the best deal for a product.
Open term →solvency
Imagine solvency is like checking if a company has enough money to pay its bills.
Open term →source
Imagine 'source' as the first thing that starts something—like the original idea or the initial document that proves something happened.
Open term →source code
Imagine the detailed set of instructions for a computer program—like the blueprint for an app or website.
Open term →spare part
Imagine a piece that is needed to finish a job or a product.
Open term →special
Imagine 'special' as a very important or unique thing in a rulebook.
Open term →special servicer
Imagine a specific person or group who has been officially assigned the job of providing a certain service.
Open term →specifications
Imagine 'specifications' are the precise instructions for a game or a building project.
Open term →sponsor
Imagine someone who pays for or officially backs a project or person.
Open term →spouse
A spouse is another person who is legally married to you, establishing a formal legal relationship.
Open term →spread
Imagine 'spread' as how much space a rule covers.
Open term →staff
Imagine 'staff' as all the people who work for a company or a legal firm—like the lawyers, paralegals, and employees who are needed to do the job.
Open term →standard
Imagine 'standard' as the basic, agreed-upon rule in a game.
Open term →state
Imagine a 'state' as a specific piece of land or territory governed by its own set of rules.
Open term →state law
Imagine 'state law' is like the set of rules for a particular state.
Open term →statement
It's a formal way to say 'this is true' or 'this is what happened,' often used when someone says something important about a situation or a claim.
Open term →station
Imagine a station as a specific spot on a map or a designated point where something happens.
Open term →statistical
Imagine 'statistical' as the way lawyers look at numbers and facts to see if something is likely to happen, like figuring out the percentage chance...
Open term →status
Imagine 'status' as checking if something is okay or not okay right now.
Open term →statute
Imagine a very official rule book written down by the government.
Open term →statutory
Imagine a special rule written down by the government that says something must happen or shouldn't happen.
Open term →stock
Imagine 'stock' as owning a piece of a big company or a valuable thing.
Open term →stock options
Imagine a special permission that lets you buy shares of a company for a fixed price.
Open term →stockholder
Imagine you own a piece of a big company, like owning a tiny piece of a giant pizza.
Open term →stolen
Imagine something that belongs to someone else but is taken without permission.
Open term →storage
Imagine 'storage' as the place where you put things—like a safe or a shelf.
Open term →strategy
Imagine 'strategy' as the main game plan for a lawsuit or business deal.
Open term →strict
Imagine 'strict' means following rules exactly as they are written, with no room for error.
Open term →structure
Imagine a structure is like the blueprint for a building; it shows how all the parts fit together—like the main walls, the roof, and the rooms.
Open term →subcontract
Imagine you are building a big Lego castle.
Open term →subcontractor
Imagine a big construction job where one person is hired to do just one small piece of the job, like installing the plumbing or painting a specific...
Open term →subdivision
Imagine a big piece of land that needs to be split up into smaller pieces, like different lots for houses or businesses.
Open term →subject
Imagine 'subject' as the person or thing that is the focus of the rules.
Open term →submission
Imagine you have to hand in your homework or a big report to the teacher.
Open term →submit
It means handing over something, like a paper or a request, to someone else.
Open term →subordinate
Imagine a situation where one person or thing has less power or responsibility than another; they are the 'subordinate' party.
Open term →subrogation
Imagine you have an accident and someone else is at fault.
Open term →subscribe
It means saying 'yes' to a deal or a membership.
Open term →subscription
It means agreeing to pay regularly (like a fee) to get something else, like a service or product, for a set time.
Open term →subsection
Imagine a big rule book.
Open term →subsidiary
Imagine a big company owns a smaller company.
Open term →substance
Imagine 'substance' as the real, important part of something.
Open term →substantial
Imagine 'substantial' means something is big enough to matter in a court case or a contract.
Open term →substantial completion
Imagine a big project is finished, but not perfectly perfect.
Open term →substantial part
Imagine 'substantial part' as meaning that a big chunk of the thing being discussed is important enough to matter in the legal sense.
Open term →substantially all
Imagine you have a big pile of toys.
Open term →substitute
Imagine you have a rule that says 'substitute' means swapping out one person or thing for another.
