Legal Basics

Actual notice means a person directly knows or receives information about a legal fact, claim, duty, deadline, or proceeding.

Bad faith describes dishonest, abusive, or intentionally unfair conduct within a legal relationship, duty, claim, or process.

Case law is the body of court decisions that explains, applies, and sometimes develops legal rules.

Civil law covers noncriminal legal disputes, including claims for money, orders, rights, duties, and other remedies.

A civil penalty is a monetary or regulatory sanction imposed through a civil or administrative process rather than a criminal sentence.

Common law is law developed through court decisions, especially when judges apply precedent to disputes not fully answered by statutes.

Constructive notice treats a person as having notice because information was available through legally recognized records, procedures, or circumstances.

Criminal law defines offenses against the public and sets the process and penalties for prosecution by the government.

An element is a required part of a legal claim, defense, or offense that must be established under the applicable legal standard.

Equitable relief is a court-ordered remedy that directs action, restraint, or correction rather than simply awarding money damages.

Good faith means honesty, fair dealing, and sincere conduct within the legal relationship or rule being applied.

Legal capacity is the ability recognized by law to hold rights, make decisions, enter agreements, or take legally effective action.

A legal claim is an assertion that the law gives a person or entity a right to relief, remedy, or court action.

A legal defense is a reason a defendant or responding party argues that a claim, charge, or requested remedy should fail or be limited.

A legal fiction is an assumption the law treats as true for a specific legal purpose even if it is not literally true.

Legal notice is information formally given to a person or entity so they are aware of a legal action, duty, deadline, or proposed effect on rights.

A legal person is an entity recognized by law as able to hold rights, owe duties, own property, sue, or be sued.

A legal presumption is a rule that lets or requires a court to treat a fact as true unless it is rebutted or the rule provides otherwise.

A legal remedy is the court-ordered or legally recognized relief used to enforce a right, correct a wrong, or compensate harm.

A legal standard is the rule, threshold, or test a court or decision-maker uses to decide a legal issue.

A natural person is an individual human being, as distinguished from a corporation, trust, estate, or other legal entity.

An ordinance is a law adopted by a local government, often covering land use, public safety, licensing, or local administration.

A presumption is a legal rule that allows or requires a factfinder to treat one fact as true when another fact is established.

Prima facie means legally sufficient on its face, usually describing an initial showing that can support a claim, defense, or inference unless rebutted.

A prima facie case is an initial showing that, if accepted as true, is legally sufficient to support a claim or defense.

Private law governs legal rights and duties between private people, businesses, and organizations.

A private right of action is legal authority for a private person or entity to sue to enforce a statute or legal right.

Procedural law governs the steps, deadlines, filings, hearings, and methods used to enforce legal rights and duties.

Public law governs relationships involving government authority, public duties, constitutional limits, criminal enforcement, and administrative action.

A rebuttable presumption is a legal inference that applies unless a party introduces enough evidence to challenge or overcome it.

The rule of law is the principle that government power and private conduct should be governed by public, stable, and enforceable legal rules.

A safe harbor is a rule that protects conduct from certain liability or penalties when stated conditions are met.

Statutory interpretation is the process courts and lawyers use to determine what a statute means and how it applies.

Substantive law defines legal rights, duties, offenses, defenses, and remedies rather than the procedures used to enforce them.

A cause of action is the legally recognized basis for suing and asking a court for relief.

Jurisdiction is the legal power of a court or government to hear a matter, regulate conduct, or bind the parties involved.

Law is the body of binding rules and enforceable standards that governs conduct, resolves disputes, and structures legal rights and duties.

Core legal terms that explain what law is, where legal authority comes from, and how rights, duties, liability, and remedies fit together.

A legal duty is an obligation the law requires a person or organization to perform or avoid breaching.

A legal right is an interest or entitlement that the law recognizes and protects.

Liability is legal responsibility for a debt, duty, loss, or wrongful act that can lead to legal consequences.

Precedent is a prior judicial decision used as authority in later cases with similar legal issues.

A regulation is a binding rule issued by a government agency under authority granted by a statute.

A remedy is the legal relief a court or legal system provides after a right is violated or liability is established.

A statute is a written law enacted by a legislature and used as a primary source of legal authority.