Law terminology · MLC-0107

Law terms: D (358)

• DamagesMonetary compensation awarded to a plaintiff in a lawsuit to recompense them for a loss or injury caused by...
• Dangerous weaponAn object that, by its nature or the manner of its use, is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury...
• Darby v. United States (1941)A landmark United States Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of the Fair Labor Standards Act...
• Dark webA part of the internet that is not indexed by standard search engines and requires specific software...
• DataInformation, especially facts or statistics, collected and stored for analysis or reference. In a legal...
• Data brokerAn entity that collects personal information about consumers from numerous sources and resells or shares that...
• Date rapeA non-consensual sexual act where the victim and perpetrator have a pre-existing social relationship...
• Daubert standardA legal standard for the admissibility of expert witness testimony in federal courts, established by the...
• Davis-Bacon ActA United States federal law that mandates prevailing wages for laborers and mechanics employed on public...
• De factoA Latin phrase meaning "in fact" or "in reality," referring to a situation that exists in practice, even if...
• De facto corporationA business entity that operates as a corporation and is treated as such by all parties, despite having failed...
• De facto lawA rule or principle that is followed in practice, even if it has not been formally enacted as a statute or...
• De facto segregationRacial separation that occurs in practice, not as a result of explicit laws or government policies, but...
• De jureA Latin phrase meaning "by right" or "by law," referring to a situation that is legally recognized and...
• De jure corporationA business entity that has fully complied with all statutory requirements for incorporation and is legally...
• De novoA Latin phrase meaning "anew" or "from the beginning," referring to a fresh review of a case or issue by a...
• Dead man's statuteA rule of evidence that disqualifies a witness with a financial interest in a legal case from testifying...
• Deadhand controlThe influence that a deceased owner keeps over property through conditions in a will, trust or deed, such as...
• Deadlocked juryA jury in a criminal or civil trial that is unable to reach the required level of unanimity or consensus to...
• Deadly forceForce that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. Law enforcement officers are generally...
• Deadly weaponAn object that is inherently dangerous and capable of causing death or serious bodily injury, or an object...
• DeadnameThe birth name of a transgender person who has changed their name, particularly when that name is used...
• DealerA person or entity that buys and sells goods or securities as a principal, rather than as an agent. In...
• DeathThe permanent cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. In a legal context, death...
• Death beneficiaryA person or entity named in a life insurance policy, retirement account, payable-on-death account, or trust...
• Death penaltyA sentence of execution ordered by a court for a capital crime, representing the most severe form of...
• Death rowA section of a prison that houses inmates sentenced to death while their appeals and other legal challenges...
• Death taxesTaxes levied on the transfer of property or wealth from a deceased person's estate to their heirs or...
• DebentureA type of unsecured bond or loan certificate issued by a company or government, backed only by the issuer's...
• Debit cardA payment card that deducts money directly from a consumer's checking account when used for purchases or cash...
• DebitingThe act of recording a debit entry, an entry on the left side of an account in double-entry bookkeeping. A...
• DebtAn obligation owed by one party (the debtor) to another (the creditor), typically consisting of money, goods...
• Debt collectorAn individual or agency that pursues payment of debts owed by individuals or businesses. Debt collectors...
• Debt relief agencyA person who provides bankruptcy assistance to an assisted person, meaning someone whose debts are mainly...
• Debt-management planA structured program offered by credit counseling agencies to assist individuals in repaying unsecured debts...
• DebtorAn individual, company, or entity that owes money or other obligations to another party, known as the...
• Debtor and creditorThe legal relationship between two parties where one party, the debtor, owes a sum of money or other...
• Debtor in possessionA business or individual that retains control of its assets and continues to operate its business while...
• Debt-to-income ratioA financial metric that compares an individual's total monthly debt payments to their gross monthly income...
• DecarcerationThe process of reducing the number of people in prisons and jails, often through policy changes that...
• DeceasedA person who has died. The term is used in legal contexts, particularly in estate law and probate...
• DecedentAn individual who has passed away, especially when referring to the person whose estate is being administered...
• DeceitA false representation of a material fact made with knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard for the...
• DeceptionThe act of misleading someone through misrepresentation, concealment, or trickery, often with the intent to...
• Deceptive deviceAny contrivance, scheme, or artifice used to mislead or defraud, particularly in financial or securities...
• DecideTo make a judgment or come to a resolution after considering relevant facts, arguments, or evidence. In a...
