Begging the question is a logical fallacy in which an argument’s premises assume the truth of the conclusion. Arguments that beg the question work to obscure the actual points in controversy and can be looked at as a form of circular...
legal education and writing
bench
Bench refers to the seat where the judge sits in the courtroom, and the term is used to refer to the judge. It can be used to describe all the judges of a particular court, such as the second circuit bench, or “full bench”, which refers to...
biased assimilation
Biased assimilation is the tendency to interpret information in a way that supports a desired conclusion. This tendency leads parties to place undue credibility on evidence that supports that conclusion while also unduly discounting...
bill quia timet
Bill quia timet is derived from the Latin phrase “quia timet” which means, “because he fears.” A bill quia timet grants a party equitable relief from the court for a probable harm to their specific right or interest.
A bill...
blackacre
Blackacre refers to a fictional plot of land which is often used in examples when teaching or explaining property law concepts. In examples where more than one plot of land is necessary, Blackacre is often paired with fellow fictional plot of...
blackletter law
In common law legal structures, blackletter laws are the well-established legal rules that are certain and no longer disputable. Blackletter law is free from doubt and generally well-known. It also means well-established case law and refers to the...
blawg
A blawg is a slang term to describe an online journal or log which focuses primarily on law-related issues. Typically, blawgs are authored by law professors, lawyers, or law students. Blawgs can either discuss the law in the general sense or...
Bluebook
Bluebook, formally known as The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is a style guide that sets forth the most widely used legal citation system in the United States, i. e., how U.S. legal documents are cited in legal memoranda, court...
bluebooking
Bluebooking refers to the process of editing and checking the form of legal citations to comply with the Bluebook's provisions for the legal citation standards. The Bluebook, formally known as The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, is a...
bona fide
Bona fide is a Latin term that means “good faith” and is most frequently seen in the context of a bona fide purchaser.
[Last updated in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]