forum shopping

Definition

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.

Example Usage

The plaintiff engaged in obvious forum shopping by filing the intellectual property case in the Eastern District of Texas.

Origin

Coined in mid-20th century legal practice as jurisdictional strategy became more sophisticated

Fun Fact

Some jurisdictions have reputations—East Texas for patent plaintiffs, Delaware for corporate cases—making them legal tourist destinations of sorts.

Source: Civil procedure and litigation strategy terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

unconstitutional

The legal equivalent of calling something fundamentally illegal because it violates the constitution—the supreme law of the land. When courts declare something unconstitutional, they're basically saying "that law is so wrong it contradicts our most basic principles." It's the ultimate trump card in legal arguments, assuming you can convince judges you're right.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

complainant

The official legal term for the person doing the complaining—specifically, the party bringing a civil lawsuit or the alleged victim in a criminal case. This formal designation transforms regular griping into courtroom-appropriate terminology, distinguishing legitimate legal complaints from your uncle's Thanksgiving rants. In criminal cases, they're the victim; in civil cases, they're also called the plaintiff, because legal English loves having three terms for everything.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

infringement

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.

⚖️ Legal

Advanced

acrimony

The special brand of bitterness that permeates divorces, business breakups, and office feuds where former partners now communicate exclusively through lawyers and passive-aggressive emails. It's hostility aged to perfection, going well beyond simple disagreement into the realm of lasting resentment. When a relationship ends in acrimony, you know there won't be any 'let's stay friends' nonsense.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

equitable relief

A court remedy that doesn't involve money damages, such as injunctions, specific performance, or rescission. It's what you seek when throwing money at the problem won't fix it, and you need the court to actually make someone do (or stop doing) something.

⚖️ Legal

Intermediate

annul

To legally declare something void, as if it never existed—the official "undo" button for marriages, contracts, or governmental acts. It's the nuclear option when canceling isn't quite dramatic enough, often requiring a court or authority to wave their magic gavel. Different from divorce in that annulment pretends you never made that regrettable decision in the first place.

⚖️ Legal

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