LEGAL DICTIONARY
Here are some of the legal terms and definitions from the Legal dictionary used in a court of law.
DAMAGES - MUTUAL RELEASES
Damages: money claimed by a client as compensation for an injury or loss.
Debtor: One who owes debts. In bankruptcy, the bankrupt business that is under the control and protection of the bankruptcy court is the debtor.
Defective Goods Notice: Notice to seller of buyer's decision to reject delivery of defective goods.
Defendant or Defender: a person sued in civil lawsuit or charged or accused of a crime.
LEGAL DICTIONARY ONLINE
Demand for Rent: A document designed to give a tenant a final opportunity to pay overdue rents before the landlord may commence eviction proceedings.
Deponent: A person who testifies under oath.
Direct Verdict: when the judge instructs the jury to return a specific verdict because the evidence is so compelling that only one decision is reasonable.
Discharge of Mortgage: Mortgage holder's release of mortgagor.
Discovery: formal process for investigating the fact surrounding the case (i.e., interrogatories, depositions, requests for admission, and request for production).
Employee Non-Disclosure Agreement: Contract to keep company information confidential.
Employment Agreement: Terms under which employee agrees to work for company.
Encumbrances: A lien, charge, or claim attached to real property.
Estate: All that a person owns, whether real or personal property.
Estate Tax: Tax based on value of property left by the deceased.
Executor: A person named by the Testator in a Will to administer the estate.
Exonerate: To free from a charge or the imputation of guilt.
Final Notice Before Legal Action: A document designed to encourage payment from the most recalcitrant debtor. It is the final stage in the collection process prior to turnover to an attorney or collection agency.
General Agreement: Basic agreement between two or more parties.
General Assignment: Basic document transferring right and title to a specific item or contract from one person to another.
General Power of Attorney: An instrument authorizing one person to act on behalf of another, usually in signing legal documents and in making legal decisions.
General Release: Discharges an entity from any claims arising from a specific act or transaction.
Grantor: Person who makes a grant.
Guaranty: Third party guarantees payment of another's debts to induce creditor to extend credit.
Guardian: A court appointed person who looks after the welfare of an incompetent person.
Habeas Corpus: order requiring that a detained person be brought before a court to decide the legality of the detention.
Hearing: a court section before a judge that is not a formal trial.
Heir: A person who inherits property, either through a Will or intestate succession.
Indemnify: To protect against or keep free from loss, damage.
Indemnity Agreement: Releases a party from any liability arising from a specific act or transaction.
Independent Contractor Agreement: Sets down terms of independent contract.
Interrogatories: written questions submitted by one party to another for the purpose of gathering information.
Landlord: A person who rents or leases land.
Last Will and Testament: A legal document that sets forth the wishes of the Testator after his or her death. This document distributes the property of the Testator, and appoints representatives to administer the estate.
Lessee: A person to whom property is leased.
Lessor: A person who issues a lease.
Liabilities: Anything for which a person is liable.
Lien: An interest in property securing the repayment of a debt.
Limited Guaranty: Third party agrees to a maximum liability of debt for another.
Lost Credit Card Notice: Letter to credit card company from cardholder requesting halt in credit.
Mediation: when the parties try to work out their own solution to their conflict under supervision of a neutral third party.
Minor: A child under the age of either eighteen or twenty-one, depending on the individual state.
Mistrial: a trial that the judge stops in midstream because of a procedural error, serious misconduct of a party, lawyer, or juror, or the jury’s inability to agree on a verdict.
Mortgage Deed: Borrower gives mortgage covenants to lender in consideration of loan.
Motion: written or oral request seeking a specific ruling from the court.
Mutual Releases: All parties discharge one another from any claim arising from specified contract.
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