• DecisionA formal determination or judgment made by a court, administrative body, or other legal authority after...
• DeclarantA person who makes a statement, declaration, or assertion, especially one that is offered as evidence in a...
• DeclarationA formal statement or assertion, often made under oath or penalty of perjury, that attests to a fact or set...
• Declaration against interestAn exception to the hearsay rule that allows an out-of-court statement to be admitted as evidence if the...
• Declaration of mailingA sworn statement affirming that a document was sent to specified recipients on a particular date and by a...
• Declaration of trustA formal statement, usually written, by which the owner of property declares that the owner holds it as...
• Declaration under penalty of perjuryA written statement signed by an individual affirming that the information contained within it is true and...
• Declaratory judgmentA judicial pronouncement that clarifies the legal rights and obligations of parties in a dispute without...
• Declaratory reliefA legal remedy where a court issues a judgment that defines the rights and duties of parties in a...
• DecreeA formal order or judgment issued by a court, typically in equity cases, that resolves a dispute and dictates...
• Decree of distributionA formal court order issued in probate proceedings that specifies how the assets of a deceased person's...
• DecriminalizationThe legislative process of reducing or removing criminal penalties for certain acts or behaviors, making them...
• DedicationThe voluntary transfer of private land by its owner for public use, such as for roads, parks, or utilities...
• Dedimus potestatumA writ or commission issued by a court, granting authority to a person to perform a specific act on the...
• DeductibleThe amount of a covered loss that the policyholder pays before the insurer's payment obligation begins...
• Deductible business expenseAn ordinary and necessary cost incurred by a business in the course of earning income that can be subtracted...
• DeductionAn amount that can be subtracted from gross income or a total sum, thereby reducing the amount subject to tax...
• DeedA legal document that formally transfers ownership of real property from one party, the grantor, to another...
• Deed in lieu of foreclosureA voluntary agreement where a homeowner facing foreclosure transfers the title of their property directly to...
• Deed of trustA legal instrument used in some states as an alternative to a mortgage, involving three parties: the...
• Deemed export licenseA regulatory authorization required when controlled technology or technical data is released to a foreign...
• Deep linkA hyperlink that directs users to a specific page or content within a website, rather than to the site's...
• DefalcationThe misappropriation of funds by a person in a position of trust, such as an attorney, trustee, or public...
• DefamationThe act of making a false statement about another person that harms their reputation. This can take the form...
• DefaultA failure to fulfill an obligation or perform a duty, especially a financial one, such as failing to make a...
• Default divorceA divorce granted by a court when one spouse fails to respond to the divorce petition filed by the other...
• Default judgmentA binding judgment entered by a court against a party who has failed to appear in court or respond to a legal...
• DefeasanceA legal provision that renders a contract or deed void upon the occurrence of a specified condition, or the...
• Defeasible remainderA future interest in real property that is capable of being defeated or terminated by the occurrence or...
• DefectA flaw, imperfection, or deficiency in a product, property, or legal document that renders it unsuitable for...
• DefectiveDescribing something that contains a flaw, imperfection, or inadequacy that prevents it from functioning as...
• Defective titleA title to real property that is not clear, marketable, or free from encumbrances, liens, or other legal...
• Defective verdictA jury verdict that is legally insufficient, inconsistent, or unclear, making it impossible for the court to...
• DefendantThe party against whom a lawsuit is filed in a civil case, or the party accused of a crime in a criminal...
• DefenseThe argument or evidence presented by a defendant in a legal proceeding to counter the claims or charges...
• Defense attorneyA lawyer who represents a defendant in legal proceedings, advocating on their behalf against the charges or...
• Defense of othersA legal justification allowing an individual to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect...
• Defense of propertyA legal justification permitting an individual to use reasonable, non-deadly force to prevent trespass or...
• Defensive collateral estoppelA legal doctrine that prevents a plaintiff from relitigating an issue that the plaintiff has previously...
• Deferred compensationAn arrangement in which an employee or executive agrees to receive a portion of their salary or bonus at a...
• Deferred prosecution agreementA voluntary agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant, typically a corporation, to suspend criminal...
• DeficiencyA shortfall or inadequacy, often referring to the amount by which a debt exceeds the value of the collateral...
• Deficiency judgmentA court order holding a debtor personally liable for the unpaid balance of a debt after a secured asset, such...
• DeficitThe amount by which a sum of money falls short of a required or expected amount, particularly the excess of...
