Ab initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fact existed from the start of a relevant time period. It is often used as part of the phrase “void ab initio,” meaning...
family & personal matters
ab intestato
Ab intestato is a Latin term meaning "by intestacy." The term refers to laws governing the succession of property after the previous owner of the property dies without a valid will.
[Last updated in June of 2022 by the Wex...
AB Trust
AB trust (also called a bypass trust or a credit shelter trust) is a tool used by well-off married individuals to legally maximize their estate tax exemptions.
The strategy involves creating two separate trusts after one...
abandon
Abandon refers to the act of abandonment. A party can “abandon” in multiple fields of law and abandoning generally, though not always, involves voluntarily giving up a right.
See abandonment for more information.
...abandonment
Abandonment is a term that applies to a variety of areas of law. These areas include matrimonial law, civil procedure, and property.
Matrimonial LawIn matrimonial law, abandonment is a form of marital misconduct which...
abduction
Abduction means the taking of a person against their will, generally by means of persuasion, fraud, or force. Some jurisdictions also require that the abductee (the person who is abducted) be a child or that that the abductor intend to marry...
abortion
Abortion is the voluntary termination of a pregnancy. In 2022, nearly 50 years after Roe v. Wade changed the legal status of abortion by striking down a Texas law that criminalized abortion except as a means of saving the life of the pregnant...
absolute
Absolute is used commonly in property law and in divorce law meaning final or without limitations.
Property: Absolute is used in property law to describe an estate that is free from any limitations. Only a fee simple may be...abuse
Abuse is an action that intentionally causes harm or injures another person. This can refer to physical abuse, psychological abuse, mental abuse, or child abuse (see below).
Abuse is also to misuse something - e.g., abuse...
access
Access is the right to use, communicate, or approach something or someone. Some common usages of the term “access” in a legal sense include:
In the context of copyright, the term “access” refers to the ability of a potential...