Sanction: To sanction can mean to ratify or to approve but it can also mean to punish. The sanction of a crime refers to the actual punishment, usually expressed as a fine or jail term. See the complete Legal Definition of Sanction
Sanctuary: A special criminal law option available in Medieval times to persons who had just committed a crime, allowing them to seek refuge in a church or monastery. See the complete Legal Definition of Sanctuary
Scienter: Latin: actual or guilty knowledge; knowingly. See the complete Legal Definition of Scienter
Search Warrant: A court order that gives a police the permission to enter private property and to search for evidence of the commission of a crime, for the proceeds of crime or property that the police suspect may be used to commit a crime. See the complete Legal Definition of Search Warrant
Seisin: The legal possession of property. See the complete Legal Definition of Seisin
Sentence: The judgment given to a person who has been convicted (i.e. found to be guilty) of a crime. See the complete Legal Definition of Sentence
Sequestration: The taking of someones property, voluntarily (by deposit) or involuntarily (by seizure), by court officers or into the possession of a third party, awaiting the outcome of a trial in which ownership of that property is at issue. See the complete Legal Definition of Sequestration
Servient Tenement: The land which suffers or has the burden of an easement. See the complete Legal Definition of Servient Tenement
Servitude: From Roman law and now a feature of civil law; equivalent to ther common law's easement: access rights over the property of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Servitude
Settlor: The person who actually creates a trust by donating property to be managed and administered by a trustee but from which all profits would go to a beneficiary. See the complete Legal Definition of Settlor
Sexual Harassment: A term used in human rights legislation and referring primarily to harassment in employment situations, related to sex or gender, which detrimentally affects the working environment. See the complete Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment
Sexual Intercourse: Penetration by the penis of a woman's labia. See the complete Legal Definition of Sexual Intercourse
Share: A portion of a for-profit corporation bought by cash. See the complete Legal Definition of Share
Shareholder agreement: A contract between the shareholders of the company and the company itself, in which certain things which would otherwise be the purview of the board of directors, are predetermined. See the complete Legal Definition of Shareholder agreement
Silent Partner: A person who invests in a company or partnership but does not take part in administering or directing the organization; he or she just shares in the profits or losses. See the complete Legal Definition of Silent Partner
Sine Die: Adjourned indefinitely - without setting any future date of meeting or hearing. See the complete Legal Definition of Sine Die
Slander: Verbal or spoken defamation. See the complete Legal Definition of Slander
Slander of Title: Intentionally casting aspersion on someones property including real property, a business or goods (the latter might also be called slander of goods). See the complete Legal Definition of Slander of Title
Slavery: When a person (called master) has absolute power over another (called slave) including life and liberty. See the complete Legal Definition of Slavery
Small Claims: A regular court but which has simplified rules of procedure and process to deal with claims of a lesser value. See the complete Legal Definition of Small Claims
Socage: A term of the feudal land ownership system which referred to the tenure which was exchanged for certain goods or services which were not military in nature. See the complete Legal Definition of Socage
Sodomy: Synonymous with buggery and referring to unnatural sex acts, including copulation, either between two persons of the same sex or between a person and an animal (the latter act is known as bestiality). See the complete Legal Definition of Sodomy
Solicitor: A lawyer that restricts his or her practice to the giving of legal advice and preparation of formal legal documents, and does not normally litigate. See the complete Legal Definition of Solicitor
Sovereign: Has two meanings. The first one is a technical word for the monarch (king or queen) of a particular country as in the Sovereign of England is Queen Elizabeth. The other meaning of the word is to describe the supreme legislative powers of a state: that they are totally independent and free from any outside political control or authority over their decisions. See the complete Legal Definition of Sovereign
Split Custody: A child custody decision which results in the splitting up of the children; that legal custody of one or more of the children is with the father, and that of one or more of the other children are with the mother. See the complete Legal Definition of Split Custody
Standing Committee: A term of parliamentary law which refers to those committees which have a continued existence; that are not related to the accomplishment of a specific, once-only task as are ad hoc or special committees. See the complete Legal Definition of Standing Committee
Stare Decisis: Latin: stay with what has been decided. See the complete Legal Definition of Stare Decisis
State: Groups of people which have acquired international recognition as an independent country and which have a population, a common language and a defined and distinct territory. See the complete Legal Definition of State
Statutes: The written laws approved by legislatures, parliaments or elected or appointed houses of assembly. See the complete Legal Definition of Statutes
