The Law Dictionary for Everyone
A pillory is a wooden device, with holes cut out for a person’s head and hands to be stuck through. Similar to a “stocks, the pillory was used historically to punish someone for an offense, through public humiliation. Pillories were also used to physically abuse people. To explore this concept, consider the following pillory definition. Definition of Pillory Noun A […]
Read moreJoint tenancy is a situation wherein two people hold equal ownership in a single piece of real property. Both names are on the deed, and each person has a 50 percent ownership stake in that particular piece of property. If one of the two people dies, then the other person automatically takes complete ownership of the property. To explore this […]
Read moreKleptomania is a recurrent urge to steal, that is motivated by more of an emotional need to steal, rather than a financial one. This is to say that those with kleptomania who steal do not steal because they need the items they take; in fact, the items they steal often do not even have much value. Kleptomania is instead a […]
Read moreThe term parricide is defined as the murder of a close relative. Some may confuse “parricide” with “patricide,” but the latter term refers only to the murder of one’s father. The term “parricide,” on the other hand, is used to define the murder of one’s parents, siblings, or another close relative. Those who engage in parricide often do so due […]
Read moreA kangaroo court is an unauthorized, unofficial court, the sole purpose of which is to provide the image of a fair legal process. In actuality, the fate of the accused is actually decided in advance, with no consideration being made as to the fairness of the situation. Kangaroo courts are typically associated with groups that practice their own brand of […]
Read moreThe common law definition of chattel is any property that is not land or physical items belonging to that land. Today, chattel is defined as any item of personal property and that can be moved. Examples of chattel, as defined in common law, include furniture, clothes hanging in the closet, and cattle on a farm. When someone moves out of […]
Read moreThe term parental alienation refers to psychological manipulation of a child, by saying and doing things that lead the child to look unfavorably on one parent or the other. In essence, parental alienation amounts to brainwashing the child, and it can be done both consciously and unconsciously. This is a significant problem in family law cases, and something that the […]
Read moreThe term original jurisdiction refers to the question of which court has the authority (“jurisdiction’) to hear a legal case for the first time. For instance, family law court has the authority to hear a child custody case, but not to hear a burglary case. Therefore, the family law court has original jurisdiction. This is a distinction from other courts […]
Read moreA memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an agreement between two parties that is not legally binding, but which outlines the responsibilities of each of the parties to the agreement. An MOU is often the first step toward creating a legally binding contract. In the U.S., an MOU can be considered identical to a letter of intent, which is another kind […]
Read morePalimony refers to alimony-like support payments that are made by one unmarried partner to another upon splitting up after having previously lived together. The term “palimony” was actually made famous by the case involving actor Lee Marvin and his long-term partner. Palimony may be paid in monthly payments or as one lump-sum settlement, depending on what the parties to the […]
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