• Defined benefit planA type of retirement plan where an employer promises a specified monthly benefit to an employee upon...
• Defined contribution planA type of employer-sponsored retirement plan where the employer and/or employee contribute a specified amount...
• Definite trust beneficiariesIndividuals or entities clearly identified in a trust instrument as having a present or future interest in...
• DefinitionsA dedicated section within a statute, contract, or other legal instrument that assigns specific meanings to...
• DefraudTo intentionally deceive another person or entity for personal gain or to cause harm, typically involving...
• Degree of kinshipA measure of the closeness of a familial relationship between two individuals, determined by counting the...
• Delayed exchangeA transaction under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code where a taxpayer sells relinquished property...
• DelegateTo entrust a task, authority, or responsibility to another person or entity. In law, delegation involves the...
• DeliberateTo engage in careful and thorough consideration or discussion before making a decision or taking action. In a...
• DelinquentReferring to a person who has failed to fulfill a duty or obligation, or to an overdue payment or account. In...
• DeliveryThe formal act of transferring possession or control of an item, such as goods, a deed, or a legal document...
• DemandA formal request or claim for something that is due, owed, or required. In legal proceedings, a demand can be...
• Demand letterA formal written communication sent by one party to another, asserting a legal right or claim and requesting...
• Demand noteA promissory note that is payable immediately upon the request of the holder, without a specified maturity...
• DemiseThe transfer of an estate, especially a leasehold interest in property, for a term of years or for life. It...
• DemocracyA system of government where supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or...
• Demonstrative evidencePhysical evidence that illustrates or recreates a tangible object, scene, or event to assist the trier of...
• DemurTo object or raise an exception to a pleading in a lawsuit, asserting that even if the facts alleged by the...
• DemurrerA formal pleading in a lawsuit that challenges the legal sufficiency of the opposing party's complaint or...
• DenialA formal statement in a legal pleading, such as an answer to a complaint, in which a party disputes the truth...
• Denied persons listA list maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) identifying...
• Department of AgricultureThe United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related...
• Department of CommerceA cabinet-level department of the U.S. federal government focused on promoting economic growth and...
• Department of Homeland SecurityA cabinet-level department of the United States federal government with responsibilities in public security...
• Department of JusticeA cabinet-level executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the enforcement of...
• Department of LaborThe United States federal department responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards...
• Department of StateThe United States federal executive department tasked with managing the nation's foreign policy and...
• DependentAn individual who relies on another for financial support, particularly for necessities such as food...
• Dependent care planAn employer-sponsored benefit program under Section 129 of the Internal Revenue Code that lets employees pay...
• Dependent relevant revocationA legal doctrine in wills and estates law where a will or part of a will is revoked under a mistaken belief...
• Dependents benefitsPayments or services provided to the qualifying spouse, children, or other relatives of a worker who is...
• DeponentAn individual who gives sworn testimony under oath outside of a courtroom during a discovery proceeding known...
• DeportationThe formal removal of a foreign national from a country for violating immigration laws or for other specified...
• DeposeTo take sworn testimony from a witness outside of court, typically in a deposition, for use in a legal...
• Deposit accountA financial account maintained by a bank or other financial institution where funds are held for a customer...
• DepositionA formal out-of-court sworn testimony of a witness taken before a trial, used to gather information and...
• DepositoryAn entity, such as a bank or trust company, that holds funds, securities, or other assets for safekeeping on...
• Depreciable assetA tangible property, such as machinery, buildings, or vehicles, that loses value over time due to wear and...
• DepreciateTo systematically reduce the book value of a tangible asset over its useful life for accounting and tax...
• DepreciationThe accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life. Businesses use...
• Depreciation reserveAn accumulated amount set aside to account for the decrease in value of an asset over its useful life, often...
• DerelictProperty that has been abandoned by its owner, especially a ship or cargo at sea, without any intention of...
• DerelictionThe intentional and voluntary abandonment of property, relinquishing all rights and title with no intention...
• Derivation of citizenshipThe process by which a child automatically acquires U.S. citizenship through the naturalization of one or...
• DerivativeA financial contract whose value is derived from an underlying asset, index, or rate, such as stocks, bonds...
• Derivative acquisitionA method of acquiring ownership of property where the new owner's title is derived from a previous owner...
• Derivative workA new creative work based on one or more pre-existing works, such as a translation, musical arrangement...
• DescendantA person who is in the direct line of descent from an ancestor, including children, grandchildren, and...
