Wherein the party of the first part hereby confuses the party of the second part.
Sexual harassment where job benefits are conditioned on sexual favors, Latin for 'something for something' but creepy. The workplace equivalent of 'sleep with me or you're fired.'
The principle allowing federal courts to decline jurisdiction when state courts can better resolve the issues, essentially judges saying 'not my circus, not my monkeys.' Judicial passing the buck with constitutional justification.
A provisional or interim court order issued during litigation before final judgment, essentially a legal 'to be continued.' The judicial version of a cliffhanger.
Something of value exchanged between parties to make a contract legally binding, because courts need proof you weren't just making empty promises. The legal system's way of ensuring everyone has skin in the game.
A justiciability doctrine requiring that a dispute be sufficiently developed for judicial review, essentially telling plaintiffs 'come back when this is an actual problem.' The legal version of 'don't call us, we'll call you.'
Dividing a trial into separate phases, typically separating liability from damages, essentially legal multitasking that's actually single-tasking in sequence. The judicial version of 'let's take this one step at a time.'
The pool of prospective jurors summoned to court from which the jury is selected, Latin for 'to come.' Essentially a random collection of citizens hoping their number isn't called.
Something unique and in a class by itself, Latin for 'of its own kind'—legal speak for 'we've never seen this before and don't quite know what to do with it.' The catchall for legal oddities.
The illegal practice of funding someone else's lawsuit in exchange for a share of the proceeds, essentially legal speculation that most jurisdictions frown upon. Ambulance chasing's more sophisticated cousin.
The practice of filing a lawsuit in the jurisdiction most favorable to one's case, essentially legal venue selection based on strategic advantage. The litigation version of choosing a restaurant because you know the owner.
The fancy corporate and legal term for 'stopping' that makes temporary or permanent discontinuation sound more official and less like giving up. In employment law, it's what happens before the lawyers get involved. It's the word that turns 'we quit' into 'there was a cessation of operations,' adding gravitas to what might just be failure.
The legal world's fancy term for "you break it, you buy it," except it's more like "you broke it, now make the victim whole again." This compensation process can involve cold hard cash, community service, or whatever the court decides will restore cosmic balance after someone's wrongdoing.
A legal standard so subjective it basically means "whatever a reasonable person would think," which is lawyer-speak for "we'll know it when we see it." Courts use this to evaluate whether someone's actions pass the smell test without having to spell out every possible scenario. It's the "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it" of legal standards.
In legal terms, the act of asking, urging, or downright begging someone to commit a crime, which is itself a crime even if they never do it. It's like being arrested for asking your friend to rob a bank, whether they actually rob it or tell you to get lost. Prosecutors love it because they can nail you before anyone actually does anything stupid.
A substance that speeds up chemical reactions, most famously known for making fires spread faster—which is why arson investigators get really interested when they find petroleum products at fire scenes. In startup speak, it's sometimes used metaphorically for anything that rapidly grows a business, though actual accelerants are far more literal and illegal. Either way, things are about to get hot quickly.
The legal term for when someone deliberately sabotages your business relationships or contracts, giving you grounds to sue them for being a professional backstabber. It's the law recognizing that some people need to be sued for being terrible.
A legal doctrine that enforces promises even without a formal contract when someone reasonably relied on that promise to their detriment. It's the law's way of saying 'you can't just back out of a promise that someone quit their job to accept.'
The doctrine preventing parties from re-arguing facts that have already been decided in a previous case. It's like judicial recycling—why waste time re-proving something everyone already settled?
Representing yourself in court without an attorney, which lawyers will tell you is like performing surgery on yourself—technically possible, but rarely advisable. The judge will still hold you to the same standards as actual lawyers, making this a high-risk endeavor.
A writ from a higher court agreeing to review a lower court's decision, most famously used when the Supreme Court decides your case is interesting enough to warrant their attention. It's the legal equivalent of getting picked from the audience.
The legal term for stepping on someone else's rights, property, or intellectual turf—whether it's copyright, patents, or just good old-fashioned trespassing. Lawyers love this word because it sounds more sophisticated than "you broke the rules." Usually followed by either a cease-and-desist letter or a hefty lawsuit.
Historically, the court where equity ruled supreme and rigid legal technicalities went to die—think fairness over formality. In the U.S., it became synonymous with equity courts where judges could use their discretion to deliver just outcomes. Now also refers to the building housing diplomatic missions, because apparently legal and diplomatic confusion needed to share a name.
The legal version of damage control—reducing the severity of harm, losses, or consequences rather than eliminating them entirely. In litigation, you have a duty to mitigate damages, meaning you can't just sit back and let things get worse then blame the other party. It's the court's way of saying "at least try to help yourself."
The formal events and actions that constitute a legal case, from filing the initial complaint to the final judgment. It's the legal profession's way of making "stuff that happened in court" sound more important. Also refers to published academic conference papers, because academics needed their own type of proceedings too.