Legal dictionary
Available entries: 385 entries
Entries: 385
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Mutually exclusive
Of or pertaining to a situation involving two or more events or possibilities in which the occurrence of one precludes the occurrence of the other. Both outcomes cannot be true at the same time. For example, the outcome of a single coin toss can result in either heads or tails, but not both. Legal dictionary
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Natural justice
Refers to the rule against bias and the right to a fair hearing. While the term is often used as a general concept, it has been largely replaced and extended by the general duty to act fairly. Legal dictionary
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Negligence
The failure to do something which a reasonable person would do in a particular situation, or doing something which a reasonable and prudent person would not do in similar circumstances. If an injured person proves that another person acted negligently and caused their injury, they can recover damages to compensate for their injury. Legal dictionary
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Notary public
A public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters. A notary’s main function is to attest and certify, by his/her hand and official seal, certain classes of documents, in order to give them authenticity in government authorities, foreign jurisdictions, etc. Legal dictionary
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Null and void
Having no legal force or binding effect; unable in law to support the purpose for which it was intended. If a contract is null and void from the beginning because it seriously offends the law or public policy it is said to be void ab initio. Legal dictionary
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Oath
Either a statement of fact or a promise, usually made by a person while holding a sacred book in his or her right hand, that a person will tell the truth. For those who conscientiously object to making a sacred oath, an affirmation is given instead. Legal dictionary
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Obligation
The term that describes a duty that is enforced by a court and where non-fulfilment may incur a penalty. Legal dictionary
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Offer
A demonstration of the willingness of a party to enter into a bargain, made in such a way that another individual is justified in understanding that his or her assent to the bargain is invited and that such assent will conclude the bargain. The general rule is that it must be reasonable in the circumstances for the recipient to believe that the communication is an offer. The more definite the communication, the more likely it will constitute an offer. Legal dictionary
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Paralegal
A person who is not a qualified or licensed lawyer but has some knowledge that enables such person to assist lawyers in a number of tasks. A paralegal usually acts as an enhancement of a lawyer performing specifically delegated legal work for which a lawyer is ultimately responsible. In order to become a paralegal, it is generally necessary to go through a training and/or take some classes in law. In most jurisdictions, paralegals are not allowed to provide legal services directly to the public on their own and must work under an attorney or law firm. Legal dictionary
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Passing off
A common law tort that prevents one person from misrepresenting his or her goods or services as being the goods or services of the claimant, and also prevents one person from holding out his or her goods or services as having some association or connection with the claimant when it is not true. A cause of action for passing off is a form of intellectual property enforcement against the unauthorised use of a trademark which is considered to be similar to another party’s registered or unregistered trademark, particularly where an action for trademark infringement based on a registered trademark is unlikely to be successful (due to the differences between the registered trademark and the unregistered trademark). Legal dictionary
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Patent
A set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor for a limited period of time (usually twenty years) in exchange for detailed public disclosure of an invention. Usually patents constitute four different classes: machine (a device or apparatus for the performance of a specific task); process; manufacture (any fabricated or manufactured product); or the composition of matter (a chemical mixture or compound). Legal dictionary
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Paternity
The legal or biological relationship between a child and his or her biological father. Paternity law deals with the rights and obligations of both the biological or natural father and the child to each other as well as to others. A child’s paternity may be relevant to issues of legitimacy, inheritance and rights to a putative father’s title or surname, as well as the biological father’s rights to access and obligations for child support. Legal dictionary
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Penal code
Otherwise known as a criminal code, is a document which compiles all, or a significant amount of, a particular jurisdiction’s criminal law. Typically, it will contain offences which are recognised in the jurisdiction, penalties which might be imposed for those offences and some general provisions (such as definitions and prohibitions on retroactive prosecution). Legal dictionary
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Perjury
The intentional act of swearing a false oath, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding. Contrary to the popular misconception, no crime has occurred when the false statement is made under oath. Criminal culpability only attaches at the instant the false statement has a material outcome to the proceedings. For example, it is not perjury to lie under oath in court about your age, except where your age is material in influencing the outcome of the proceedings. Legal dictionary
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Persona non grata
Literally means ‘an unwelcome person’, and refers to a foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular country is prohibited by that country’s government. It is the most serious form of censure which a country can apply to foreign diplomats, who are otherwise protected by diplomatic immunity from arrest and prosecution. Legal dictionary
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