• DescentThe legal process by which title to real property passes to an heir upon the death of an owner who dies...
• Descent and distributionThe legal principles governing the transfer of property from a deceased person to their heirs, particularly...
• DescriptiveRelating to a trademark that directly describes a characteristic, quality, or ingredient of the goods or...
• Descriptive markA type of trademark that directly describes a characteristic, quality, ingredient, or function of the goods...
• DesecrationThe act of treating a sacred object, place, or symbol with disrespect, irreverence, or violence, thereby...
• DesertTo abandon a legal duty, obligation, or person, often with the intent of never returning or fulfilling the...
• DesertionThe willful abandonment of a spouse or children without justification and with no intent to return, often for...
• Design defectA flaw in the conceptualization or planning of a product that makes it inherently dangerous or unsuitable for...
• Design patentA form of legal protection granted for a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture...
• Design professional's lienA statutory claim against real property to secure payment for services rendered by architects, engineers...
• Destination contractA type of sales contract where the seller is required to deliver goods to a specific location, typically the...
• Destruction and appropriation of propertyA grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime under the Rome Statute: large-scale destruction or...
• DetainTo hold a person in custody or to keep them from proceeding freely. Law enforcement officers may detain...
• DeterminableDescribing an interest in property that automatically terminates upon the occurrence or non-occurrence of a...
• Determinate sentenceA sentence for a criminal offense that specifies a precise period of incarceration, rather than a range. The...
• DetinueA common law action to recover specific personal property wrongfully withheld by another, or its value, along...
• Deviates materiallyThe statutory test in New York's CPLR 5501(c) under which an appellate court sets aside or reduces a jury's...
• DeviseA gift of real property, such as land and buildings, made through a will. The person who receives the...
• DeviseeThe individual or entity designated in a will to receive a gift of real property. This person acquires title...
• DevisorThe person who gives real property through the terms of a will. This individual is the testator or testatrix...
• DevolutionThe transfer of power or authority from a central government to regional or local governments. This process...
• DevolveThe passing of property, rights or duties from one person to another by operation of law, as when title to a...
• DictaStatements or observations made by a judge in an opinion that are not necessary to the resolution of the...
• DictumA statement made by a judge in a legal opinion that is not directly relevant or necessary to the court's...
• Digital Millennium Copyright ActA United States federal law enacted in 1998 that addresses copyright infringement in the digital age. It...
• Digital signatureA mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. It provides...
• Dilatory tacticsActions taken by a party in a legal proceeding primarily to cause delay or to postpone a decision. These...
• DiligenceThe care and attention expected from a reasonable and prudent person in a given situation. This standard...
• Dillon's ruleA legal principle holding that local governments possess only those powers expressly granted to them by the...
• DilutionThe weakening of the distinctiveness of a famous trademark, even if there is no likelihood of confusion among...
• Dilution (trademark), see Dilution
• Diminished capacityA legal defense in criminal law asserting that a defendant, due to a mental defect or illness, lacked the...
• Diminution in valueThe reduction in the market price of property or an asset due to damage, impairment, or other adverse events...
• DiplomatAn official representative of a sovereign state, appointed to conduct international relations and represent...
• Diplomatic immunityA form of legal immunity that protects diplomats from prosecution under the laws of their host country...
• Diplomatic lawThe body of international law governing the rights, duties, and privileges of diplomatic missions and their...
• Direct and proximate causeA legal principle in tort law requiring that an injury be a foreseeable and immediate result of a defendant's...
• Direct evidenceEvidence that, if believed, directly proves a fact in issue without the need for inference or presumption. It...
• Direct examinationThe questioning of a witness by the attorney who called that witness to testify in a trial or hearing. The...
• Direct infringementThe unauthorized making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing of a patented invention within the...
• Direct inheritanceAn inheritance that passes from a decedent to immediate family, such as a spouse, children or parents, as...
• Directed acyclic graphA data structure consisting of nodes (vertices) and directed edges, with no circular paths. In a legal and...
• Directed trustA trust structure where a trustee is relieved of certain duties and responsibilities, which are instead...
• Directed verdictA ruling by a judge in a jury trial that instructs the jury to return a specific verdict because no...
• Directive to physiciansA legal document, also known as a living will, that allows an individual to state their wishes regarding...
• DirectorAn individual elected or appointed to the board of directors of a corporation, responsible for overseeing the...
• DisabilityA physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual...
• Disability benefitsFinancial payments or services provided to individuals who are unable to work due to a physical or mental...
