Trial practice refers to the procedures and strategies employed by attorneys and other legal professionals during the preparation for and conduct during a trial. It encompasses all the activities involved in presenting a case in court, from...
civil procedure
Tucker Act
The Tucker Act of 1887 is a federal statute, which grants the United States Court of Federal Claims jurisdiction to hear certain claims against the United States government. Although the government is generally immune to lawsuits, the Tucker...
UCCJEA
See: Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA).
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
ultimate fact
An ultimate fact is a logical conclusion derived from evidence presented during trial and is required for a claim or defense to be successful. An ultimate fact is usually inferred from a number of supporting evidentiary facts and is crucial...
unascertainable cause
Unascertainable cause is when there are multiple potential actions that resulted in an injury, but it is unclear which act actually caused the injury.
Unascertainable cause in tort law means that multiple defendants are...
unclean hands
See: clean hands doctrine
[Last updated in September of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]
undisclosed principal
Under agency law, undisclosed principals arise when a third party has no notice that the principal exists, but the undisclosed principal has authorized an agent to act on the principal’s behalf. The agent does not represent that they are...
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
See: Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA).
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys are the main attorneys representing the federal government in district and appellate courts. There are 93 United States attorneys that cover 94 districts. United States Attorneys serve as prosecution in criminal cases...
unlawful detainer
An unlawful detainer, also known as an eviction lawsuit, is a summary proceeding to determine the right to possession of real property. Moreover, the sole issue in an unlawful detainer action is possession of the premises, and no other issue...