Damages

Definition

The amount of money a court says your suffering is worth, which is always simultaneously too much according to the defendant and not nearly enough according to you. Putting a price tag on misery is basically the legal system's entire business model.

Example Usage

"The jury awarded me $50,000 in damages for emotional distress, which barely covers the emotional distress of the trial itself."

Related Terms

Intermediate

retained

To keep someone on your payroll or in your service, typically by paying them a retainer fee that ensures they'll pick up the phone when you call. A legal and consulting favorite that means "you're basically mine now, but without all the messy commitment of actual employment." Think of it as the corporate equivalent of keeping someone on speed dial, except they're contractually obligated to answer.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

good faith

An implied obligation in contracts to deal honestly and fairly with the other party, not exploiting technicalities or acting like a cartoon villain. It's a vague concept that somehow judges always know when you've violated.

⚖️ Legal

Advanced

declaratory judgment

A court ruling that clarifies everyone's legal rights before anything bad actually happens. It's like asking a judge 'can I do this?' and getting an official answer instead of just doing it and hoping for the best.

⚖️ Legal

Advanced

arbitral

The adjective form describing anything related to arbitration—the private dispute resolution process where parties avoid courts by letting an arbitrator decide their fate. It's how corporations sneak mandatory arbitration clauses into every contract so you can't sue them properly. Sounds fancier than it is, which is probably the point.

⚖️ Legal

Beginner

trademark

The legal claim your company makes on words, symbols, or phrases so competitors can't swoop in and confuse customers with knockoff branding. It's essentially corporate identity protection, the thing that keeps every coffee shop from calling itself Starbucks and every sneaker from sporting a swoosh. You can trademark almost anything distinctive enough, from logos to slogans to that specific shade of purple your competitor desperately wishes they could use.

⚖️ 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

Translate This Term

See “Damages” 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

Beginner

Fangirl

A term that refers to an extremely devoted female fan of a comic book, movie, television show, sports team, or musician;...