Open term →succeeding
It means something happens *after* something else.
Open term →succession
Imagine succession as figuring out who gets to be in charge after someone passes away.
Open term →successor
Imagine 'successor' means someone who steps in after the original person or entity has done something important, like taking over a job or a property.
Open term →sufficient
Imagine 'sufficient' means having enough good stuff—like enough evidence or enough money—to win a legal argument or meet a rule.
Open term →suit
Imagine 'suit' as a formal challenge where one person officially asks the court to decide a problem or disagreement.
Open term →sum
Imagine 'sum' as the total amount of money you owe or the total amount of things you have.
Open term →supersede
Imagine you have two rules, and 'supersede' means one rule completely replaces the other.
Open term →supervision
Imagine supervision as the 'boss' who watches to make sure everyone follows the rules.
Open term →supervisor
A supervisor is a person who is in charge of making sure that other people follow the rules and do their assigned tasks correctly.
Open term →supervisory
Imagine a boss who has the job of watching over everyone else to make sure things follow the rules and don't mess up.
Open term →supplement
Imagine 'supplement' as adding something extra to a rulebook or contract.
Open term →supplier
Think of a 'supplier' as the person or company who gives you what you need—like a book if you need to read, or a service if you need to fix something.
Open term →supply
Supply means providing what someone needs; like when you promise to give a toy or deliver a service, ensuring that the promised item or action actu...
Open term →support
It means providing the necessary help or backing for something important in law, like proving a right or fulfilling a duty.
Open term →surety
Imagine a 'surety' is like a person who promises to make sure something important gets done, like making sure a debt is paid or that a contract obl...
Open term →surplus
Imagine you have too much stuff after you've taken all the necessary items for a project.
Open term →surrender
Imagine surrendering means giving up something important, like saying 'no' to a demand or letting go of a right you had.
Open term →surveillance
Imagine 'surveillance' as watching something closely.
Open term →survey
Imagine taking a careful look at something—like checking a building's structure or an area's condition—to see exactly what it is and how it is in t...
Open term →survive
Imagine you are trying to stay alive in a game or a situation where there are rules and dangers.
Open term →surviving corporation
Imagine a company that keeps going even after some parts of it are changed or merged into another.
Open term →suspend
Imagine 'suspend' as saying that a judge or court decides to temporarily stop something—like pausing a lawsuit or putting a rule on hold for a shor...
Open term →suspension
Imagine a rule or a requirement that is temporarily stopped or paused.
Open term →swap
Imagine 'swap' as trading toys or money.
Open term →swing
Imagine 'swing' as a move or a turn in a legal game.
Open term →system
Imagine a complete set of rules or a whole plan for how things get done legally.
Open term →take
Imagine 'take' as deciding to grab something for yourself.
Open term →taken
Imagine someone decides to grab something for themselves; that's 'taken'.
Open term →tangible
Imagine something that is real and solid.
Open term →tax
Imagine 'tax' is like a required payment you have to pay to the government for things like roads, schools, and police.
Open term →tax returns
Imagine this is a paper that shows how much money someone earned over a year and what taxes they owe.
Open term →taxable
Imagine 'taxable' as something that needs to be paid to the government because of a rule or law.
Open term →taxpayer
Imagine someone who has to pay taxes for something they earned or owned.
Open term →team
A team is a group of people who work together to achieve a goal or handle a legal obligation.
Open term →technical
Imagine something that needs to be super exact about how it works or what it is.
Open term →technology
Technology means using clever ideas or tools—like computers or software—to do something important.
Open term →telephone
A telephone is a device used to talk to someone else, like a phone on a contract or lawsuit.
Open term →temporary
It means something lasts for a short time, like a temporary stop or a brief period of time before a permanent change occurs.
Open term →tenant
A tenant is someone who has been given permission by the owner to live in or use a piece of property, usually for a set time.
Open term →tender
Imagine 'tender' as when someone formally offers something—like offering to buy a house or offering a solution to a problem.
Open term →term
term is a legal term in the general legal terms category. Open the full entry for a plain-English meaning and contract context.
Open term →term loan
Imagine a loan where someone gives you money, but they also set strict rules about how you have to pay it back.
Open term →terminate
Imagine 'terminate' as deciding to stop something completely.
