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T
Legal definitions for terms and concepts beginning with T

Ta'azir
Muslim law: discretionary and corrective punishments for minor crimes.
Expanded Legal Definition of Ta'azir
Taft-Hartley
The name of an American federal labor law which was passed in 1947, and which sought to equalize legal responsibilities of labor organizations and employers; ie. balance the Wagner Act, which, it was felt, may have gone to far in protecting union rights.
Expanded Legal Definition of Taft-Hartley
Take-Down Lights
Bright police cruise lights directed at a person while shadowing the cruiser occupants.
Expanded Legal Definition of Take-Down Lights
Take From The Table
A term of parliamentary law and procedure that revives a motion that had been, previously tabled.
Expanded Legal Definition of Take From The Table
Talaq
Muslim law: The right given to a Muslim man to divorce his wife by mere unequivocal statement.
Expanded Legal Definition of Talaq
Tamper
To interfere improperly or in violation of the law such as to tamper with a document.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tamper
Tax
A payment to a public authority, required by statute, for a public purpose.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tax
Tax Amnesty
An opportunity afforded to a tax payer to rectify errors or omissions in past tax years or returns.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tax Amnesty
Tax Avoidance
To avoid taxes by arranging one's affairs so as not to incur tax.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tax Avoidance
Tax Evasion
A prohibited or illegal act or omission which is designed to reduce a person’s tax liability.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tax Evasion
Temporal Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction of a state or of a court of law over a legal action as it may be afected by the effects or passage of time.
Expanded Legal Definition of Temporal Jurisdiction
Tenancy
A contract by which the owner of real property (the landlord), grants exclusive possession of that real property to another person (tenant), in exchange for the tenant's periodic payment of some sum of money (rent).
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenancy
Tenancy By The Entireties
A form of common law co-ownership where, when real property was transferred to a husband and a wife, the property could not be seized or sold unless both spouses agreed or by ending the marriage.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenancy By The Entireties
Tenant
A person to whom a landlord grants temporary and exclusive use of land or a part of a building, usually in exchange for rent.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenant
Tenants In Common
Share a specified proportion of ownership rights in real property and upon the death of a tenant in common, that share is transferred to the estate of the deceased tenant.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenants In Common
Tender
An unconditional offer of a party to a contract to perform their part of the bargain.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tender
Tenement
Property that could be subject to easements.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenement
Tenendum
Latin: to be held. In law, that part of a contract in which an interest in real property is created that sets out the extent or limitations of that interest.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenendum
Tenure
A right of holding or occupying land or a position for a certain amount of time.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tenure
Terminal Year
A portion of a calendar year from and including January 1 to a person's date of death.
Expanded Legal Definition of Terminal Year
Terrorism
Violence against civilians intended to intimidate a population or a government from taking or abstaining from an act.
Expanded Legal Definition of Terrorism
Testamentary Capacity
The legal ability to sign a will.
Expanded Legal Definition of Testamentary Capacity
Testamentary Trust
A trust created by a will and which takes effect upon the death of the testator.
Expanded Legal Definition of Testamentary Trust
Testator
The signatory of a valid will.
Expanded Legal Definition of Testator
Testimony
The oral evidence of a witness in a judicial proceeding, such as a trial.
Expanded Legal Definition of Testimony
Theft
To steal an item of property.
Expanded Legal Definition of Theft
Theocracy
A form of government which defers not to civil development of law, but to an interpretation of the will of a God as set out in religious scripture and authorities.
Expanded Legal Definition of Theocracy
Thin Skull Rule
An additional exposure in tort liability towards persons who are particularly vulnerable or more fragile than the norm, who may have inherent weaknesses or a pre-existing vulnerability or condition; the tort-feasor takes his victim as he finds them; he compensates for all damages he caused, even if damages are elevated compared to a norm because the plaintiff was thin skulled.
Expanded Legal Definition of Thin Skull Rule
Third Party
A person who is not privy to a contract or a party in a lawsuit.
Expanded Legal Definition of Third Party
Third Party Claim
A claim made by a defendant within existing legal proceedings seeking to enjoin a person not party to the original action, to enforce a related duty.
Expanded Legal Definition of Third Party Claim
Tidal Waters
Bodies of water within a state's territorial waters and that are subject to the ebb and flow of ordinary tides, whether navigable or not, and usually excluding harbors or lakes.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tidal Waters
Time-Bar Clause
A clause in a contract which sets a strict deadline within which either party may bring a dispute to either a court or to arbitration.
Expanded Legal Definition of Time-Bar Clause
Time of the Essence
A contractual term requiring performance within a specified time.
Expanded Legal Definition of Time of the Essence
Tonnage
The carrying capacity of a ship measured in tons.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tonnage
Tontine
An arrangement very similar to joint tenancy, between several people whereby they all, initially, share the profits from some investment but once only one of the initial investors survives, said investment accruing fully to the last survivor.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tontine
Torah
A primary source of Jewish law including the Old Testament of the Bible and subsequent interpretations thereof.
Expanded Legal Definition of Torah
Torrens Land Registration System
A land registration system invented by Robert Torrens and in which the government is the keeper of the master record of all land and their owners.