• Disability lawThe body of statutes, regulations, and case law designed to protect the rights of individuals with...
• DisallowanceThe official rejection of a claim, expense, or deduction by an authority, rendering it invalid or...
• DisappearanceThe state of a person being absent from their usual place of abode and activities, with their whereabouts...
• DisbarTo revoke an attorney's license to practice law, effectively removing them from the legal profession. This...
• DisbarmentThe revocation of an attorney's license to practice law, ordered by a state's highest court as the most...
• DischargeA termination of an employee's job by the employer, for reasons such as misconduct, poor performance or a...
• Discharge in bankruptcyA court order issued in a bankruptcy case that releases a debtor from personal liability for most debts. It...
• Discharge (of debts), see Discharge
• Discharge (of personal representative), see Discharge
• Dischargeable debtA debt for which the Bankruptcy Code allows the debtor's personal liability to be eliminated.
• Dischargeable debts, see Dischargeable debt
• DisclaimTo renounce or reject a legal right, interest, or claim. This act formally abandons an entitlement...
• DisclaimerA statement that denies responsibility for something or waives a legal right or claim. It serves to limit...
• Disclaimer trustA legal arrangement established to receive assets that a beneficiary has disclaimed from an estate. This...
• DisclosureThe act of revealing information that was previously unknown or confidential, as required by law or by the...
• Disclosure statementA written document prepared by a Chapter 11 plan proponent that is designed to provide "adequate information"...
• DiscountA reduction in the usual price or value of something. In a legal context, it can refer to a deduction from a...
• DiscoveryThe formal pre-trial process in a lawsuit through which parties obtain evidence and information from each...
• DiscretionThe power or right to make decisions according to one's own judgment, within the bounds of law or established...
• DiscretionaryDescribing an action, power, or decision that is left to the judgment of an individual or authority, rather...
• Discretionary power of appointmentA legal authority granted to an individual, known as the donee, to select beneficiaries from a specified...
• Discretionary trustA legal arrangement where the trustee has full authority to decide how and when to distribute the trust's...
• DiscriminationUnfair or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of...
• DisenfranchisementThe revocation of a right or privilege, most commonly the right to vote, from an individual or group. This...
• DisentailTo break an entail, thereby converting a fee tail estate into a fee simple estate. This legal process removes...
• DisgorgementThe repayment of ill-gotten gains that were obtained through illegal or unethical acts. This remedy aims to...
• DishonorTo refuse to pay or accept a negotiable instrument, such as a check or promissory note, when it is properly...
• DisincentiveA factor or consideration that discourages or deters a particular action or behavior. In law, disincentives...
• DisincentivizeTo create or impose a factor that discourages or deters a particular action or behavior. This involves...
• DisinheritTo intentionally prevent an heir, who would otherwise be entitled to inherit, from receiving property from an...
• DisinheritanceThe act of preventing an heir from receiving property that would normally be passed to them through...
• Disinterested witnessA person who has no personal stake or bias in the outcome of a legal proceeding or transaction. Such a...
• Disjunctive allegationsAllegations in a pleading or charging document that state alternative acts, means, or facts joined by the...
• DismissTo terminate a legal action or a charge against a defendant without a trial or a finding of guilt or...
• Dismissal with prejudiceA final judgment on the merits of a case that bars the plaintiff from bringing the same claim again in the...
• Dismissal without prejudiceA termination of a legal action that allows the plaintiff to refile the same claim at a later time. This type...
• Disorderly conductBehavior that disturbs the public peace or order, often involving acts that are offensive, annoying, or...
• Disorderly houseA place where illegal or immoral activities are habitually conducted, disturbing the peace and welfare of the...
• Disparate impactA legal theory in anti-discrimination law under which a facially neutral policy or practice is unlawful when...
• Disparate treatmentA legal theory in anti-discrimination law where an employer or other entity treats an individual differently...
• Disposable incomeThe amount of money that an individual or household has left for spending and saving after income taxes and...
• Disposing mind and memoryThe legal standard for testamentary capacity, meaning a testator must possess sufficient mental ability to...
• DispositionThe final settlement or arrangement of a matter, or the act of transferring property or assets. In legal...
• Dispositive factA fact that, once established, settles a legal issue or the whole case, so that the remaining facts no longer...
• DispossessTo remove a person from the occupancy or possession of land or property, often through legal action. This act...
• Disproportionate impactA legal concept where a policy or practice, while appearing neutral, has a significantly greater negative...