Open term →termination date
Imagine this is the exact date written down in a legal paper that says 'The job ends on this day.' It's the official date when something legally st...
Open term →termination event
Imagine a 'termination event' is like a specific rule or action that says, "Okay, this ends now." In law, it means something happens—like a broken...
Open term →territory
Imagine a piece of land or a defined area that has specific rules attached to it.
Open term →terrorism
Imagine terrorism as when bad guys use scary actions—like bombs or attacks—to try and make the government or other people feel scared so they will...
Open term →test
Imagine 'test' as a formal check to see if something is true or valid in the law.
Open term →third party
Imagine someone who isn't the main person in a lawsuit; they are just another person involved in the legal battle.
Open term →threatened
Imagine someone says 'threatened' when they mean there is a real danger that something bad might happen according to the rules of the law.
Open term →time
Time means the duration of something—how long an event lasts, or a specific point in time when something happens.
Open term →title
Imagine 'title' as the official paperwork that proves you are the boss of something—like a house or a piece of land.
Open term →title company
Imagine a person who makes sure that when you buy a house or land, the paperwork proves that *you* are the rightful owner.
Open term →tort
Imagine 'tort' as a rule that says someone has done something wrong—like breaking a rule of fairness or duty—and they caused damage.
Open term →total
Imagine 'total' means adding up every single thing—like counting all the pieces on a board or calculating the grand total cost of a purchase.
Open term →total assets
Imagine 'total assets' is like adding up every single thing that someone owns—like money, property, or valuable things—to see how much wealth they...
Open term →trade
Imagine 'trade' as when two people agree to swap things.
Open term →trade secret
Imagine a special recipe or a unique invention that someone has decided to keep private.
Open term →trademark
It's a special name or logo that shows what a company sells.
Open term →training
Training means teaching someone how to do a job or understand a rule; it's like learning the rules of law so you know what to do and when to do it.
Open term →tranche
Imagine a big loan or investment where the total amount is split into smaller parts; each small part is a 'tranche'.
Open term →transaction
Imagine a 'transaction' is when two people agree to swap something—like buying a house or selling a car.
Open term →transfer
Imagine 'transfer' as moving something important, like transferring your favorite toy from your house to a friend's house.
Open term →transfer agent
Imagine a person who takes care of your valuable things, like stocks or property.
Open term →transferee
Imagine someone who gets to take over something that another person already owns.
Open term →transferor
Imagine you are selling a toy or a house.
Open term →transition
Imagine 'transition' as the moment when something official changes—like switching from one type of job to another, or changing the rules of a contr...
Open term →transmission
Imagine 'transmission' is like sending a message across the country.
Open term →transmitted
Imagine you are sending a message across a long distance; 'transmitted' means that the signal or message successfully got sent from your device to...
Open term →transportation
Imagine transportation as the way things get from here to there.
Open term →travel
Imagine 'travel' as the legal concept of moving from one place to another.
Open term →treasurer
Imagine the person who is in charge of the money for a group or company.
Open term →treasury
Imagine 'treasury' as the big pile of money that belongs to the government or a company.
Open term →treated
Imagine something that has been officially handled or dealt with according to a set rule or procedure.
Open term →treatment
Imagine 'treatment' as the official way to fix something broken or wrong in a legal situation.
Open term →treaty
Imagine a super important promise between two countries or groups of people.
Open term →trial
Imagine a big court event where people argue about what happened.
Open term →trigger
Imagine a rule or an event that starts something important.
Open term →trust
Imagine a 'trust' as a formal agreement where someone promises to manage assets for someone else.
Open term →trust account
Imagine a special bank account set aside specifically for someone else's money.
Open term →trust agreement
Imagine a 'trust agreement' is like a special contract that says someone will hold and manage valuable things (like money or property) for someone...
Open term →trust certificate
Imagine it's a special paper that proves that a certain 'trust'—a set of rules for how assets are managed or held—is officially valid and recognize...
Open term →trust company
Imagine a 'trust company' as a special business that holds valuable things (assets) for other people's benefit.
Open term →trust grantor
Imagine someone who starts a 'trust'—a legal container that holds assets.