Statutory Rape: A statutory definition of rape which allows for conviction regardless of the consent, such as with a minor. See the complete Legal Definition of Statutory Rape
Statutory Trust: A trust created by the effect of a statute. See the complete Legal Definition of Statutory Trust
Stirpes: Latin: the offspring of a person; his or her descendants. See the complete Legal Definition of Stirpes
Strict Liability: Tort liability which is set upon the defendant without need to prove intent, negligence or fault; as long as you can prove that it was the defendant's object that caused the damage. See the complete Legal Definition of Strict Liability
Subinfeudation: The process whereby, under the feudal system of tenure, a person receiving a grant of land from a lord, could himself become a landlord by subdividing and subletting that land to others. See the complete Legal Definition of Subinfeudation
Sub Judice: Latin: under judicial consideration. See the complete Legal Definition of Sub Judice
Subordination: To be subject to the orders or direction of another; of lower rank. See the complete Legal Definition of Subordination
Subpoena: Latin: an order of a court which requires a person to be present at a certain time and place or suffer a penalty (subpoena means, literally, under penalty). See the complete Legal Definition of Subpoena
Subrogation: The substitution of one person to the rights of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Subrogation
Substituted Service: A method of delivery of a court document on a person other than in-person and generally subject to pre-authorization by the Court. See the complete Legal Definition of Substituted Service
Successor: A person who takes over the rights of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Successor
Sui Juris: Latin: one's own law. See the complete Legal Definition of Sui Juris
Summary Conviction Offence: In Canada, a less serious offence than indictable offences and for which both the procedure and punishment tends to be less onerous. See the complete Legal Definition of Summary Conviction Offence
Summons: In the USA, this is one of the initial documents issued in a civil suit; giving the defendant notice of the claim and an opportunity to defend it. See the complete Legal Definition of Summons
Surety: The person who has pledged him or herself to pay back money or perform a certain action if the principal to a contract fails, as collateral, and as part of the original contract. See the complete Legal Definition of Surety
Synallagmatic Contract: A civil law term for a reciprocal or bilateral contract: one in which both parties provide consideration. See the complete Legal Definition of Synallagmatic Contract
Sex: Gender, as in male or female. Also refers to sexual intercourse. See the complete Legal Definition of Sex
Sexual Orientation: An individual's preference in terms of sexual relationship with others - whether homosexual or heterosexual. See the complete Legal Definition of Sexual Orientation
Shared Custody: A family law support or maintenance term referring to a situation where a child spends about an equal amount of time in the care and home of each of the two separated or divorced parents, and the parents share the legal rights in regards to the child. See the complete Legal Definition of Shared Custody
Satisfaction Guaranteed: A term in a sales or services contract in which the seller defers to the buyer the sole and unilateral discretion as to whether or not the goods or services tendered are acceptable. In the event the price is not paid, no cause of action exists unless the buyer acting in good faith is satisfied, no matter how good the goods or services are in terms of quality. See the complete Legal Definition of Satisfaction Guaranteed
Spy / Spies: A person who acts clandestinely or on false pretenses to endeavor to obtain information of or within another state with the intention of communicating or selling it to others. See the complete Legal Definition of Spy / Spies
Sprinkling Trust: Discretion given to a trustee to distribute income from a trust fund disproportionately between beneficiaries. See the complete Legal Definition of Sprinkling Trust
Specific Performance: A remedy in the event of breach of contract, whereby the Court orders a party found in breach of his/her contractual obligations to perform their specific duty as set out in the contract. See the complete Legal Definition of Specific Performance
Shareholder: Persons who own a share(s) of a for-profit corporation. See the complete Legal Definition of Shareholder
Springing Power of Attorney: A power of attorney that takes effect only upon the occurrence of a specified event. See the complete Legal Definition of Springing Power of Attorney
Statement of Claim: The document which sets out the plaintiff's allegations of fact and thus, engages the judicial process by seeking trial. See the complete Legal Definition of Statement of Claim
Statement of Defence: A defendant's written answer or reply to a statement of claim, admitting or denying each and every one of the facts contained in the statement of claim and alleging such facts as the defendant wishes to assert at trial in opposition to the plaintiff's case. See the complete Legal Definition of Statement of Defence
Separation Agreement: A private contract between separating spouses resolving issues of joint, family or marital property or assets, support and child responsibilities. See the complete Legal Definition of Separation Agreement
School Law: The law as it relates to education. See the complete Legal Definition of School Law
