The Law Dictionary for Everyone
The term misnomer refers to an error made when naming a person, place, or thing. As used in the U.S. legal system, the term misnomer signifies that an incorrect name has been given in a legal pleading, indictment, accusation, or other legal process. A misnomer may also be found in legal contracts or bequests. In most cases, a misnomer involves […]
Read moreAn employee handbook contains information related to a company’s policies and procedures. The company gives its handbook to its employees, generally requiring them to read it completely, to help ensure employees understand the company’s rules, regulations, and benefits. Just what information is contained in an employee handbook varies by the company’s needs, but it should be a useful source of […]
Read moreEviction is a legal process that may be undertaken to remove a tenant from a rental property. This may be done when a landlord has a need to take legal action because the tenant refuses to leave, or in the event a mortgage holder has foreclosed on the property, and wants the tenant out. The majority of evictions are the result of […]
Read moreThe Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was designed by Congress to protect consumers from abusive or unfair practices by creditors and debt collectors. This consumer protection act comes as an amendment to the Consumer Credit Protect Act, and provides people with legal protection from abusive debt collection practices. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was created to encourage honest and […]
Read moreIn the legal system, a brief is a written document advising the court of the legal reasons for the lawsuit or other legal action. The legal grounds for the action must be spelled out according to the party’s reasoning, the facts of the case, and the laws and regulations that apply. In essence, a legal brief makes an argument as […]
Read moreIn framing the U.S. Constitution, the leaders of the time gave certain specific powers to Congress, reserving all other powers to the individual states. This was done in order to ensure the new government would not become an oppressive entity, such as the government they had left behind in England. These men knew, however, that they could not foresee the […]
Read moreThe term et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “et alia,” which means “and others.” Et al. is commonly used in place of a list of names, whether of people or places, when the list would be exhaustive, or is simply not necessary. The most common use of et al. is found in essays, research papers, and legal […]
Read moreThe legal term exculpatory describes evidence in a criminal matter that is favorable to, or tends to absolve, the defendant. This type of evidence may justify or excuse the defendant’s actions, or show that the defendant is not guilty at all. Exculpatory evidence is the opposite of inculpatory evidence, which incriminates the defendant, or proves his guilt. To explore this […]
Read moreEnumerated powers are specific powers granted to Congress by the United States Constitution. The framers of the Constitution wanted to ensure the new federal government would not become an overreaching entity that might subject the people to the oppression from which they had fled. To that end, they listed, in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, the authority over […]
Read moreThe Establishment Clause is found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This cause prohibits the federal government from making any law regarding the establishment of, or freedom to practice religion. In simple terms, the Establishment Clause prohibits the United States government from establishing an official religion, as well as from taking any actions that favor one religion over […]
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