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NALA exam for paralegal

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Term
Definition
1 abatement   reduction, termination  
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2 abrogation   annulment of a former law by act of a legislative body, by constitutional authority, or by usage  
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3 acceptance   in contract law, consent to abide by the terms of an offer; taking or receiving a thing in good faith with the intention of retaining it  
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4 accession   that which increases the size or value of property  
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5 accommodation   arrangement made as a favor to another rather than for consideration received  
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6 acknowledgement   an admission, affi rmation, or declaration  
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7 acquittal   release or discharge of an obligation or liability; in criminal law, a finding of not guilty  
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8 ademption   satisfaction of a legacy by gift prior to testator’s death  
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9 adhesion contract   standardized contract form in which a party with little or no bargaining power is forced to accept its terms  
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10 adjudication   judgment or decision of a court  
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11 administrative law   body of rules and regulations having the force of law and promulgated by an administrative body created by Congress or a state legislature  
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12 adverse possession   acquiring title to real estate by hostile possession rather than by purchase  
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13 affi ant   one who makes or swears to the truth of an affi davit  
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14 affi davit   sworn statement in writing taken before a notary public or other authorized offi cer  
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15 affi rmative defense   allegation of a responsive pleading which, if it can be proved, negates the allegations of the complaint  
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16 agent   person authorized by another to act for him, one entrusted with another’s business  
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17 agreement   meeting of the minds, preliminary to contract formation  
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18 allegation   assertion made but not proved  
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19 amortization   gradual extinction of a monetary obligation by periodic payments that usually includes interest  
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20 amnesty   sovereign forgetfulness of past acts, usually available for a limited time  
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21 ancillary   auxiliary, supplemental, subordinate  
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23 annotation   remark, note, or commentary intended to illustrate or explain  
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24 annul   cancel, make void, destroy  
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25 answer   written pleading by which a defendant responds to the plaintiff’s complaint  
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26 antitrust laws   federal and state laws to prevent restraint of trade, price-fi xing, price discrimination, monopolies, or other conduct detrimental to free commerce  
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27 appeal   review by a higher court  
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28 appellant   party who fi les an appeal  
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29 appellee   party who defends an appeal  
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30 appraisal   valuation or estimate of property value,made by qualifi ed expert  
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31 arbitration   investigation and determination of dispute by neutral decision-maker; decision is binding on parties  
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31 arraignment   in criminal law, hearing at which accused pleads guilty or not guilty  
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32 assault   in tort, threat of imminent bodily harm accompanied by apparent ability to carry out the threat; in criminal law, often defined as the tort equivalent of battery  
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33 asset   real or personal property owned by an individual, estate, business corporation, or other entity  
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34 assignment   transfer of any right, title, or interest to another  
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35 attestation   act of witnessing the signing (execution) of a document  
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36 assumption of risk   doctrine under which a person cannot obtain recovery for injuries received from a dangerous activity to which she voluntarily exposed herself  
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37 attachment   pre-judgment seizure of property based upon court order  
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38 attest   certify or affi rm to be true or genuine  
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39 attorney-in-fact   one appointed by another to act in specifi c matters described in a power of attorney or in a letter of attorney  
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40 aver   assert, allege, claim  
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41 bailment   delivery of personal property to another to be held for a particular person and then returned  
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42 benefi ciary   one who benefi ts from the act of another  
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43 bequest   gift of personal property by will  
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44 breach   failure (without legal justification) to perform when performance is due  
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45 brief   written argument of counsel concerning one or more legal issues in a case, sometimes called a memorandum of law  
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46 capacity   having legal authority or mental ability; being of sound mind  
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47 caption   that part of a pleading which states the name of the court, the name of the parties, the case number assigned, and the name of the pleading  
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48 cause of action   fact(s) giving rise to a legal remedy  
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49 chattel   personal property  
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50 choate   perfected; complete  
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51 chose in action   a personal right not yet reduced to judgment  
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52 civil code   collection of laws or statutes relating to private rights or remedies  
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53 civil law   laws which relate to private rights and remedies, distinguished from criminal law  
