Legal Dictionary

Sabbath Breaking: Doing business on a Sunday. | Legal Definition of Sabbath Breaking

Sadism: Delight in physical or mental cruelty. | Legal Definition of Sadism

Salary: Regular payment for services. | Legal Definition of Salary

Sale: The exchange of goods or services for consideration. | Legal Definition of Sale

Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex: Latin: the welfare of an individual yields to that of the community. | Legal Definition of Salus Populi Est Suprema Lex

Salvage: The rescue of vessels or cargo in peril at sea, and the reward thereof. | Legal Definition of Salvage

Salvor: A person who engages in salvage. | Legal Definition of Salvor

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. | 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. | Legal Definition of Sanctuary

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. | Legal Definition of Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Sariqa: Muslim law: theft. | Legal Definition of Sariqa

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. | Legal Definition of Satisfaction Guaranteed

Scaccarium: Latin: chess game but in English law, the exchequer, usually in reference to the Court of Exchequer. | Legal Definition of Scaccarium

Scandalizing the Court: Personal scurrilous abuse of a judge as a judge. | Legal Definition of Scandalizing the Court

Scenes A Faire: Elements of an original work that are so trite or common that they are not captured by copyright. | Legal Definition of Scenes A Faire

Schizophrenia: A severe, chronic and generally disabling mental disorder that severely disrupts normal thoughts, speech and behavior. | Legal Definition of Schizophrenia

School: A place for education of a lower grade, usually below a college or university. | Legal Definition of School

School Board: An elected body corporate which manages delegated powers in regards to the delivery of education services within a defined territory. | Legal Definition of School Board

School Bus: A vehicle which transports children to or from school activities for compensation. | Legal Definition of School Bus

School Law: The law as it relates to education. | Legal Definition of School Law

Scienter: Latin: actual or guilty knowledge; knowingly. | Legal Definition of Scienter

Scintilla Juris: Latin: a spark of legal right. | Legal Definition of Scintilla Juris

Scold: A troublesome and angry woman who, by brawling and wrangling amongst her neighbours, breaks the public peace, increases discord and becomes a public nuisance. | Legal Definition of Scold

Scolding: A medieval offense; women who were verbally disputative; who incited or agitated against the public peace. | Legal Definition of Scolding

Scott v Avery Clause: A contract between two parties that they will submit any dispute between them to arbitration before taking any court action. | Legal Definition of Scott v Avery Clause

Scrivener: A literate person who sells his reading or writing services to illiterate others. | Legal Definition of Scrivener

Scrutineer: A person enlisted to assist in the conduct of a vote. | Legal Definition of Scrutineer

Se Defendendo: Latin: self-defence. | Legal Definition of Se Defendendo

Seal: A waxed impression proving authenticity of a document. | Legal Definition of Seal

Sealing Order: A Court order that restricts access to or disclosure of any record or document filed in a proceeding. | Legal Definition of Sealing Order

Search: A probing exploration for something that is concealed or hidden from the searcher. | Legal Definition of Search

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. | Legal Definition of Search Warrant

Secret Trust: A trust where, to a stated beneficiary, the donor secretly communicates that he/she holds title in trust for another. | Legal Definition of Secret Trust

Securities: Negotiable instruments which yield dividends or interest. | Legal Definition of Securities

Security: Something given to ensure the payment of a loan. | Legal Definition of Security

Security Deposit: Money paid to another to be held as security for the occurrence of a specified event. | Legal Definition of Security Deposit

Security for Costs: Payment or deposit of money or some form of security in lieu thereof, into court, by a litigant to secure the payment of such costs if such person does not prevail. | Legal Definition of Security for Costs

Sedition: The speaking or publishing of words which excite public disorder or defiance of lawful authority. | Legal Definition of Sedition

Seisin: The legal possession of property; historically, possession under claim of freehold. | Legal Definition of Seisin

Seizure: A dispossession of something against the will of the possessor. | Legal Definition of Seizure

Self-Benefit Trust: A trust created by a settlor and to the settler's exclusive benefit during his or her lifetime. | Legal Definition of Self-Benefit Trust

Self-Defence: A person is not responsible for an act if the conduct is carried-out in self-defence of self or of another. | Legal Definition of Self-Defence

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. | Legal Definition of Semayne's Case

Sentence: The judgment given to a person who has been convicted (i.e. found to be guilty) of a crime. | Legal Definition of Sentence

