cy pres

Definition

A doctrine that redirects funds from a settlement when individual payments would be impractical, usually sending unclaimed money to charities 'as near as possible' to the original purpose. Your $1.47 from a class action becomes a donation.

Example Usage

The cy pres distribution sent $8 million to consumer advocacy groups after most class members couldn't be located for their $3 checks.

Origin

Law French 'cy pres comme possible,' meaning 'as near as possible'

Fun Fact

Critics argue cy pres enriches charities the attorneys like while class members get coupons worth less than postage.

Source: Class action settlement procedures and trust law

Related Terms

Intermediate

misdemeanour

A criminal offense that's serious enough to get you in trouble but not quite felony-level career-ruining. Think petty theft, vandalism, or public intoxication rather than grand larceny. In the US, misdemeanants typically serve less than a year in county jail and get to keep their voting rights, unlike their felonious counterparts.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

interrogatories

Written questions one party sends to another during discovery, which must be answered under oath within 30 days. They're the legal equivalent of a take-home exam, except lawyers write them and billing by the hour.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

motion to compel

A formal request asking the judge to force the other side to comply with discovery requests they've been avoiding. It's the legal equivalent of tattling to the teacher when someone won't share.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

magistrate

A judicial officer who handles the legal system's minor league games—small claims, preliminary hearings, and misdemeanors that aren't quite dramatic enough for the big courthouse. Think of them as judges-lite with limited authority, keeping the lower courts moving while the real judges handle felonies and constitutional crises. In ancient times, they actually had serious power, but modern magistrates mainly deal with people who can't parallel park correctly.

⚖️ Legal

Advanced

adjudication

The formal process where a judge or official decides who's right in a legal dispute, ending arguments with the finality of 'because I said so' but with more precedents cited. In bankruptcy contexts, it's the determination of whether someone is officially broke enough for relief. It's what happens when mediation fails and someone with a gavel has to step in to end the nonsense.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

judicial

Relating to judges, courts, and the branch of government that interprets laws and settles disputes when people can't act like adults. It's the formal system of black robes, gavels, and procedural rules that makes lawyers rich. When something requires judicial intervention, you know negotiations have failed spectacularly and someone's about to spend a lot of money on legal fees.

⚖️ Legal

Translate This Term

See “cy pres” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Intermediate

bolo

To fail a qualification or test, particularly marksmanship qualification. From the lowest badge tier 'marksman' once res...