Legal terms and concepts painstakingly researched and written in plain language. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Topics Aboriginal Law Dictionary Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Law Dictionary Ancient Common Law Dictionary Bankruptcy Law Dictionary Church, Religion & Canon Law Dictionary Civil Law Dictionary Civil Litigation Law Dictionary Company & Associations Law Dictionary Constitutional, Human Rights & Administrative Law Dictionary Consumer Law Dictionary Contract Law Dictionary Criminal Law Dictionary Employment Law Dictionary Environmental Law Dictionary Family Law Dictionary Immigration Law Dictionary Insurance Law Dictionary Intellectual Property and Internet Law Dictionary International Law Dictionary Interpretation of Statutes and Contracts Law Dictionary Latin Law Dictionary Legal Citations and Abbreviations Maritime Law Dictionary Medical-Legal Dictionary Military Law Dictionary Muslim Law Dictionary Real Estate and Tenancy Law Dictionary School Law Dictionary Scots Law Dictionary Tax Law Dictionary Tort and Personal Injury Law Dictionary Traffic Law Dictionary Trusts, Wills, Estates and Probate Law Dictionary Introduction "The dictionary definition of a term is frequently the mere air of the music which the accused has attempted to execute with variations. Frequently, too, the variations are so luxuriant and ingenious that the air is much disguised, and to hum it over from the bench is but little assistance to the jury in following the real performance. "It is somewhat easier for an offender to baffle the dictionary than the penal code, for the former is perplexed with verbal niceties and shades of meaning, while the later grasps in a broad, practical way at the substantial transactions of men." Oh, c'mon Justice Beckley of the Supreme Court of Georgia in Minors v Georgia (1879 Ga. 318) - stop spoiling all the fun! Ain't no-one gonna mess with dem dar legal words 'round dese here parts. The law is often esoteric, eccentric and remote. From time to time, there are movements to simplify the law, usually under the byword of "plain language". However, the task is daunting and likely impracticable given the depth and breadth the law has taken. At the same time, ignorance of the meaning of a legal word can have grave or very expensive consequences. Duhaime's Legal Dictionary is designed to offer one-stop shopping to all of us who occasionally need to know what a certain legal word means, because our rights stand to be affected by a reference to it, or because of employment or academic research requirements. As a lawyer, I write to my professional standards; I want each definition to be lawyer-ready. This has to be the lawyer's go-to place if she/he's in Court and the judge throws a Rule against perpetuities out there. Still, all definitions are easy to read and all have been painstakingly researched and written in plain language. In most cases, the definition contains samples of the word used in a law or how it may have been described or used in a law book or a case. Where available or known to the author, links are provided allowing the reader to go directly to the cited case. We are humbled by the response to the Law Dictionary since it was launched in 1995. Hundreds of other web sites link to it including universities, government departments and libraries. It has also received judicial sanction. Constantly looking for a better product, we believe that this is the best online law dictionary in the world and we want to keep it that way. Lloyd Duhaime, July 8, 2011 Psst! If you're looking for Legal Citations, click here! Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!