There are many important legal terms that you should know. This includes your rights if something were to happen and your legal commitments. If you don’t know about them, then you wouldn’t be able to make informed decisions in the event of any possible anxiety or stress related to the law. Let’s look at several critical legal terms that everyone should know.
Affidavit
In a legal setting, an affidavit is a sworn statement that must be made under oath. Affidavits are used in court cases, especially when witnesses are unavailable to testify in person.
Bail
Bail is money that a defendant pays to the court to be released from jail while awaiting trial. Bail may be required whether or not a defendant is considered dangerous or likely to flee. Many defendants wait in jail until trial because they cannot afford bail. Defendants who can afford bail often don’t want to wait in jail while they await trial.
Civil Contempt
Civil contempt is a punishment imposed by a judge when someone fails to comply with an order of the court despite being warned of the consequences if they fail to do so. Civil contempt can also be imposed for willfully disobeying or resisting any lawful writ, process, order, rule, decree, or judgment of any court of record within its jurisdiction.
Other instances include willfully violating any temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction issued by any court and violating any final judgment or injunction that has become effective by lapse of time without an appeal therefrom having been perfected within the time allowed for filing such appeal.
Breach of Contract
Breach of contract is a legal term that refers to a situation where one party fails to meet its obligations under a contract. The consequences of breaching a contract can vary depending on the type of contract in question, but in general, breach of contract leads to the loss of certain rights and remedies available to the other party.
A breach can be either material or immaterial, depending on whether it affects the essence of the contract or not.
Child Custody
Child custody refers to the right of parents or guardians over the care and control of children. Child custody can be physical or legal (also known as legal custody), meaning that one parent has physical custody while another has legal custody over their child’s life decisions (such as education). Physical custody is usually awarded based on factors such as distance between homes, work schedules, and the ability to care for children.
At times, the law can be perplexing and terrifying. However, it’s important to know these terms, so you understand your legal rights when it comes to daily endeavors.