• DisputeA disagreement between two or more parties over a point of law, a question of fact, or a claim to a right or...
• Dispute resolutionThe process of settling conflicts between parties, either through or as an alternative to traditional court...
• Disregarding the corporate entityThe legal act of piercing the corporate veil, where a court sets aside the limited liability protection of a...
• DissentA disagreement with the majority opinion or decision of a court, particularly an appellate court. A judge who...
• Dissenting opinionA written statement by one or more judges in a multi-judge court, expressing disagreement with the majority's...
• DissolutionThe formal termination or breaking up of a legal entity, such as a marriage, partnership, or corporation...
• Dissolution of corporationThe legal process by which a corporation ceases to exist as a legal entity. This involves winding up its...
• Dissolution of marriageThe legal process by which a marriage is terminated, often referred to as divorce. This involves a court...
• DistinguishTo identify differences between a current legal case and a precedent cited by an opposing party, thereby...
• DistressThe legal right of a landlord to seize a tenant's personal property found on the leased premises to satisfy...
• DistributeTo apportion or deliver assets from an estate, trust, or business entity to beneficiaries, heirs, or...
• Distributed ledger technologyA digital system for recording transactions in which the records are stored in multiple places at the same...
• DistributeeAn individual entitled to receive a portion of an estate's assets after a person dies without a valid will...
• DistributionThe act of apportioning and delivering assets from an estate, trust, or business to those legally entitled to...
• Distribution of profitsThe allocation of a company's net earnings to its owners, partners, or shareholders. This can take the form...
• District attorneyA public official, elected in most states, who prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the state within a...
• District courtA trial court of general jurisdiction in the federal judiciary system, or a state court with a specific...
• District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)A landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed an individual's right to possess a firearm for private...
• Disturbance of the peaceA minor criminal offense involving conduct that disrupts public order or tranquility. This can include loud...
• Disturbing the peaceA minor criminal offense involving conduct that disrupts public order or tranquility. This can include...
• DiversionA program or process that steers individuals away from traditional criminal justice system processing, such...
• Diversity jurisdictionThe authority of federal courts to hear civil cases when the parties are citizens of different states and the...
• Diversity of citizenshipA condition in which the parties to a civil action are citizens of different states, or one side is a citizen...
• Diversity visa program (the lottery)A United States government program that makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually to individuals...
• Divestitive factA fact or event that terminates an existing legal right, interest, or status. This type of fact causes a...
• DivestitureThe act of selling off subsidiary business interests or assets, often mandated by government regulators to...
• DivestmentThe act of selling or otherwise disposing of an asset, subsidiary, or interest in property. A company might...
• DividendA distribution of a portion of a company's earnings, decided by its board of directors, to a class of its...
• DivorceThe legal termination of a marriage by a court order, also known as dissolution of marriage. This process...
• Divorce agreementA legally binding contract between divorcing spouses that outlines the terms of their separation and the...
• DNADeoxyribonucleic acid, the genetic material found in almost all living organisms, carrying hereditary...
• DocketA formal record maintained by a court clerk that lists all proceedings and filings in a particular case. This...
• Doctor-patient privilegeA legal protection that prevents medical professionals from disclosing confidential information shared by a...
• DoctrineA principle, theory, or tenet of law established through judicial decisions or legislative enactment. Legal...
• Doctrine of alternative liabilityA legal principle allowing a plaintiff to shift the burden of proof to multiple defendants when it is clear...
• Doctrine of completenessA rule of evidence under which, when a party introduces part of a statement, the opposing party can require...
• Doctrine of discoveryA principle of international law used by European colonial powers to legitimize their claims to lands...
• Doctrine of equivalentsA legal principle in patent law that allows a finding of patent infringement even when the accused product or...
• Doctrine of incorporation by referenceA legal principle allowing a document to be made part of another document by merely referring to it, without...
• Doctrine of integration of willsA principle in probate law that treats multiple testamentary documents as a single will if they were intended...
• Doctrine of worthier titleA common law rule that prevented a grantor from conveying an interest in land to their heirs if the grantor...
• DocumentAny written or recorded instrument that has legal effect, particularly in the context of wills and estates...
• Documentary evidenceEvidence presented in court in the form of documents, such as contracts, letters, emails, business records...
• Dodd-Frank ActA federal statute enacted in 2010 to reform the financial regulatory system in the United States. It...