Expanded Legal Definition of Torrens Land Registration System
Tort
The body of the law which allows an injured person to obtain compensation from the person who caused the injury.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tort
Tort-Feasor
The person(s) who has committed a tort.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tort-Feasor
Torture
The intentional infliction of pain or suffering on an animal or a person and as for the latter, even if for the purpose of obtaining information such as a confession or the names of accomplices, or as a punishment for crime.
Expanded Legal Definition of Torture
Towage
The assistance given by one vessel to accelerate the progress of another.
Expanded Legal Definition of Towage
Toxicologist
An expert in the science of toxicology, the study of the adverse effects of chemical, physical or biological agents.
Expanded Legal Definition of Toxicologist
Tracing
A process of identifying the substitute of an original asset claimed by the plaintiff.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tracing
Trade Fixtures
Fixtures created during the course of a commercial lease and which revert to the tenant at the end of the lease if removable without damage.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trade Fixtures
Trade Libel
Defamatory statements made in regards to the quality of a business' product(s) or services.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trade Libel
Trademark
A word, name, logo or slogan used by a person selling goods or services to distinguish and identify their goods or services from those of another.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trademark
Trade Secret
Unique and discreet commercial information.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trade Secret
Trade Union
A defined group of employees formed for the purposes of representing those employees with the employer as to the terms of a collective contract of employment.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trade Union
Trafficking
The selling or involvement in commercial activity of something for which commercial activity is unlawful
Expanded Legal Definition of Trafficking
Traffic Ticket
A written notice to a driver of a suspected violation of traffic law, and specifics thereof.
Expanded Legal Definition of Traffic Ticket
Transcript
An official direct and verbatim written record of what was said, as in a court of law or other judicial proceedings, or even private conversations.
Expanded Legal Definition of Transcript
Transferee
A person who receives property being transferred (the person from whom the property is moving is the transferor).
Expanded Legal Definition of Transferee
Transferor
The person from whom title or ownership to property moves; who effects the transfer; he/she who transfers title (eg. sells their home or other property); usually synonymous with vendor or seller.
Expanded Legal Definition of Transferor
Transit In Rem Judicatam
The cause of action is changed into matter of record, which is of a higher nature, and the inferior remedy is merged in the higher.
Expanded Legal Definition of Transit In Rem Judicatam
Transmutation
The conversion of a separate property asset into marital property intentionally or by virtue of words and actions during marriage.
Expanded Legal Definition of Transmutation
Traverse
To deny an allegation or the validity of an office or of some other official act.
Expanded Legal Definition of Traverse
Treason
To aid or enlist with a state enemy or to attempt or conspire to harm the head of state, such as a king, queen or president.
Expanded Legal Definition of Treason
Treaty
A formal agreement between two states signed by official representatives of each state.
Expanded Legal Definition of Treaty
Trespass
Unlawful interference with another’s person, property or rights.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trespass
Triage
To sort or choose, especially as a process used to determine the urgency or need for emergency care based on a preliminary assessment or observation.
Expanded Legal Definition of Triage
Trial
The resolution of a dispute by examination of evidence submitted by opposing litigants by a tribunal or Court of law, and determination of (1) guilt (in a criminal trial) or (2) of a civil dispute of fact or law.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trial
Trial by Battle
An ancient dispute resolution method where those in dispute would fight one another until submission or death.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trial by Battle
Trial by Ordeal
The trial of a criminal or civil action, in medieval England, by torture or drowning.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trial by Ordeal
Trinoda Necessitas
Latin: three necessities owed all common law landowners to the kingdom.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trinoda Necessitas
Trite Law
A principle of law so notorious and entrenched that it is commonly known and rarely disputed.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trite Law
Trover
An old English and common law legal proceeding against a person who had found someone else’s property and has converted that property to their own purposes.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trover
Truancy
The willful and unjustified absence of a child from school.
Expanded Legal Definition of Truancy
Trust
A legal obligation with respect to property given by a person (donor) to another (trustee) to the advantage of a beneficiary
Expanded Legal Definition of Trust
Trustee
A person who holds property rights for the benefit of another.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trustee
Trustee De Son Tort
A person who is not a regularly appointed trustee but because of interference with the trust can be held by a court as constructive trustee which entails liability for losses to the trust.
Expanded Legal Definition of Trustee De Son Tort
Tyranny
A form of government other than a monarchy in which the formal written constitution is not adhered to and is broken by force of arms by a single person who then undertakes to rule as a monarch and primarily in his personal interests.
Expanded Legal Definition of Tyranny

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Unless otherwise noted, this article was written by Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. In addition, the law changes rapidly and sometimes with little notice so from time to time, an article may not be up to date. Therefore, this is merely legal information designed to educate the reader. If you have a real situation, this information will serve as a good springboard to get legal advice from a lawyer.

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