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Most Popular Legal Definitions

husband-wife privilege

A special right that married persons have to keep communications between them secret and even inaccessible to a court of law.

confiscate

1)  to take or seize 2) seized or surrendered in response to a penalty or issuance of law

writ

An official court document, signed by a judge or bearing an official court seal, which commands the person to whom it is addressed to do something specific.

surety

A guarantor of payment or performance if another fails to pay or perform, such as a bonding company which posts a bond for a guardian, an administrator or a building contractor.

stay of execution

an order that temporarily holds the execution of a court judgment; either administered for a set time period or until further consideration by the court

occupancy

the act of holding or taking possession

bill of attainder

legislative act which declares a named person guilty of a crime, particularly treason; such bills are prohibited by Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution.

accident

a sudden or unexpected event that occurs without foresight. For example, a car accident

acceleration

1) In a contract or a promissory note, when the payment of debt is moved up to the present time due to some event like non-payment of an installment or sale of the property which secures the debt. 

tax court

A federal agency with courts in major cities which hear taxpayers' appeals from decisions of the Internal Revenue Service.