• Dodd-Frank: DefinitionsThe opening definitions section, Section 2, of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act...
• Dodd-Frank: Title I - Financial StabilityThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act focused on promoting the financial stability of the United States by...
• Dodd-Frank: Title II - Orderly Liquidation AuthorityThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that provides a mechanism for the orderly resolution of large, complex...
• Dodd-Frank: Title III - Transfer of Powers to the Comptroller of the Currency, the Corporation, and the Board of GovernorsThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that reallocates certain authorities and responsibilities among key federal...
• Dodd-Frank: Title IV - Regulation of Advisers to Hedge Funds and OthersThe portion of the Dodd-Frank Act that expands the regulatory oversight of investment advisers, particularly...
• Dodd-Frank: Title IX - Investor Protections and Improvements to the Regulation of SecuritiesThe title of the Dodd-Frank Act aimed at investor protection and the integrity of the securities markets. It...
• Dodd-Frank: Title V - InsuranceThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that addresses the regulation of the insurance industry, particularly...
• Dodd-Frank: Title VI - Improvements to Regulation of Bank and Savings Association Holding Companies and Depository InstitutionsThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that enhances the regulatory framework for bank holding companies, savings...
• Dodd-Frank: Title VII - Wall Street Transparency and AccountabilityThe portion of the Dodd-Frank Act that establishes a regulatory framework for over-the-counter derivatives...
• Dodd-Frank: Title X - Bureau of Consumer Financial ProtectionThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as an...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XI - Federal Reserve System ProvisionsThe part of the Dodd-Frank Act that modifies the structure and powers of the Federal Reserve System. It...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XII - Improving Access to Mainstream Financial InstitutionsThe section of the Dodd-Frank Act that aims to improve access to mainstream financial services for...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XIII - Pay It Back ActThe title of the Dodd-Frank Act that lowered the Treasury's maximum authority under the Troubled Asset Relief...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XIV - Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending ActThe part of the Dodd-Frank Act that establishes new consumer protections and underwriting standards for...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XV - Miscellaneous ProvisionsThe title of the Dodd-Frank Act that collects miscellaneous provisions, best known for three specialized SEC...
• Dodd-Frank: Title XVI - Section 1256 ContractsThe title of the Dodd-Frank Act with a single tax provision, Section 1601, which provides that interest rate...
• Dog-bite statuteA state law that imposes strict liability on dog owners for injuries caused by their dogs, regardless of...
• Doing businessThe legal concept describing the level of activity a corporation or other entity must engage in within a...
• Doing business asA legal registration that allows an individual or entity to operate under a name different from its legal...
• Domain nameA unique identifier that specifies an Internet resource, such as a website or email address. It consists of a...
• Domestic corporationA corporation organized under the laws of the state in question, whatever the location of its offices or...
• Domestic partner adoptionThe legal process by which one partner in a domestic partnership adopts the child of the other partner. This...
• Domestic partnersTwo individuals who live together in a committed, intimate relationship, often sharing a common residence and...
• Domestic relationsThe area of law that deals with family matters and relationships, including marriage, divorce, child custody...
• Domestic violenceA pattern of abusive behavior by one partner against another in an intimate relationship, or by one family...
• DomicileThe legal home of a person, which is the place where they have their true, fixed, and permanent home and...
• Dominant estateA parcel of land that benefits from an easement over another parcel of land, known as the servient estate...
• Dominant tenementThe property that holds the right to use another's land for a specific purpose, known as an easement. This...
• DonationA voluntary transfer of property from one person, the donor, to another, the donee, without receiving...
• Donative intentThe clear and unequivocal intention of a donor to make a gift, transferring ownership of property to another...
• DoneeThe person, trust, or entity that receives a gift of property from a donor. For a transfer of property to be...
• Donee beneficiaryA third party who benefits from a contract made between two other parties, where the primary purpose of the...
• DonorA person or entity that voluntarily transfers property or confers a power to another without receiving...
• Don't ask, don't tellA U.S. military policy, in force from 1994 until September 20, 2011, under which gay, lesbian and bisexual...
• DoocedRelating to the termination of a person's employment because of something they posted on a blog or other...
• Dormant Commerce ClauseA legal doctrine inferred from the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from...
• Double jeopardyA constitutional protection, guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, that prevents an...
• Double taxationThe imposition of two or more taxes on the same income, asset, or transaction. This often occurs when...
• Double willsTwo separate wills made by two people, such as spouses, in which each names the other as the main beneficiary...
