philosophy - the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics

contract law - that branch of jurisprudence that studies the rights and obligations of parties entering into contracts

corporation law - that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing corporations

matrimonial law - that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing matrimony

patent law - that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing patents

impounding, impoundment, internment, poundage - placing private property in the custody of an officer of the law

award, awarding - a grant made by a law court; "he criticized the awarding of compensation by the court"

appointment - (law) the act of disposing of property by virtue of the power of appointment; "she allocated part of the trust to her church by appointment"

remit, remitment, remission - (law) the act of remitting (especially the referral of a law case to another court)

novation - (law) the replacement of one obligation by another by mutual agreement of both parties; usually the replacement of one of the original parties to a contract with the consent of the remaining party

subrogation - (law) the act of substituting of one creditor for another

disbarment - the act of expelling a lawyer from the practice of law

derogation - (law) the partial taking away of the effectiveness of a law; a partial repeal or abolition of a law; "any derogation of the common law is to be strictly construed"

recission, rescission - (law) the act of rescinding; the cancellation of a contract and the return of the parties to the positions they would have had if the contract had not been made; recission may be brought about by decree or by mutual consent

abatement of a nuisance, nuisance abatement - (law) the removal or termination or destruction of something that has been found to be a nuisance

production - (law) the act of exhibiting in a court of law; "the appellate court demanded the production of all documents"

practice of law, law - the learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system; "he studied law at Yale"

law practice - the practice of law

civil wrong, tort - (law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought

juvenile delinquency, delinquency - an antisocial misdeed in violation of the law by a minor

comparative negligence - (law) negligence allocated between the plaintiff and the defendant with a corresponding reduction in damages paid to the plaintiff

concurrent negligence - (law) negligence of two of more persons acting independently; the plaintiff may sue both together or separately

contributory negligence - (law) behavior by the plaintiff that contributes to the harm resulting from the defendant's negligence; in common law any degree of contributory negligence would bar the plaintiff from collecting damages

criminal negligence, culpable negligence - (law) recklessly acting without reasonable caution and putting another person at risk of injury or death (or failing to do something with the same consequences)

neglect of duty - (law) breach of a duty

false pretence, false pretense - (law) an offense involving intent to defraud and false representation and obtaining property as a result of that misrepresentation

resisting arrest - physical efforts to oppose a lawful arrest; the resistance is classified as assault and battery upon the person of the police officer attempting to make the arrest

sedition - an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government

sex crime, sex offense, sexual abuse, sexual assault - a statutory offense that provides that it is a crime to knowingly cause another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat; "most states have replaced the common law definition of rape with statutes defining sexual assault"

kidnapping, snatch - (law) the unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment

actual possession - (law) immediate and direct physical control over property

constructive possession - (law) having the power and intention to have and control property but without direct control or actual presence upon it

criminal possession - (law) possession for which criminal sanctions are provided because the property may not lawfully be possessed or may not be posessed under certain circumstances

intervention - (law) a proceeding that permits a person to enter into a lawsuit already in progress; admission of person not an original party to the suit so that person can protect some right or interest that is allegedly affected by the proceedings; "the purpose of intervention is to prevent unnecessary duplication of lawsuits"

objection - (law) a procedure whereby a party to a suit says that a particular line of questioning or a particular witness or a piece of evidence or other matter is improper and should not be continued and asks the court to rule on its impropriety or illegality