Your Free Online Legal Dictionary • Featuring Black’s Law Dictionary, 2nd Ed.
If you’re facing litigation, you may be wondering, What is discovery in law? The term ‘discovery‘ refers to the lengthy, often-invasive pre-trial investigation phase in which parties request evidence from each other
It’s a common belief that legal disputes are resolved within the four walls of a courtroom. In truth, most disputes are settled before a judge or jury is asked to decide a
There are many reasons why someone may want to sue a company, whether that is for a breach of contract, an injury, or another wrongdoing on the business’ behalf. The people that
Unfortunately, defamation of character claims are extremely difficult to prove in the court. As the plaintiff (the accusing), the burden of proof falls on you to prove the defendant (the accused) did
Damages are extremely common in personal injury lawsuits. Many people tend to think of damages in terms of compensatory damages, which literally compensate the plaintiff for the loss she or he has
The law generally makes each person responsible for his or her actions. If the car you are driving crashes into another vehicle because you were not paying attention, the law makes you
In the world of civil litigation, damages are the monetary amount a court can award a plaintiff. Damages are meant to compensate for such things as injury, property damage, medical bills, lost
A Good Samaritan is somebody who offers help to a person in need. Ensuring that Good Samaritans are protected from liability claims or legal actions as a result of their assistance is
“No fee if no recovery” is a phrase used by countless attorneys—particularly personal injury attorneys—in advertisements that are designed to attract new clients. While the phrase has proven popular, misconceptions about what
Losing a case is never fun and most litigation lawyers will lose a case at some point in their careers. For lawyers who work in personal injury law, a lost case is
Most courts in the United States are either civil or criminal. In criminal courts, people who have been accused of breaking a law are tried. Civil courts are where a plaintiff may
Mental abuse is sometimes called psychological abuse or emotional abuse. When mental abuse occurs, it’s usually an indication of a power imbalance. This imbalance manifests itself not physically, but psychologically. A person
Most lawsuits that are filed never end up going to trial. Frequently, this is because the matter is settled between the parties before the trial date is reached. A settlement conference is
The United States government has established guidelines and requirements for bathroom facilities in order to protect the rights of the disabled. Imagine if you were in a wheelchair and needed to use
A request for continuance in a legal setting is a request that court proceedings be postponed until a later date. Writing this request involves explaining your reasoning for needing a continuance as
A cease and desist letter is a legal vehicle used before and for the purpose of avoiding having to file a lawsuit. It details the slander and libel and informs the accused
If you’ve ever thought about slander, you probably think of celebrities in the limelight. You might think of tabloids, press conferences, and talk shows, but slander is not at all exclusive to
A negligence lawsuit is a civil lawsuit that filed against a person or a legal party that failed to use reasonable caution and caused damage to a victim while providing care or
If you’re on either side of a pending lawsuit, you may be nervous about the prospect of going to trial. If you’re like most Americans, you’ve probably never been directly involved in