Semayne's Case: A 1604 English case that established the right of a home-owner to defend his premises against intrusion ("every man's house is his castle") yields to those seeking to enter with lawful authority such as to make an arrest. See the complete Legal Definition of Semayne's Case
Sherman Antitrust Act: American federal statutes that defines and prohibits contracts or conspiracies which are designed to restrain trade. See the complete Legal Definition of Sherman Antitrust Act
Sarbanes-Oxley Act: An American federal law, 2002, which substantially revised and strengthened securities laws and their administration in the aftermath of high profile corporate accounting scandals such as that involving Enron. See the complete Legal Definition of Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Summary Judgment: A court order dismissing a claim summarily, upon application, and based on the allegation that there is no claim or defence with a reasonable prospect of success. See the complete Legal Definition of Summary Judgment
Summary Trial: The trial of an action by way of affidavit evidence only or by use of truncated process. See the complete Legal Definition of Summary Trial
Society: A group of people formed as a separate organization and which has as a stated purpose some charitable or benevolent purpose either in regards to the public at-large or in regards to the common interests of the members, and which operates as nearly as possible at cost. See the complete Legal Definition of Society
Solicitor's Lien: A lawyer’s right to retain client’s document and property pending payment of the lawyer’s bill. See the complete Legal Definition of Solicitor's Lien
Separate Property: A marital property regime wherein property acquired or owned by a married person and which, notwithstanding the marriage or, where recognized, a marriage-like relationship, remains the separate property of the spouse who acquired or to whom was gifted the item of property. See the complete Legal Definition of Separate Property
Simony: The crime of corruption for the purpose of a Church or religious benefit. See the complete Legal Definition of Simony
Surety Bond: A three party bond contract in which a third party (the "surety") backs up a principal by agreeing to honour the principal's obligation(s) towards the obligee of a bond in the event of the latter's default. See the complete Legal Definition of Surety Bond
Scrutineer: A person enlisted to assist in the conduct of a vote. See the complete Legal Definition of Scrutineer
Stay: To stop; to suspend; also known as a stay of proceedings; when a law suit is suspended either indefinitely or until the occurrence of a condition imposed by the court. See the complete Legal Definition of Stay
Shotgun Clause: A buy-sell agreement where a shareholder wishes to sell his or her shares, or an irreconcilable disagreement on a fundamental issue in regards to the corporation breaks out between shareholders, the sale can be forced by the sell of the holdings of one shareholder to the other. See the complete Legal Definition of Shotgun Clause
Socialism: A form or system of government which champions the equal sharing of land and equal return of the product of the land and industry to all citizens. See the complete Legal Definition of Socialism
Slip Rule: A rule by which a Court can very exceptionally reopen a published order but only to correct a accidental slip or omission such as a clerical error. See the complete Legal Definition of Slip Rule
Specific Deterrence: Deterrence, as an objective of sentencing, which is fit to a particular offender. See the complete Legal Definition of Specific Deterrence
Statute of Uses: A 1535 English law that prevented, for a time, the legal structure of a use. See the complete Legal Definition of Statute of Uses
Syndicate: A formal, informal or secret group of individuals or, more usually, corporations, formed to carry on a specified purpose. See the complete Legal Definition of Syndicate
Secret Trust: A trust where, to a stated beneficiary, the donor secretly communicates that he/she holds title in trust for another. See the complete Legal Definition of Secret Trust
Severance Pay: An amount of money an employer owes to an employee in lieu of notice, in exchange for the employee's agreement to sever an employment contract forthwith. See the complete Legal Definition of Severance Pay
Spousal Support: Payments to an ex-spouse which are temporary or indefinite, lump sum or periodic, designed to pool and share the income of both spouses for that period of time necessary for the lower-income spouse to become economically self-sufficient. See the complete Legal Definition of Spousal Support
Suspended Sentence: A judicial prerogative retained by a sentencing judge on a person convicted of a crime by which the full sentencing of a convicted person is suspended or deferred until some future time commensurate with the convicted person’s compliance with the terms of the interim probation order. See the complete Legal Definition of Suspended Sentence
Sedition: The speaking or publishing of words which excite public disorder or defiance of lawful authority. See the complete Legal Definition of Sedition
Substantive Law: Core law which determines rights and obligations, as opposed to procedural law. See the complete Legal Definition of Substantive Law
Statute of Frauds: A statute that set a minimum standard for enforceable contracts, usually requiring at a minimum something in writing or the actual exchange of reciprocal obligations, at least in part. See the complete Legal Definition of Statute of Frauds
Salvage: The rescue of vessels or cargo in peril at sea, and the reward thereof. See the complete Legal Definition of Salvage
Suicide: To intentionally take one's own life. See the complete Legal Definition of Suicide