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. | Legal Definition of Sentencing Circle

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. | Legal Definition of Separate Property

Separation Agreement: A private contract between separating spouses resolving issues of joint, family or marital property or assets, support and child responsibilities. | Legal Definition of Separation Agreement

Sequestered Jury: A jury which has been confined to a location where they can be shielded from outside distractions while their deliberations are ongoing. | Legal Definition of Sequestered Jury

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. | Legal Definition of Sequestration

Servient Tenement: The land which suffers or has the burden of an easement. | Legal Definition of Servient Tenement

Servitude: From Roman law and now a feature of civil law; equivalent to the common law's easement: access rights over, under or on the property of another. | Legal Definition of Servitude

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. | Legal Definition of Set-Off

Settlement: An agreement, or the document which articulates the agreement, which sets or resolves rights. | Legal Definition of Settlement

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. | Legal Definition of Settlor

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. | Legal Definition of Severance Pay

Sex: Gender, as in male or female. Also refers to sexual intercourse. | Legal Definition of Sex

Sexual Abuse: The tort or crime of an assault of a sexual nature. | Legal Definition of Sexual Abuse

Sexual Assault: A sexual act upon or directed to another which is unwanted and not consented to by the other. | Legal Definition of Sexual Assault

Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: The use of a child for the purposes of pornography. | Legal Definition of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

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. | Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment

Sexual Intercourse: Penetration by the penis of a woman's labia. | Legal Definition of Sexual Intercourse

Sexual Orientation: An individual's preference in terms of sexual relationship with others - whether homosexual or heterosexual. | Legal Definition of Sexual Orientation

Share: A portion of a for-profit corporation bought by cash. | Legal Definition of Share

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. | Legal Definition of Shared Custody

Shareholder: Persons who own a share(s) of a for-profit corporation. | Legal Definition of Shareholder

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. | Legal Definition of Shareholder agreement

Sharia Law: Muslim or Islamic law, both civil and criminal justice as well as regulating individual conduct both personal and moral. | Legal Definition of Sharia Law

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. | Legal Definition of Sharp Practice

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. | Legal Definition of Sheriff

Sherman Antitrust Act: American federal statutes that defines and prohibits contracts or conspiracies which are designed to restrain trade. | Legal Definition of Sherman Antitrust Act

Ship: A boat or any vessel used in navigation. | Legal Definition of Ship

Ship Mortgage: The pledging and charge upon title of a ship and its machinery as security for a loan. | Legal Definition of Ship Mortgage

Shock: A sudden and disturbing impression on the mind. | Legal Definition of Shock

Shock Probation: A sentencing strategy: a brief period of incarceration followed by release under supervision. | Legal Definition of Shock Probation

Shoplifting: Willful concealment of unpurchased merchandise of any retail store. | Legal Definition of Shoplifting

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. | Legal Definition of Shotgun Clause

Shurb Al-Khamr: Muslim law; the crime of consuming alcoholic beverages. | Legal Definition of Shurb Al-Khamr

Sic Utera Tuo Ut Alienam Non Laedas: Latin: use your property in such a fashion so as to not disturb others. | Legal Definition of Sic Utera Tuo Ut Alienam Non Laedas

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. | Legal Definition of Sick Leave

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. | Legal Definition of Silent Partner

Similar Fact Evidence: Evidence tendered in a criminal trial to demonstrate that the accused previously engaged in the relevant prohibited activity. | Legal Definition of Similar Fact Evidence

Simony: The selling of miracles or the promise of some other alleged form of Divine service in exchange for money. | Legal Definition of Simony

Sine Die: Latin: without a day. Taken to mean without fixing a day for continuation. | Legal Definition of Sine Die

Sine Qua Non: Latin: without which, not. | Legal Definition of Sine Qua Non

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. | Legal Definition of Sister Ship Arrest

Situs: Latin: location. | Legal Definition of Situs

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. | Legal Definition of Sixth Amendment

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. | Legal Definition of Siyasa Shar’iyya

Slander: Verbal or spoken defamation. | 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). | Legal Definition of Slander of Title

Slavery: When a person (called master) has absolute power over another (called slave) including life and liberty. | Legal Definition of Slavery

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. | Legal Definition of Slip Rule

Small Claims: A regular court but which has simplified rules of procedure and process to deal with claims of a lesser value. | 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. | Legal Definition of Socage

