Legal glossary
Plain-language definitions of common legal terms. This is general information, not legal advice — for your situation, consult a licensed attorney.
No matching terms.
A
- affidavit
- A written statement of facts sworn to be true, used as evidence in court.
- appeal
- Asking a higher court to review and change the decision of a lower court. Also: appellant, appellee
- arbitration
- A private way to settle a dispute where a neutral arbitrator, rather than a court, makes a binding decision.
B
- breach of contract
- Failing to do what a contract requires, without a legal excuse. Also: breach
- burden of proof
- The duty of a party to prove its case; who must prove what, and to what standard.
C
- class action
- A lawsuit brought by one or more people on behalf of a larger group with the same claim.
- consideration
- Something of value (money, a promise, an action) each side gives up to make a contract legally binding.
- contingency fee
- A fee arrangement where a lawyer is paid a share of what you recover, and usually nothing if you lose. Also: no-win-no-fee
D
- damages
- Money a court orders one party to pay another to make up for a loss or injury.
- default judgment
- A decision the court gives in your favour because the other side failed to respond or appear.
- defendant
- The person or party being sued or accused in a legal case.
- deposition
- Sworn, out-of-court testimony recorded before trial, used to gather evidence and preserve what a witness says.
- discovery
- The pre-trial stage where each side must exchange relevant documents and information about the case.
- due process
- The fair procedures the government must follow before taking away someone's life, liberty, or property.
E
- estoppel
- A legal rule that stops someone from going back on a promise or statement when another person reasonably relied on it.
- executor
- The person named in a will to carry out its instructions and manage the estate. Also: executrix
F
- force majeure
- A contract clause excusing a party from its obligations when extraordinary events beyond its control prevent performance.
G
- garnishment
- A court-ordered method of collecting a debt by taking money directly from wages or a bank account. Also: garnish, wage-garnishment
H
- hearsay
- An out-of-court statement offered to prove what it claims; it is often not allowed as evidence, with many exceptions.
I
- indemnity
- A promise by one party to cover another's loss, cost, or liability in defined situations. Also: indemnify, indemnification
- injunction
- A court order requiring someone to do, or stop doing, a specific act.
- intestate
- Dying without a valid will, so the law's default rules decide who inherits. Also: intestacy
J
- jurisdiction
- A court's authority to hear a case, often based on location or subject matter.
L
- liability
- Legal responsibility for something — for a debt, a harm, or a breach of duty. Also: liable
- lien
- A legal claim over property as security for a debt, which can prevent its sale until the debt is paid.
- litigation
- The process of taking a dispute through the courts, from filing a claim to a final decision.
M
- mediation
- A process where a neutral mediator helps the parties reach their own agreement; unlike arbitration, the mediator does not impose a decision.
N
- negligence
- Failing to take reasonable care, causing harm to someone you owed a duty of care to.
P
- perjury
- Deliberately lying under oath, which is itself a criminal offence.
- plaintiff
- The person or party who starts a lawsuit by filing a claim against someone else. Also: claimant
- power of attorney
- A legal document letting someone act on your behalf, for example on financial or health decisions.
- precedent
- An earlier court decision that guides or binds how similar later cases are decided.
- probate
- The legal process of proving a will is valid and administering a deceased person's estate.
R
- retainer
- An up-front payment to secure a lawyer's services, often drawn down as work is done.
S
- settlement
- An agreement that resolves a dispute without a final court decision, often involving a payment or other terms.
- statute
- A written law passed by a legislature, as opposed to law developed through court decisions. Also: statutory
- statute of limitations
- The deadline for starting a legal case; after it passes, the claim is usually barred. Also: limitation-period
- subpoena
- A formal order requiring someone to give testimony or produce documents.
T
- tort
- A wrongful act (other than a breach of contract) that causes harm, giving the injured person the right to sue — for example, negligence or defamation. Also: torts
W
- warranty
- A promise about the quality or performance of something, which can be enforced if broken. Also: warranties