Ship Mortgage: The pledging and charge upon title of a ship and its machinery as security for a loan. See the complete Legal Definition of Ship Mortgage
Ship: A boat or any vessel used in navigation. See the complete Legal Definition of Ship
Steal: The taking of something from another without any legal right to do so. See the complete Legal Definition of Steal
Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex: Latin: the welfare of an individual yields to that of the community. See the complete Legal Definition of Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex
SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea Treaty: International treaty promoting the safety of life at sea. See the complete Legal Definition of SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea Treaty
Sister Ship Arrest: Maritime law: In the context of a legal claim against a particular ship, and in certain circumstances, the law allows the arrest of another ship belonging to the same owner, called a sister ship. See the complete Legal Definition of Sister Ship Arrest
Sharia Law: Muslim or Islamic law, both civil and criminal justice as well as regulating individual conduct both personal and moral. See the complete Legal Definition of Sharia Law
Sue and Labour Clause: A standard clause in a maritime insurance policy which allows the insured to recover from the insurer any reasonable expenses incurred by the insured in order to minimize or avert a loss to the insured property, for which loss the insurer would have been liable under the policy. See the complete Legal Definition of Sue and Labour Clause
Sole Proprietorship: A business by a single individual which is not formally organized and for which the individual and the business are indistinguishable in law. See the complete Legal Definition of Sole Proprietorship
Son Of A Bitch: A derogatory and possibly defamatory reference to another person suggesting that they are of substandard lineage. See the complete Legal Definition of Son Of A Bitch
Set-Off: An alleged cross claim by a defendant against the plaintiff which, if successful, would result in the reduction of elimination of the plaintiff's claim. See the complete Legal Definition of Set-Off
Sick Leave: Time off from work, paid or unpaid, on account of an employee's temporary inability to perform duties because of sickness or disability. See the complete Legal Definition of Sick Leave
Sublicense: The grant by a licensee of certain licensed rights to a third party. See the complete Legal Definition of Sublicense
Sublease: The subsequent lease of property that is itself leased; with the primary tenant retaining an interest in the original lease. See the complete Legal Definition of Sublease
Security Deposit: Money paid to another to be held as security for the occurrence of a specified event. See the complete Legal Definition of Security Deposit
Sixth Amendment: A 1791 amendment to the American Constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights in criminal proceedings such as speedy trial, impartiality, public evidence of witnesses and a right to a lawyer. See the complete Legal Definition of Sixth Amendment
Substantial Awareness Test: The realization by a person of the harmful nature of a crime or a tort perpetrated against him/her. See the complete Legal Definition of Substantial Awareness Test
Sexual Assault: A sexual act upon or directed to another which is unwanted and not consented to by the other. See the complete Legal Definition of Sexual Assault
Scott v Avery Clause: A contract between two parties that they will submit any dispute between them to arbitration before taking any court action. See the complete Legal Definition of Scott v Avery Clause
Suspicious Circumstances: Circumstances in the preparation or signing of a document that give rise to suspicion as to mental capacity of, or fraud or duress upon the signatory. See the complete Legal Definition of Suspicious Circumstances
Scrivener: A literate person who sells his reading or writing services to illiterate others. See the complete Legal Definition of Scrivener
Sentencing Circle: A sentencing opportunity at which an accused hopes to favourably influence the court passing sentence, by convening a conciliatory pre-sentence meeting between offender and victim. See the complete Legal Definition of Sentencing Circle
Security: Something given to ensure the payment of a loan. See the complete Legal Definition of Security
Self-Defence: A person is not responsible for an act if the conduct is carried-out in self-defence of self or of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Self-Defence
Star Chamber: An elitist, secretive and abusive court convened from time to time by British kings from at least King Henry VII (1457-1509) to 1640. See the complete Legal Definition of Star Chamber
Spouse: To be married or as if married. See the complete Legal Definition of Spouse
Securities: Negotiable instruments which yield dividends or interest. See the complete Legal Definition of Securities
Stock: Available merchandise or the aggregate of a person's share holdings in a corporation. See the complete Legal Definition of Stock
Settlement: An agreement, or the document which articulates the agreement, which sets or resolves rights. See the complete Legal Definition of Settlement
Solidary Obligation: Civil law: a legal relationship where one or more of several debtors are each liable to pay the entire amount, or one or more of several creditors each able to collect the whole. See the complete Legal Definition of Solidary Obligation
Sic Utera Tuo Ut Alienam Non Laedas: Latin: use your property in such a fashion so as to not disturb others. See the complete Legal Definition of Sic Utera Tuo Ut Alienam Non Laedas