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. | Legal Definition of Socialism

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. | Legal Definition of Society

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). | Legal Definition of Sodomy

SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea Treaty: International treaty promoting the safety of life at sea. | Legal Definition of SOLAS - Safety of Life at Sea Treaty

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. | Legal Definition of Sole Proprietorship

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. | Legal Definition of Solicitor

Solicitor and Client Costs: An award of all costs associated with litigation. | 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. | Legal Definition of Solicitor and Own Client Costs

Solicitor's Lien: A lawyer’s right to retain client’s document and property pending payment of the lawyer’s bill. | Legal Definition of Solicitor's Lien

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. | Legal Definition of Solidary Obligation

Son Of A Bitch: A derogatory and possibly defamatory reference to another person suggesting that they are of substandard lineage. | Legal Definition of Son Of A Bitch

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. | Legal Definition of Sovereign

Sovereignty: A state's ability to legislate without legal limitation save as set by themselves and the reach of international law. | Legal Definition of Sovereignty

Spam: Unsolicited email transmitted through the Internet. | Legal Definition of Spam

Special Costs: A scale of costs generally equivalent to solicitor and client costs and also approaching complete indemnity to the successful litigant. | Legal Definition of Special Costs

Special Jury: A jury drawn to certain specifications given the alleged complexities of the matter to be tried. | Legal Definition of Special Jury

Special or Extraordinary Expense: A term of art in Canadian family support law referring to outside-of-the-ordinary expenses related to the care and upkeep of a child. | Legal Definition of Special or Extraordinary Expense

Special prosecutor: A private lawyer who temporarily and on a case-by-case basis only, investigates or manages the prosecution in lieu of the public prosecutor. | Legal Definition of Special prosecutor

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. | Legal Definition of Special Resolution

Specific Deterrence: Deterrence, as an objective of sentencing, which is fit to a particular offender. | Legal Definition of Specific Deterrence

Specific Intent: A state of mind that exists when the circumstances indicate the offender actively desired the prescribed criminal consequences to follow his act or failure to act. | Legal Definition of Specific Intent

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. | Legal Definition of Specific Performance

Speech: The expression of an idea in circumstances where it is likely that the message would be understood. | Legal Definition of Speech

Spendthrift Trust: US law: a trust which in design prevents a beneficiary from depleting the trust funds, or from his creditors demanding payment therefrom. | Legal Definition of Spendthrift Trust

Spite Fence: A fence built not to any beneficial purpose but, rather, to annoy a neighbor. | Legal Definition of Spite Fence

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. | Legal Definition of Split Custody

Spoliation: The intentional destruction of evidence. | Legal Definition of Spoliation

Spousal Abuse: The physical or emotional abuse of a spouse. | Legal Definition of Spousal Abuse

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. | Legal Definition of Spousal Support

Spouse: To be married or as if married. | Legal Definition of Spouse

Spring: A concentrated flow of water coming from under the ground. | Legal Definition of Spring

Springing Power of Attorney: A power of attorney which becomes legally effective on the occurrence of an event (such as incapacity). | Legal Definition of Springing Power of Attorney

Sprinkling Trust: Discretion given to a trustee to distribute income from a trust fund disproportionately between beneficiaries. | Legal Definition of Sprinkling Trust

Spy / Spies: A person who acts clandestinely or on false pretenses to endeavour to obtain information of or within another state with the intention of communicating or selling it to others. | Legal Definition of Spy / Spies

Stab Wound: A bodily injury caused by a knife or other sharp or pointed instrument. | Legal Definition of Stab Wound

Standard: The technical or performance specifications in regards to a product. | Legal Definition of Standard

Standard of Review: The applicable threshold of an appeallable error; often distinguishable as between questions of law, of fact, or mixed questions of fact and law. | Legal Definition of Standard of Review

Standing: The ability to sue and speak to the Court on a controversy based on personal interest in the outcome. | Legal Definition of Standing

Standing Committee: 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. | Legal Definition of Standing Committee

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. | Legal Definition of Star Chamber

Stare Decisis: Latin: stay with what has been decided. | Legal Definition of Stare Decisis

Starr: Medieval English law term for legal transactions involving a Jewish person. | Legal Definition of Starr

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. | Legal Definition of State

State Immunity: A principle of international law which exempts a State from prosecution or suit for the violation of the domestic laws of another state. | Legal Definition of State Immunity

