A Legal definitions for terms and concepts beginning with A Anton Piller Order A court order allowing a party to litigation to enter the premises of another to search for and, if found, remove specified documents or items. Apartheid A system of racial segregation or discrimination previously in force in South Africa. Apostacy The ancient criminal offence of atheism or not being Christian, or of denying the doctrines of a state religion. Appeal To ask a more senior court or person to review a decision of a subordinate court or person. Appearance The act of showing up in court as either plaintiff, defendant, accused or any other party to a civil or criminal suit. Appellant The person who initiates an appeal of a judicial body's decision. Apportionment The division and distribution of something into proportionate parts; to each according to their share. Appraisal The informed and objective inspection and estimation of a thing's worth. Appraisement The inspection and appraisal or valuation of property, especially vessels, such as by a court-appointed surveyor, before its judicial sale, thus allowing the court to make an informed decision as to whether the judicial sale price is fair to the parties, particularly where there are competing claims for the proceeds of sale. Appurtenance Something that, although detached, stands as part of another thing. Arbiter An alternate term for arbitrator; preferred in some jurisdictions such as Scotland. Arbitration An agreement to submit a dispute for a hearing and binding decision by a third-party, an arbitrator(s), who is neither a judge or a Court Arbitration Act A statute that sets out default terms for the conduct of arbitration between parties to a dispute. Arbitration Agreement A contract between two or more parties to refer a dispute to arbitration. Arbitration Clause A clause in a contract which requires a party to refer a dispute to arbitration. Arbitration Rules The rules of procedure that govern a particular arbitration. Arbitrator The adjudicating and presiding officer of a dispute submitted to arbitration. Arbuckle Rights The right of an accused to be sentenced by the judge who took his guilty plea. Armchair Rule A rule of interpretation that a judge, called upon to interpret an otherwise unclear legal document, shall take into account the circumstances in which the document was created. Armed Robbery Robbery committed while the person accused is armed with a dangerous weapon. Arm's Length A transaction or relationship where there is an absence of control the one over the other. Arraignment The formal appearance of an accused person to hear, and to receive a copy of, the charge against him or her, in the presence of a judge, and to then enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Arrears A debt that is not paid on the due date adds up and accumulates in arrears. Arrest The detainment or restraint of a person or thing for the purposes of determining legal rights as regards a thing, or suspicion of criminal activity as regards a person. Arrestment Scots law: the seizure of monies owned by a debtor but held by a third-party. Arson The intentional setting of a fire to a building. As Is That a product is sold in the condition in which it then exists. Assassination The targeted, covert killing of an individual without legal process and usually for reasons of, though not necessarily limited to, political or military expediency. Assault The touching of another person with an intent to harm, without that person's consent. Asset A thing of value. Assign To sell, give or otherwise transfer some legal right or responsibility to another. Assisted Suicide An attempt to take one's own life with the intentional assistance of another person. Association A form of organizational structure which is institutionally operated on a cost recovery basis, for which incorporation is extended by the government or, in some jurisdictions, as an unincorporated association of individuals, for a set of purposes set out in statute such as religious, scientific, social, literary, educational, recreational or benevolent purposes, and generally operated as nearly as possible at cost. Assumpsit Medieval era action for breach of contract. Asylum A secure place of refuge. Asylum Shopping The practise by an individual given asylum by one state as a refugee, to then use that status to attempt to migrate to another country. Athens Passenger Convention Formally, the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (PAL), 1974, an international treaty which establishes a regime of liability for damage suffered by passengers carried on a seagoing vessel. Attorney An alternate word for lawyers or barrister and solicitor, used mostly in the USA. Attorn or Attornment To consent, implicitly or explicitly, to a transfer of a right. Audi Alteram Partem Latin; literally 'hear the other side'. Audiovisual Work Serial images, with or without sound, intended to be shown by the use of projectors, viewers, or electronic equipment, regardless of the nature of the material in which the works are embodied. Audita Querela An application to a court after judgment seeking to avoid execution of that judgment because of some event intervening between judgment and execution which compromises the judgment creditor's entitlement to execution. Auditor A private person who examine, inspects or verifies the accounts of another. Authentic Act Civil law: a contract or other legal document which has been properly prepared or authenticated by a court officer, such as a notary, and thereafter given enhanced evidentiary status of its authenticity. Automatic Stay In bankruptcy law; a stay of collection and other similar debt enforcement proceedings against a bankrupt. Automatism An act done by a person who is not conscious of what he is doing. Autopsy The post-mortem dissection and examination of an individual to determine the cause of death. Autrefois Acquit Previously acquitted; an accused cannot be tried for a crime because the record shows he has already been subjected to trial for the same conduct and was acquitted. Averment Pleadings; official allegations of fact made by a party to a lawsuit. A Vinculo Matrimonii Latin: of marriage. Page1 (Ab - Ac) | Page2 (Ac - Ai) | Page3 (Ai - An) | Page4 (An - A ) | Page5 (Av - Aw) 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!