Strata: Title in a prescribed part of a building coupled with a tenant in common interest in common areas. See the complete Legal Definition of Strata
Self-Benefit Trust: A trust created by a settlor and to the settler's exclusive benefit during his or her lifetime. See the complete Legal Definition of Self-Benefit Trust
Sovereignty: A state's ability to legislate without legal limitation save as set by themselves and the reach of international law. See the complete Legal Definition of Sovereignty
Streaking: Dashing through a public area in the nude. See the complete Legal Definition of Streaking
Strike: A common stopping of work by a group of employees. See the complete Legal Definition of Strike
Striptease: Removal of clothing in a manner so as to arouse sexual desire. See the complete Legal Definition of Striptease
Strip Search: The removal of all or part of an individual's clothing so as to visually inspect private areas or undergarments. See the complete Legal Definition of Strip Search
Starr: Medieval English law term for legal transactions involving a Jewish person. See the complete Legal Definition of Starr
Spoliation: The intentional destruction of evidence. See the complete Legal Definition of Spoliation
Scenes A Faire: Elements of an original work that are so trite or common that they are not captured by copyright. See the complete Legal Definition of Scenes A Faire
Special Resolution: A vote on a resolution presented to a corporate body which has obtained the assent of a number of the members present greater than a majority. See the complete Legal Definition of Special Resolution
Spam: Unsolicited email transmitted through the Internet. See the complete Legal Definition of Spam
Sheriff: Individuals empowered to ensure the security of courthouses generally and courtrooms especially, to keep prisoners secure whilst in the courthouse, to secure jurors during trials and to assist in the execution of court orders. See the complete Legal Definition of Sheriff
Shock Probation: A sentencing strategy: a brief period of incarceration followed by release under supervision. See the complete Legal Definition of Shock Probation
Sharp Practice: Prohibited conduct by a licensed lawyer in taking, or attempting to take advantage of a slip or overlooked technical matter by the other side to litigation, and to agree to reasonable requests which either prejudice his client or the interests of justice. See the complete Legal Definition of Sharp Practice
Sui Generis: Latin: of its own kind. See the complete Legal Definition of Sui Generis
Sabbath Breaking: Doing business on a Sunday. See the complete Legal Definition of Sabbath Breaking
Similar Fact Evidence: Evidence tendered in a criminal trial to demonstrate that the accused previously engaged in the relevant prohibited activity. See the complete Legal Definition of Similar Fact Evidence
Se Defendendo: Latin: self-defence. See the complete Legal Definition of Se Defendendo
Super Injunction: An injunction obtained in a secret convening of the court where in the result, the court file, the names of the parties and even the terms of the injunction order are secret except as between the parties, counsel, the judge and the court staff. See the complete Legal Definition of Super Injunction
Sariqa: Muslim law: theft. See the complete Legal Definition of Sariqa
Shurb Al-Khamr: Muslim law; the crime of consuming alcoholic beverages. See the complete Legal Definition of Shurb Al-Khamr
Siyasa Shar’iyya: Muslim law: the legal authority of Muslim theocracies to supplement the broad criminal law principles of the Koran and other Muslim legal texts of sacred origin, on points of detail. See the complete Legal Definition of Siyasa Shar’iyya
Subfile Order: A declaration of rights as regards waterways for the interim regulation of those rights pending a final determination of those rights either by contract or judicially. See the complete Legal Definition of Subfile Order
Sexual Abuse: The tort or crime of an assault of a sexual nature. See the complete Legal Definition of Sexual Abuse
Sine Qua Non: Latin: without which, not. See the complete Legal Definition of Sine Qua Non
Stenographer: An individual employed to receive and transcribe dictation. See the complete Legal Definition of Stenographer
Solicitor and Client Costs: An award of all costs associated with litigation. See the complete Legal Definition of Solicitor and Client Costs
Solicitor and Own Client Costs: One of the most punitive awards of costs, requiring a party to pay the other's legal bill. See the complete Legal Definition of Solicitor and Own Client Costs
Special Costs: A scale of costs generally equivalent to solicitor and client costs and also approaching complete indemnity to the successful litigant. See the complete Legal Definition of Special Costs
Substantial Abuse: A term of American bankruptcy law which precludes a debtor from availing him or herself of bankruptcy protection. See the complete Legal Definition of Substantial Abuse
Schizophrenia: A severe, chronic and generally disabling mental disorder that severely disrupts normal thoughts, speech and behavior. See the complete Legal Definition of Schizophrenia
STAXI, State Trait Anger Expression Inventory: A psychological test which measures the intensity of anger in an individual and the disposition to experience angry feelings. See the complete Legal Definition of STAXI, State Trait Anger Expression Inventory
Sadism: Delight in physical or mental cruelty. See the complete Legal Definition of Sadism
Sale: The exchange of goods or services for consideration. See the complete Legal Definition of Sale
Salvor: A person who engages in salvage. See the complete Legal Definition of Salvor