Statement of Claim: The document which sets out the plaintiff's allegations of fact and thus, engages the judicial process by seeking trial. | 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. | Legal Definition of Statement of Defence

Static Condition: A condition that does not change and is dangerous only if someone fails to see it and walks into it. | Legal Definition of Static Condition

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. | Legal Definition of Statute of Frauds

Statute of Limitations: A procedural rule which limits the time in which a party may bring an action for a right which has already accrued. | Legal Definition of Statute of Limitations

Statute of Repose: The deadline set by statute on the assertion of a right by litigation. | Legal Definition of Statute of Repose

Statute of Uses: A 1535 English law that prevented, for a time, the legal structure of a use. | Legal Definition of Statute of Uses

Statutes: The written laws approved by legislatures, parliaments or elected or appointed houses of assembly. | Legal Definition of Statutes

Statutes in Pari Materia: Statutes sharing a common purpose or relating to the same subject and which are construed together. | Legal Definition of Statutes in Pari Materia

Statutory Lien: A lien arising solely by force of a statute on specified circumstances or conditions. | Legal Definition of Statutory Lien

Statutory Rape: A statutory definition of rape which allows for conviction regardless of the consent, such as with a minor. | Legal Definition of Statutory Rape

Statutory Trust: A trust created by the effect of a statute. | Legal Definition of Statutory Trust

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. | Legal Definition of STAXI, State Trait Anger Expression Inventory

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. | Legal Definition of Stay

Steal: The taking of something from another without any legal right to do so. | Legal Definition of Steal

Stenographer: An individual employed to receive and transcribe dictation. | Legal Definition of Stenographer

Step-Child: Help! | Legal Definition of Step-Child

Step-Parent: The status of one spouse in regards to the natural children of the other spouse issue from another. | Legal Definition of Step-Parent

Still-born Child: A child which which did not at any time after being completely expelled from its mother breathe or show any signs of life. | Legal Definition of Still-born Child

Stipulated Judgment: USA: consent order. | Legal Definition of Stipulated Judgment

Stipulation: An agreement between the parties with respect to an issue before the court. | Legal Definition of Stipulation

Stirpes: Latin: the offspring of a person; his or her descendants. | Legal Definition of Stirpes

Stock: Available merchandise or the aggregate of a person's share holdings in a corporation. | Legal Definition of Stock

Storm in Progress Rule: A doctrine of personal injury law excusing a property owner for injuries occurring before the owner has had a reasonable chance to address hazards created by a storm. | Legal Definition of Storm in Progress Rule

Storm Warning: Data available to an ordinary investor that would give rise to a suspicion of fraud. | Legal Definition of Storm Warning

Straight Condemnation: A formal process for the exercise of eminent domain in which a price is adjudicated and then the property bought by the government. | Legal Definition of Straight Condemnation

Straight-line Depreciation: A depreciation formula which writes off the cost of an asset at a fixed percentage rate every year of an asset's useful life. | Legal Definition of Straight-line Depreciation

Strangle: To interrupt breathing by interference with the windpipe. | Legal Definition of Strangle

Strata: Title in a prescribed part of a building coupled with a tenant in common interest in common areas. | Legal Definition of Strata

Straw Boss: An employee with minor supervisory duties. | Legal Definition of Straw Boss

Streaking: Dashing through a public area in the nude. | Legal Definition of Streaking

Stream: A watercourse having banks and channel through which waters flow, at least periodically. | Legal Definition of Stream

Street: A public way or road, usually urban, and embraces the surface from side to side and end to end. | Legal Definition of Street

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. | Legal Definition of Strict Liability

Strictissimi Juris: Latin: the strictest letter of the law. | Legal Definition of Strictissimi Juris

Strike: A common stopping of work by a group of employees. | Legal Definition of Strike

Strip Search: The removal of all or part of an individual's clothing so as to visually inspect private areas or undergarments. | Legal Definition of Strip Search

Striptease: Removal of clothing in a manner so as to arouse sexual desire. | Legal Definition of Striptease

Style of Cause: The formal title of the proceedings in a court of law, usually the action number, the name of the court and the full, formal and complete name(s) of the plaintiff(s) and that of all defendant(s). | Legal Definition of Style of Cause

Sub Judice: Latin: under judicial consideration. | Legal Definition of Sub Judice

