The Law Dictionary for Everyone
The term “pro tempore” is a term that is used to describe an individual who is acting locum tenens, or as a placeholder of sorts, when a superior is not present. Pro tempore translates to “for the time being,” which describes the length of time during which an individual acts in a particular role. For example, pro tempore senate presidents […]
Read moreSince the dawn of the digital age, most of the world has become incredibly reliant on technology. As a result, it has become commonplace for people and businesses to interact online instead of in person. Though incredibly convenient, these interactions leave electronic footprints. When this electronically-stored information becomes relevant to a civil or criminal lawsuit, an e-discovery professional helps identify, […]
Read moreThe term “interlocutory” is used to describe something that is decided while a case is still ongoing. Over the course of a court case, issues may come up that need to be dealt with, but that do not resolve the case entirely. For example, interlocutory orders may be issued to decide more immediate issues, like custody and visitation, while a […]
Read moreThe term “treble damages” is used to describe the court’s ability to award three times the damages in certain cases. For example, treble damages are triple the damages that a court would normally award in a similar case. However, in some cases, treble damages are awarded in addition to the other damages awarded to the Plaintiff in the case. To […]
Read moreThe term “child endangerment” is used to describe an act, or the failure to perform an act, that puts a child’s safety in danger. Examples of child endangerment can include any threats to a child’s physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing. Child abuse that is the result of child endangerment is typically charged as a misdemeanor, though abuse that results in […]
Read moreThe term “emotional distress” is used to describe a claim that a person has suffered emotional trauma as the result of another person’s actions. Examples of emotional distress can include severe anxiety or anger. In certain cases, such as those pertaining to sexual harassment, the only consequence that a court can legally recognize and award damages for is emotional distress. […]
Read moreThe term “consent decree” is used to describe a formal agreement that resolves a dispute between parties without attributing blame to the parties. For example, a consent decree is signed without either party admitting to guilt in a criminal matter, or liability in a civil matter. The majority of settlement agreements in civil cases in the U. S. are consent […]
Read moreAnother word for the term “decree” is “judgment.” What this means is that a decree, in the field of law, refers to an official order that is created and handed down by an authority figure, typically a judge. A decree can be issued in any legal matter, though two of the more common ones are divorce decrees and adoption decrees. […]
Read moreThe term de facto translates to mean “in fact.” In the world of law, if something is de facto, that means it exists in fact, even if not legally recognized. For example, de facto corporations may have failed to file all of the necessary paperwork to be legally recognized as corporations, yet have behaved in such a way as to […]
Read moreThe term “inference” is used to describe the conclusion a person comes to after evaluating all of the evidence before him. In the legal sense, an inference is made after evidence is presented that proves a “fact” to be true. Another term for an inference is “deductive reasoning.” To explore this concept, consider the following inference definition. Definition of Inference […]
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