Open term →trustee
Imagine a person who has been officially appointed to be in charge of something important, like money or property.
Open term →type
Imagine 'type' means deciding what kind of thing you are talking about—like deciding if a document is a 'type' of legal instrument, or if a person...
Open term →ucc
Imagine UCC as the main rulebook for buying and selling things.
Open term →unable
Imagine someone is 'unable' when they don't have the power or skill to do something important.
Open term →unaudited
Imagine a big test where the final score isn't ready yet; it means the numbers haven't been officially checked by the auditors to see if they are c...
Open term →unauthorized
Imagine someone tries to do something without the right permission or authority.
Open term →unconditional
Imagine something where you say 'unconditional'—it means that the rule or agreement is totally solid.
Open term →underlying
Imagine a contract where one part is the main thing that makes the whole deal work.
Open term →undertake
It means agreeing to take on a job or responsibility.
Open term →underwriter
Imagine you are a person who looks at a plan to buy insurance.
Open term →underwritten
Imagine you have a big promise to pay for something, and someone else agrees to be the official guarantor that this promise is real.
Open term →unemployment insurance
It is a system where people get money from the government when they lose their job.
Open term →unenforceable
Imagine a rule or promise in a contract that is so badly written or conflicts with another part of the contract that a judge decides it's not valid...
Open term →uniform
Imagine 'uniform' as the basic rule that everyone must follow.
Open term →uniform commercial code
Imagine a set of official rules for how businesses operate legally.
Open term →union
Imagine a group of workers who decide to work together as a team to make sure their needs are heard by the boss.
Open term →unit
Imagine a 'unit' is like one piece of a puzzle.
Open term →united states
It means the entire country and its legal system, including the Constitution, federal laws, and the judicial system that governs the nation.
Open term →unlawful
Imagine something that breaks the rules of the law.
Open term →unrealized
Imagine you have a right to something (like getting paid for a service), but you haven't actually done the action that makes it real.
Open term →unrelated
Imagine two different things that don't belong together; it means that the interests or duties of one person or thing are completely separate from...
Open term →unremedied
Imagine something happened in a lawsuit or contract, and it's still broken or wrong.
Open term →unsecured
Imagine you owe money, but no one has given you a house or car as a guarantee for paying it back.
Open term →untrue
Imagine something is said or written, but the truth isn't correct; it's wrong or misleading.
Open term →updated
Imagine you have a rulebook, and someone says 'updated.' This means the book has been changed to include the newest rules or information.
Open term →upgrade
Imagine you have an old rule or agreement, and 'upgrade' means changing that rule to make it better or newer.
Open term →use
Imagine 'use' as deciding to take something and actually using it.
Open term →user
A 'user' is a person or entity who interacts with a defined system or process.
Open term →utility
Imagine 'utility' as the right to use something important, like the right to use electricity or the right to use a specific piece of land.
Open term →valid
Imagine something is 'valid' when it means it follows all the correct rules for a contract or a legal claim to be real and true.
Open term →valuable
Imagine something that is worth a lot of money or importance in a legal case.
Open term →valuation
Imagine figuring out how much something is worth—like a house or a company's value—when lawyers are talking about money and legal claims.
Open term →value
Imagine 'value' as how much something is worth in a legal sense.
Open term →variable
Imagine a 'variable' in law like a box where you put a letter or number that stands for something specific, like a name or amount.
Open term →vehicle
Imagine a thing that moves or holds something; in law, it's a physical object that needs to be moved or used for transport.
Open term →vendor
A vendor is someone who provides something needed by another person, like selling a product or offering a service, and they get paid for it.
Open term →venture
Imagine a big plan where you bet on something hoping to make more money or achieve a goal.
Open term →venue
Imagine a courtroom or a judge deciding exactly *where* the trial will happen—like choosing one city or county to be the official place for the leg...
Open term →verify
It means checking something to see if it's true or correct.
Open term →vessel
Imagine a ship or a container; it's something that is moved from one place to another, like a boat or a storage unit.
Open term →vest
Imagine you have a piece of property or a right, and 'vest' means officially giving that right to someone else.
Open term →vice president
A Vice President is like a very important manager who helps run the company alongside the main boss.
Open term →violate
Imagine 'violate' means breaking a rule or law.