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54 CLA   abbreviation for Certifi ed Legal Assistant, a professional designation earned through and awarded by the National Association of Legal Assistants to those legal assistants who successfully complete an extensive written examination of their general skil  
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55 Code Civil   law of the State of Louisiana consisting of a collection of statutes and based upon the Napoleonic Code, distinguished from common law  
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56 code   collection of laws or statutes  
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57 codicil   an addition or change to an original will  
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58 common law   law based upon custom, usage, and judicial decision, distinguished from statutory law  
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59 community property   property owned in common by husband and wife, each owning an undivided one-half interest as a result of their marital status  
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60 commutation   substitution of a lesser punishment for a greater one  
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61 condemnation   the process of taking private property for public use under a government’s right of eminent domain  
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62 consideration   the lawful price, motive, cause, impelling influence, or inducement for a contract  
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63 contract   agreement between competent parties, supported by consideration, to do or to refrain from doing some lawful act  
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64 conversion   wrongful taking of personal property with intent to deprive its owner of it permanently  
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65 copyright   a right to reap the financial benefits of literary property as this term is defined under federal copyright laws  
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66 covenant   agreement or promise, often restricting the use of real estate  
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67 CP   abbreviation for Certified Paralegal, a professional designation earned through and awarded by the National Association of Legal Assistants to those legal assistants who successfully complete an extensive written examination of their general skills and th  
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68 creditor   one to whom a debt or obligation is owed  
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69 criminal law   laws which control standards of conduct and which prescribe the punishments for disobedience  
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70 debenture   bond given as evidence of corporate debt  
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71 decree   the final order of an equity court  
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72 defamation   that which holds one up to contempt or ridicule; that which injures one’s reputation  
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73 deponent   one who gives a deposition  
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74 deposition   sworn testimony given by question and answer in a non-courtroom setting, which is recorded and transcribed by a court reporter  
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75 devise   gift of real property by will discharge to release, liberate, annul, disencumber, dismiss  
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76 duress   unlawful constraint exercised upon a person, forcing her to do an act which she would not have done otherwise  
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77 enjoin   to prevent or forbid by injunction  
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78 equity   justice administered by principles of fairness, distinguished from strict rules of law  
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79 escheat   reversion of property to the state when there are no heirs to inherit the property at a person’s death  
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8o estop   to stop, bar, prevent  
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81 estoppe   l doctrine under which a person’s acts or failure to act prevents her from seeking legal relief, although she would have been entitled to relief otherwise  
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82 eviction   to recover real estate (from a tenant) by legal process; to force out or remove from real property  
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83 evidentiary   constituting evidence or proof, having the quality of evidence  
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84 exemptions   immunity from a general burden, tax, or charge; in bankruptcy or in judgment executions, that portion of the debtor’s property that cannot be liquidated and applied to her debts  
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85 felony   a crime for which the maximum possible punishment is death or imprisonment for one year or more in a penitentiary  
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86 fraud   any artifi ce used by one person to deceive another  
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87 general denial   a pleading in the form of an answer, which denies allegations made by the opposing party but which contains no affirmative defenses  
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88 grantee   one to whom real estate is conveyed; the buyer of real estate  
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89 grantor   one who conveys real estate; the seller of real estate  
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90 guarantor   one who agrees to undertake the (financial) obligation of another  
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91 guaranty   agreement to undertake the (financial) obligation of another  
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92 guardian   one charged with responsibility to manage the personal matters of another who is incompetent because of age, understanding, or lack of self-control  
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93 guardian ad litem   person appointed by a court to look after the interests of a child or incompetent during the pendency of a litigation  
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94 inchoate   unfinished, incomplete  
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95 indemnify   to secure against loss or damage  
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96 indictment   written accusation issued by a grand jury against a defendant in criminal law  
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97 indorsement   act of a payee, drawee, accommodation indorser, or holder of a bill, note, check, or other negotiable instrument, in writing his or her name upon the back of the instrument to assign or transfer the negotiable instrument to another  
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98 infant   one who has not reached the age of majority; a minor  
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99 information   written accusation issued by a prosecutor against a defendant in criminal law  
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100 injunction   an order issued by a court of equity, requiring a person to do or not to do a specific act  
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101 insolvent   condition of a person or entity that exists when total liabilities exceed total assets  
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102 interlocutory   provisional, interim, not final  
