“Defense of others” is a defense to liability for an alleged crime that is in defense of a person other than oneself. It refers to a person’s right to use reasonable force to protect a third party from another person who threatens to use...
accidents and injuries
defense of property
“Defense of property” refers to an affirmative defense to liability for an alleged crime that one used force in order to protect one's property. For example, When defendants are charged with criminal assault or battery, they may argue that...
dependents benefits
Dependents benefits are social security proceeds which may be received by those who rely on the primary recipient’s income. Dependents benefits often take the form of survivor benefits, although in some circumstances dependents may receive...
deponent
A deponent is the individual whose deposition, or sworn, out-of-court testimony, is taken during the discovery process. The deponent can either be a party to the case, a witness who will later testify at trial, or anyone with knowledge of...
design defect
A design defect means that the product was manufactured correctly, but the defect is inherent in the design of the product itself, which makes the product dangerous to consumers. For example, mechanical defects, which are common in cars and...
detinue
Detinue is an action to recover the wrongful detention of goods or possessions.
[Last updated in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
disability benefits
Overview:
Disability benefits refers to money available from the government for people with disabilities. These benefits are available under Title II of the Social Security Act as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI...
dispositive fact
A dispositive fact is a fact that, if proven with necessary certainty, resolves a legal dispute on its own. Oftentimes, establishing the truth of a dispositive fact will lead to the resolution of the lawsuit as a whole.
For...
driving while intoxicated (DWI)
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is the crime of driving a motor vehicle after consuming enough alcohol to raise the blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit. A showing of complete intoxication is not necessary to support a charge of...
due care
Due care, also referred to as ordinary care and reasonable care, is the standard of care where a reasonable person would exercise in the same situation or under similar circumstances. This standard of care is used in a tort action to...