Open term →void
Imagine 'void' means something is completely broken or invalid.
Open term →voluntarily
It means choosing to do something because you *want* to, rather than being forced to do it.
Open term →voluntary
It means choosing to do something because you really want to, not because someone forced you to.
Open term →vote
It means deciding who gets to choose something, like picking a winner for a contest or deciding on a rule for a group.
Open term →voting rights
It means that every person has the right to vote in elections and to participate in the political system.
Open term →voting security
Imagine a voting machine or system where the rules are in place to make sure that when people cast their votes, the count is correct and that no on...
Open term →wage
Imagine 'wage' is the money you get for doing a job.
Open term →waive
Imagine you have a right to something (like a right to use a certain space or a claim), and 'waiving' means deciding to give up that right entirely...
Open term →waiver
Imagine you have a right to something, like the right to say something in court.
Open term →wall
Imagine a wall as a solid line that separates one place from another, like the boundary between your house and the neighbor's property, or a rule t...
Open term →warehouse
Imagine a big building where companies keep their stuff—like products or equipment—to sell later.
Open term →warrant
Imagine a special permission slip from a judge saying that police can search for something important—like evidence or people—because they have a go...
Open term →warranty
It's a promise that says if something breaks or fails, you get a certain amount of protection.
Open term →waste
Imagine 'waste' as something that is left over after you've used up everything.
Open term →water
Water is the liquid stuff that flows, which can be used for drinking, irrigation, or as a critical resource in a contract.
Open term →week
A 'week' is a measure of time, like seven days.
Open term →well
Imagine 'well' as meaning that something has been done correctly or that a situation meets the required standard.
Open term →whole
Imagine 'whole' as meaning everything is included—no missing pieces!
Open term →whole loan
Imagine a big loan where you have to pay the total amount, including the original money borrowed plus any extra charges.
Open term →wholly-owned
Imagine someone owns *everything* about something—like a house or a company.
Open term →willful
Imagine 'willful' means someone *really* decided to do something, and they knew exactly what they were doing.
Open term →willful misconduct
Imagine someone decided to be naughty on purpose when they messed up.
Open term →wire
Imagine 'wire' as the invisible line that carries messages between two points.
Open term →wire transfer
Imagine sending money from your bank account to another bank's account using an electronic system.
Open term →withdraw
Imagine you have a game or a prize, and 'withdraw' means deciding to take that prize away from the game or the contract.
Open term →withdrawn
Imagine you have a right to something (like a right to sue or a right to a contract), and 'withdrawn' means you officially decide to give up that r...
Open term →withheld
Imagine you have a piece of paper (like money or information), and 'withheld' means that someone decided to keep that paper for themselves instead...
Open term →withhold
Imagine you have a rule that says some things must be kept aside or held back.
Open term →without cause
Imagine something happened, but no one can prove *why* it happened legally.
Open term →without prejudice
Imagine you are talking about something important in a court case.
Open term →without recourse
Imagine someone says 'without recourse' when they mean that the person who caused a problem (like a loss) can be completely excused from paying or...
Open term →witness
A witness is someone who has seen or heard something important enough to tell the judge what happened.
Open term →work
Imagine 'work' as the job you have to do.
Open term →working capital
Imagine the money a company needs to pay for things right now, like paying for the stuff they sell or the money owed to them from customers.
Open term →world
Imagine 'world' as the whole planet or the entire system of rules and facts that make up a legal situation.
Open term →writing
Writing is when you take words and put them down on paper, like writing a letter or a contract.
Open term →written
Imagine writing something down because it's important for the law.
Open term →written consent
Imagine it's when someone officially says 'yes' in writing to what needs to happen.
Open term →written notice
It means writing down a formal message to tell someone something important, like saying 'this is the official notice' about a situation or decision.
Open term →wrongful
Imagine something happens that is wrong—like someone did something unfair or broke a rule.
Open term →year
A 'year' is a span of time, like one full cycle of twelve months.
Open term →yield
Imagine you have a game where you try to get the best score or prize.
Open term →zoning
Imagine zoning as the rulebook that says exactly what kind of buildings can be built in a neighborhood—like deciding if a piece of land can be a ho...
Open term →