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103 interrogatories   series of formal, written questions addressed to a party for discovery purposes  
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104 intestate   without a will, one who dies without a will  
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105 judgment   final order of a court of law, based upon a jury verdict or upon findings of fact by the court  
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106 jurat   clause of a notary public or authorized officer attesting that a statement or document was sworn to by a specific person on a specific date  
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107 jurisdiction   power conferred on a court to hear a particular case and to render a final decision on the merits  
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108 jurisprudence   science of law; system of law  
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109 laches   a doctrine by which equitable relief is denied to one who has waited too long to seek relief  
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110 legal assistant   a distinguishable group of persons who assist attorneys in delivering legal services (within this occupational category, some individuals are known as paralegals); through formal education, training, and experience, legal assistants have knowledge and  
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111 lessee   one who possesses or uses the property of another; tenant  
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112 lessor   a title holder of property who contracts for its possession or use by another; landlord  
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113 liable   legally responsible  
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114 libel   written defamation  
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115 lien   a charge, security, or encumbrance on property  
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116 liquidated   property or claim that has been converted to its cash equivalent  
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117 litigation   contest in a court of law for the purpose of enforcing a right or seeking a remedy  
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118 magistrate   court officer with limited judicial authority; a public officer  
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119 malfeasance   evil doing; performance of an act with bad intent  
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120 malpractice   professional negligence or misconduct  
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121 mediation   arrangement to attempt settlement of a dispute by using a neutral party as the referee; unlike an arbitrator, a mediator does not issue a binding decision  
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122 memorandum of law   brief of law submitted to a court by the attorney for a party  
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123 memorandum opinion   very short opinion of a court  
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124 merger   absorption of one thing or right into another  
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125 metes and bounds   a method of describing real estate, using boundary lines with terminal points and angles  
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126 minor   person who is not an adult; child  
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127 misdemeanor   a criminal offense for which the maximum possible punishment is a fine or incarceration for a period less than one year  
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128 misfeasance   improper performance of an otherwise lawful act  
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129 mitigation   duty of parties to minimize damages after an injury is sustained or a breach occurs  
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130 mortgage   conditional conveyance of an interest in real estate, usually as security for a debt  
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131 mortgagee   one who receives a mortgage, usually a lender  
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132 mortgagor   an owner of real estate who gives a mortgage  
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133 motion   application (not a pleading) or request made to a court to obtain an interim ruling or order  
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134 motion in limine   application requesting a court to rule in advance that specific, unfairly prejudicial information will not be mentioned during trial  
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135 negligence   failure to use the care which a reasonable and prudent person would use in similar circumstances  
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136 notary public   public officer who administers oaths,attests and certifi es documents, and takes acknowledgments  
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137 novation   substitution of a new contract, debt, or obligation for an existing one between the same or different parties  
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138 nuncupative   oral; not written  
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139 oath   solemn pledge attesting to the truth of a statement  
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140 offer   a promise; a commitment to do or to refrain from doing some specific act  
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141 offeree   one to whom an offer is made  
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142   offeror one who makes an offer  
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143 option   a right supported by consideration to purchase property at an agreed price within a specified time  
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144 order   mandate, command, or direction authoritatively given; mandate of a court  
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145 ordinance   legislative enactment (law enacted) by a local government such as a county or a city  
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146 parol evidence   oral proof of contract terms which are not contained within the written contract document  
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147 parole   release from imprisonment upon specific conditions related to conduct or good behavior  
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148 patent   inventor’s right to exclude others from making, using, or selling the invention for seventeen years  
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149 paternity   relationship of a father to a child  
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150 payee   one to whom payment is made  
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151 payor   one who makes payment  
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152 pecuniary   monetary; relating to money  
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153 perjury   false testimony given under oath  
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154 pleading   in federal court, complaint, answer to complaint, and reply to cross-claim (no other pleadings are allowed)  
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155 power of attorney   an instrument authorizing one to act as agent or attorney-in-fact for another as to those matters listed in the instrument  
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156 precedent   holding of a case which guides the decisions in future cases involving similar facts and similar legal issues  
