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Most Popular Legal Definitions

ransom

Money paid to have a kidnapped person released.

innocent passage

A term of international maritime law referring to a ship's right to enter and pass through a coastal state's territorial water as long as it is not prejudicial to the peace and order of the coastal state.

appraiser

a professional who makes appraisals of the value of property

administrative law

procedures created by administrative agencies involving rules, regulations, applications, licenses, permits, available information, hearings, appeals and decision-making.

attorney-client privilege

requirement that an attorney may not reveal communications, conversations and letters between himself/ herself and his/her client, under the theory that a person should be able to speak freely and honestly with his/her attorney without fear of future revelation

certificate of deposit (CD)

A document issued by a bank in return for a deposit of money which pays a fixed interest rate for a specified period. Interest rates on CD's are usually higher than savings accounts because banking institutions require a commitment to leave money in the CD for a fixed period of time.

abscond

1) To leave a jurisdiction to avoid being served with legal papers or being arrested. 2) A surprise departure with funds or goods that have been stolen.

cite

1) To make reference to a decision in another case to make a legal point in argument. 2) To give notice of being charged with a minor crime and a date for appearance in court to answer the charge rather than being arrested.

fraudulent conveyance

A transfer of an interest in property done with intent to defeat creditors or others of their just and lawful entitlements.

lex causae

Latin, law of the cause. The law which has precedence, where there is a conflict of laws, to dispose of an action.