The Law Dictionary for Everyone
The Latin term nolo contendere, better known as “no contest,” is one possible plea to a criminal charge. A “no contest” plea is very similar to a guilty plea. However, the difference here is that a defendant who enters a nolo contendere plea agrees to be convicted and punished for a crime, while not actually admitting that he is guilty. […]
Read moreA non-custodial parent is one who does not have custody of his or her children. While a non-custodial parent may enjoy visitation with the children, and may even be actively involved in their lives, the children do not actually live with the non-custodial parent. This means that a non-custodial parent does not have primary physical custody of his or her […]
Read moreThe term pendente lite is a Latin term that translates to mean “pending the litigation.” For example, pendente lite is used to describe court orders that are put into effect while litigation is still pending, in order to facilitate fair administration of justice. Pendente lite orders are most commonly issued in divorce actions. In divorce actions, pendente lite orders are […]
Read moreThe term legatee refers to any person or entity that receives an inheritance from a will. This would include anyone from long, lost relatives, to a charitable foundation — essentially anyone, or any entity, to whom the person making the will chose to leave his assets. To explore this concept, consider the following legatee definition. Definition of Legatee Pronounced leg-uh-tee […]
Read moreA mortgagee is either a bank or an individual that lends money to a borrower, for the purpose of purchasing or refinancing a home or other real property. By placing a mortgage on the property, the lender ensures that it will receive repayment for the money lent. If those payments are not made by the mortgagor (the borrower), the lender […]
Read moreA mortgage is security for a loan that is given to a borrower who needs the money to purchase or refinance a home. The mortgagor is the borrower who makes payments to the lender, in return for the lender lending him the money. The mortgage is not the act of loaning the money to the borrower, but is the security […]
Read moreThe system of metes and bounds is one used in real estate to describe land or real property based on the physical features of its geography, as well as directions and distances. These features define the boundaries of a select parcel of land, and they may also include references to adjoining parcels of land and their owners. Once the description […]
Read moreWhen a crime is committed with “malice aforethought,” this means that the crime was premeditated, and the perpetrator held malice for the victim. Put another way, malice aforethought can be defined as a crime being planned in advance, with the intention to kill or grievously harm another individual. Originally, proof of malice aforethought was a requirement in certain jurisdictions in […]
Read moreThe Latin term indicia, which means “signs,” or “indications,” is used to refer to the things that point to a thing as true or factual. For instance, a postmark is indicia that a letter was mailed. Indicia do not have to be such official signs of a thing as a postmark, but can be other facts or items that point […]
Read moreA joinder is the act of “joining” several legal issues together in the same lawsuit. A joinder allows for two or more issues to be heard during one hearing or trial, so as to make the process run more smoothly, and to help ensure the outcome is fair for all involved. A joinder also helps the court system in that […]
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