Everyday language doesn’t always match how courts use it. A word like “information” might sound harmless until it’s part of a criminal charge. In legal settings, familiar terms carry precise, often surprising definitions. They can affect deadlines, influence outcomes, or change who gets held responsible.
Here are some words that have Latin roots, while others evolved through court decisions, but all serve specific legal purposes.
Abscond
Courts define absconding as leaving a jurisdiction to avoid a legal obligation. That could indicate skipping out before an arrest or failing to report to a parole officer. In some cases, people unintentionally abscond by crossing state lines without proper approval. Once flagged, they might face new charges or hearings.
Alter Ego
This term translates to “another I.” In legal use, it lets the legal system treat a business and its owner as one entity. That happens when someone uses their company for personal benefit without respecting legal separation. Alter ego rulings usually come up in fraud, debt, or mismanagement cases involving small corporations.
Caveat
Your grandmother will suddenly name a distant cousin you’ve never met as the sole heir. You suspect something’s off. Before the estate gets divided, you input a caveat—a formal notice that puts everything on hold. The term comes from Latin, conveying “let him beware,” and signals that a legal dispute is coming.
Information
Unlike an indictment, information doesn’t require a grand jury. Prosecutors tend to bring in informations in misdemeanor cases and in felonies where the defendant agrees to waive the indictment process. This method speeds things up and is usually a sign of a plea deal in progress.
Toll
Outside the court, “toll” usually brings to mind road fees or ringing bells. In law, though, tolling refers to something entirely different: it pauses the countdown on a legal deadline. Most often, it affects statutes of limitations, which limit how long someone has to file a case. For instance, various states pause deadlines for minors until they reach adulthood.
Venue
As soon as a case enters the system, one of the first decisions is venue: where the trial will take place. That choice matters more than most people realize. Venue affects who sits on the jury, which local rules apply, and how the case unfolds.
Mens Rea
You grab a jacket from a restaurant, thinking it’s yours—but it isn’t. That mistake doesn’t make you a thief. Judges look at intent, or mens rea, to decide if a crime actually occurred. The term, rooted in English common law, refers to a person’s mental state during the act. It helps distinguish accidents from deliberate wrongdoing.
Perjury
Perjury’s Latin origins give it its meaning—perjurare, or “to swear falsely.” According to U.S. state law, it’s a felony, punishable by heavy fines or up to five years in prison. To qualify as perjury, the false statement must be made under oath, knowingly, and be significant to the case.
Alimony
What courts consider before awarding alimony depends on income gaps, how long the marriage lasted, and each person’s ability to support themselves. The goal is to reduce financial imbalance after divorce. Payments might last a few months or continue for years. Judges can also modify terms if someone’s situation changes significantly.
Bequest
Old English legal documents used the term “bequest” to describe a gift passed through a will, mostly involving personal property or money. The word itself comes from the Middle English bequethen, meaning to give by will. Today, courts still rely on bequests to determine who gets what after someone dies.
Contributory Negligence
In Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., courts still follow pure contributory negligence. Even 1% fault in an accident stops any recovery, no matter how responsible the other party was. One clear example comes from Virginia: a distracted pedestrian crossing on a green light had no power to sue, even though the driver was speeding.
Deed
When you want to transfer real estate legally, you need a deed. This document lists the buyer, the seller, and a clear description of the property. Both parties must sign it, and most states require it to be filed with a local land records office. A sale isn’t legally complete until the deed is properly executed, delivered, and accepted.
Garnishment
When a court orders wage garnishment, part of your paycheck goes straight to a creditor to cover unpaid debts. This usually happens after a lawsuit and a judgment against you. Federal law sets a cap on the amount withheld, so you still have enough left for basic expenses. Garnishment can also apply to bank accounts.
Habeas Corpus
If a person believes they’re being held without a lawful reason, they can create a petition for habeas corpus. That petition forces the detaining authority to explain the basis for the confinement in court. The phrase means “you shall have the body” in Latin and is written into the U.S. Constitution as a protection against indefinite or unjust detention.
Writ
Supreme Court decisions often begin with a writ of certiorari—a formal request asking for review of a lower court ruling. Only a small percentage of these get accepted. In Marbury v. Madison (1803), a writ of mandamus played a central role in defining the limits of judicial power. That case shaped the foundation of constitutional review.