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157 privileged communications   statements made by persons within specific, protected relationships for evidentiary purposes (husband-wife, attorney-client, priest-parishioner, and so forth)  
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158 probable cause   justification to believe that a crime was committed and that the accused is the person who committed it  
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159 probation   a sentence which releases a convicted person into the community under the supervision of a probation officer  
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160 promissory estoppel   a doctrine which prevents a party to a contract from denying that consideration was given for the contract  
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161 promissory note   a written promise to pay a specific sum of money at a future time  
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162 proximate cause   the last (negligent) act which leads to injury; legal cause  
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163 proxy   an instrument authorizing one to cast the votes of another at a corporate meeting  
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164 punitive damages   damages awarded over and above the amount of losses, which are awarded as punishment of the wrongdoer  
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165 quash   suppress, stop, cease, abate  
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166 quiet title action   action to determine clear title to real estate  
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167 quitclaim deed   deed without warranty, which passes only that title which the grantor has  
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168 recidivist   repeat offender  
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169 release   discharge of one party’s obligation to another  
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170 replevin   action to recover possession of personal property  
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171 rescission   an equitable remedy which invalidates a contract on the basis of mutual mistake, fraud, impossibility, and so forth  
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172 restitution   restoration of a thing to its rightful owner; a measure of damages according to the defendant’s gains rather than the plaintiff’s losses  
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173 service of process   delivery of a writ, summons, subpoena to the person named therein  
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174 settlor   one who creates a trust, trustor  
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175 slander   spoken defamation  
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176 specific performance   equitable remedy in contract law which requires the breaching party to perform according to the specific terms of the contract  
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177 statute   legislative enactment (law enacted) by Congress or a state legislature  
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178 statute of limitations   statute which limits the time within which a cause of action may be filed  
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179 stipulation   agreement between parties to a lawsuit concerning matters related to the trial  
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180 subpoena   a writ commanding the named person to appear at a specific time and place  
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181 subpoena   duces tecum a writ commanding the named person to appear at a specific time and place and to bring specific records or documents with her  
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182 summons   document served upon a defendant to notify her that suit has been fi led against her and directing her to answer or to otherwise appear in the case by a specific date  
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183 survey   process by which a tract of land is measured and its contents determined, with a map to scale created for it  
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184 temporary restraining order   an emergency injunctive remedy (order) of short duration to require or to forbid an act until a hearing can be held  
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185 testator, testatrix   man who creates and executes a will; woman who creates and executes a will  
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186 testimonium clause   the clause of an instrument which begins “In witness whereof,  
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187 tickler system   reminder system used in law offices to supplement diaries and calendars in the overall docket control system  
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188 tort   a civil wrong such as negligence or trespass, as distinguished from a criminal offense (the same conduct may result in both tort liability and criminal liability)  
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189 trust account   account where client funds are kept separate from attorney funds  
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190 unconscionable   grossly unfair, unscrupulous, terms or conduct which shocks the conscience  
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191 usury   the excess over the lawful interest rate  
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192 vendee   the purchaser or buyer of property  
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193 vendor   the seller of property  
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194 venue   the location where an action is tried  
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195 verdict   finding(s) of fact by a jury in a civil or criminal trial  
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196 verification   confirmation of accuracy; sworn oath by an authorized person that certain statements are true to the best of his or her knowledge and belief  
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197 void   having no legal force or effect  
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198 voidable   that which is capable of being declared void but which is valid until such declaration is made  
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199 warranty   a promise to defend the truth of a fact  
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200 warranty deed   a deed conveying land which guarantees that the title is free of defects to marketability  
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201 with prejudice   a declaration (usually in connection with an order of dismissal) which ends the right to further relief; it prevents either party from fi ling future complaints based on the same claim or cause of action  
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202 without prejudice   a declaration (usually in connection with an order of dismissal) which preserves any rights or privileges that a party may have to file a future complaint based upon the same claim or cause of action  
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203 witness   one who has personal knowledge about facts related to a case; one who can testify about what she has seen, heard, or otherwise observed  
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204 writ of execution   order of a court after judgment commanding a court officer to seize property in satisfaction of the judgment  
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