Glossary of Legal Terms Beginning with u

u: Legal definitions for terms and concepts beginning with u

Uberrimae Fidei: Latin: of the utmost good faith.
Ubi Jus Ibi Remedium: Latin: For every wrong, the law provides a remedy.
UIFSA: The American uniform child and spousal support legislation, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act already adopted and implemented by most states.
Ultrahazardous Activity: Activities that can cause injury to others, even when conducted with the greatest prudence and care.
Ultra Petita: Latin: beyond that which is sought.
Ultra Vires: Latin: without authority.
Umpire: Another word for an arbitrator or an arbitrator appointed to resolve an arbitration when the original arbitrators cannot agree.
UNCITRAL: Acronym of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law; also known in law as the abbreviation in reference to arbitration rules and laws published by that agency.
Unconscionable: A bargain or contract which is clearly unfair, exorbitant, harsh, contrary to common sense or good conscience.
Underground Stream: Waters that flow underground within a reasonably water that passes through or under the surface in an ascertainable channel.
Under Protest: A qualification made to a legal action taken by a person that the action is contrary to the intent or desire of the person making the protest.
Undue Hardship: Special or specified circumstances that partially or fully exempt a person from performance of a legal obligation so as to avoid an unreasonable or disproportionate burden or obstacle.
Undue Influence: The unconscientious use by one person of his/her power over another in order to induce the other to compromise a property right.
Unfair Dismissal: A dismissal of an employee in the absence of a substantial reason.
Unfavourable Witness: When a witness called by a party merely gives unfavorable answers to questions posed during examination in chief, that party may not cross examine the witness but may still lead evidence in contradiction.
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.
United Kingdom: England and Wales with Scotland (forming Great Britain), and Northern Ireland.
United States Code: Codified collection of federal legislation in the United States.
Unitrust: A trust which in the distribution of benefits from time to time to the beneficiary, pools capital and income, and does not otherwise distinguish between the capital of the trust and the income of the trust for the purposes of establishing interim payments to a beneficiary.
Unjust Enrichment: Benefiting from the action or property of another without legal justification.
Unlawful Assembly: Three or more persons together holding the intent to commit a crime or to otherwise disturb the peace.
Unnatural Will: A will which differs from what might of been otherwise expected of a testator such as a large gift to a stranger, or the exclusion of his children from his estate.
URESA: Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act of the United States, as created in 1950 by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.
Urology: Specialty in medicine that deals with the male and female urinary tracts and the male genitalia.
Use: Latin: trust.
Usufruct: The rights to the product of another's property.
Usury: Excessive or illegal interest rate.
Uterine: Related to the uterus or, in estate law, siblings issue of a common mother.
Uzi Machine Gun: A sub-machine gun using a blowback mechanism with a bolt that wraps around the end of the barrel, and empty cases ejected through slots in the body.

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