• DoublingA statutory remedy that requires a court to multiply the amount of actual damages awarded to a plaintiff by a...
• DowerA common law right that historically granted a widow a life estate in a portion of her deceased husband's...
• Dower and curtesyHistorical common law rights that provided surviving spouses with an interest in the deceased spouse's real...
• Down paymentAn initial partial payment made at the time of purchase, with the remaining balance to be paid later. This...
• DowryProperty or money brought by a bride to her husband upon marriage. Historically, this was a common practice...
• DoxxingThe act of publicly revealing private personal information about an individual, such as their home address...
• DraftCompulsory selection of civilians for military service, also called conscription, in which eligible people...
• Dram shop ruleA body of law that holds establishments that serve alcoholic beverages, such as bars and restaurants, liable...
• DrawAn advance payment made to an employee or partner against anticipated future earnings, commissions, or...
• DraweeThe party ordered by a draft or check to pay a stated sum, which for a check is normally the bank holding the...
• DrawerThe person who signs a check or draft ordering the drawee to pay a stated sum to the payee. If the drawee...
• Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled African Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be...
• Driving under the influenceThe act of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other substances to a degree that...
• Driving while BlackA form of racial profiling where law enforcement officers stop, question, and search Black motorists at a...
• Driving while intoxicatedThe act of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above a legally...
• Drop dead dateA date written into a contract, such as a merger or financing agreement, by which closing or another required...
• DrugAny substance recognized in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of...
• Drug Enforcement AdministrationA federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice tasked with combating drug...
• Drug schedulingThe classification of controlled substances into five schedules based on their potential for abuse, accepted...
• Drug traffickingThe illegal production, distribution, and sale of controlled substances. This criminal activity encompasses...
• Drunk drivingThe act of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol to an extent that impairs one's...
• Dual nationalAn individual who is a citizen of two countries simultaneously, holding the rights and obligations of...
• Dual use itemGoods, software, and technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, or for both...
• Due and owingA legal phrase indicating that a debt or obligation is both currently payable and has not yet been satisfied...
• Due careThe degree of prudence and caution that a reasonable and ordinary person would exercise under similar...
• Due diligenceThe reasonable steps taken by a person or organization to avoid harm to other persons or their property, or...
• Due diligence defenseA defense under section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 that lets underwriters, directors, signing officers...
• Due, owing, and unpaidA legal phrase used to describe a debt or obligation that has matured, is legitimately owed, and has not yet...
• Due processA fundamental constitutional principle requiring that legal proceedings be conducted with fairness and that...
• Due process of lawThe principle that the government must act fairly and in accordance with established legal rules when...
• Due-on-sale clauseA provision in a mortgage or deed of trust that allows the lender to demand immediate repayment of the entire...
• DUIAn acronym for driving under the influence, referring to the criminal offense of operating a motor vehicle...
• Durable power of attorneyA legal document that grants one person, the agent, the authority to act on behalf of another person, the...
• Durable power of attorney for financesA legal instrument that designates an agent to manage the principal's financial affairs, including banking...
• Durable power of attorney for health careA legal document that appoints an agent to make medical decisions for the principal if the principal is...
• DuressUnlawful pressure exerted upon a person to coerce that person to perform an act that he or she ordinarily...
• Durham testA rule for the insanity defense, established in the 1954 case Durham v. United States, stating that a...
• DutyA legal or moral obligation to act or refrain from acting in a particular way. In law, a duty often arises...
• Duty of careA legal obligation imposed on an individual to adhere to a standard of reasonable care while performing any...
• Duty of good faithAn implied obligation in many contracts and legal relationships requiring parties to act honestly and fairly...
• Duty of loyaltyA fiduciary obligation requiring an individual, such as a corporate director or agent, to act solely in the...
• Duty to mitigateA legal principle requiring a party who has suffered harm to take reasonable steps to minimize the extent of...
• Duty to retreatA legal requirement in some jurisdictions that an individual facing a threat of harm must attempt to avoid...
• DWI/DUI violationAn infraction of traffic laws related to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or...
• Dying declarationA statement made by a person who believes they are about to die, concerning the cause or circumstances of...
• Dynamite chargeA judicial instruction given to a deadlocked jury, encouraging them to reconsider their positions and attempt...
• Dynasty trustA type of irrevocable trust designed to hold assets for multiple generations, often for the benefit of...

358 of 5,441 terms in Law terminology (MLC-0107). Request the full dataset.