Sub Spe Rati: Latin: in the hope of ratification. | Legal Definition of Sub Spe Rati

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. | Legal Definition of Subfile Order

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. | Legal Definition of Subinfeudation

Sublease: The subsequent lease of property that is itself leased; with the primary tenant retaining an interest in the original lease. | Legal Definition of Sublease

Sublicense: The grant by a licensee of certain licensed rights to a third party. | Legal Definition of Sublicense

Subordination: To be subject to the orders or direction of another; of lower rank. | 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). | Legal Definition of Subpoena

Subrogation: The substitution of one person to the rights of another. | Legal Definition of Subrogation

Subsidiary: A corporation subordinate to a dominant company which is able, through share ownership, to exert influence or control over its affairs. | Legal Definition of Subsidiary

Substantial Abuse: A term of American bankruptcy law which precludes a debtor from availing him or herself of bankruptcy protection. | Legal Definition of Substantial Abuse

Substantial Awareness Test: The realization by a person of the harmful nature of a crime or a tort perpetrated against him/her. | Legal Definition of Substantial Awareness Test

Substantive Law: Core law which determines rights and obligations, as opposed to procedural law. | Legal Definition of Substantive Law

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. | Legal Definition of Substituted Service

Successor: A person who takes over the rights of another. | Legal Definition of Successor

Sudden Emergency Doctrine: A principle of tort law which alleviates the standard of care in emergency circumstances. | Legal Definition of Sudden Emergency Doctrine

Sudden Fight: A spontaneous altercation which occurs in the heat of passion. | Legal Definition of Sudden Fight

Sudden Heat: Anger or terror sufficient to obscure the reason of an ordinary person, preventing deliberation. | Legal Definition of Sudden Heat

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. | Legal Definition of Sue and Labour Clause

Suggestive Mark: A trademark which does not describe the product but instead suggests it, requiring some imagination to connect with the nature of the product. | Legal Definition of Suggestive Mark

Sui Generis: Latin: of its own kind. | Legal Definition of Sui Generis

Sui Juris: Latin: one's own law; having full capacity. | Legal Definition of Sui Juris

Suicide: To intentionally take one's own life. | Legal Definition of Suicide

Summa Ratio Est Quae Pro Religione Facit: Latin: The best rule is that which advances religion. | Legal Definition of Summa Ratio Est Quae Pro Religione Facit

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. | Legal Definition of Summary Conviction Offence

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. | Legal Definition of Summary Judgment

Summary Trial: The trial of an action by way of affidavit evidence only or by use of truncated process. | Legal Definition of Summary Trial

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. | Legal Definition of Summons

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. | Legal Definition of Super Injunction

Superficial Wound: A scrape, bruise, discoloration, or swelling, of minimal severity. | Legal Definition of Superficial Wound

Supersedeas: An application to a court to stay proceedings; most frequently, to stay enforcement or collection proceedings upon a judgment. | Legal Definition of Supersedeas

Supersedeas Bond: A contract by which a surety obligates itself to pay a final judgment rendered against its principal under the conditions stated in the bond. | Legal Definition of Supersedeas Bond

Supervisor: An employee with limited management discretion or responsibilities. | Legal Definition of Supervisor

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. | Legal Definition of Surety

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. | Legal Definition of Surety Bond

Surface Waters: Waters falling on the land by precipitation or rising from springs. | Legal Definition of Surface Waters

Surplusage: Superfluous allegations, especially in regards to pleadings. | Legal Definition of Surplusage

Surrender: A declaration of an overpowered belligerent that it is ceasing hostilities. | Legal Definition of Surrender

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 an interim probation order. | Legal Definition of Suspended Sentence

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. | Legal Definition of Suspicious Circumstances

Sutler: A civilian merchant assigned to an army in the field to provision soldiers with consumer goods. | Legal Definition of Sutler

Swamp: Lands which, from excessive rainfall or other causes, retain at some seasons of the year excessive water which damages and renders them unfit for use. | Legal Definition of Swamp

Sweepstakes: A contest where prizes are awarded in a random draw. | Legal Definition of Sweepstakes

Synallagmatic Contract: A civil law term for a reciprocal or bilateral contract: one in which both parties provide consideration. | Legal Definition of Synallagmatic Contract

Syndicate: A formal, informal or secret group of individuals or, more usually, corporations, formed to carry on a specified purpose. | Legal Definition of Syndicate