Noncontestability clauses (also known as in terrorem clauses, contest clauses, no-contest clauses, anti-contest clauses, and forfeiture clauses) are clauses in a will that impose a condition upon a devisee or legatee that they will not...
family law
Old Age, Survivors, Disability Insurance (OASDI)
The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) is a federal insurance program that provides benefits to retired and/or disabled workers and their dependents (spouses, children) and to survivors of insured workers. The OASDI is the...
omitted child statutes
Omitted child statutes provide a way for an after-born child to inherit from a deceased parent’s will. Normally, children who are cut out of their parents’ will cannot file claim against their parents’ estate. However, in rare cases when the...
pendente lite
Pendente lite is a Latin term that means “pending the suit” or “pending [the] litigation underway.”
In the context of family law, for example, parties can file motions for pendente lite custody and child support. In Johnson...
per stirpes
Per stirpes is a Latin phrase that means “by roots” or “by branch.” This phrase often appears in the context of wills and retirement accounts to define how your assets should be passed down in the event a beneficiary passes away before you do...
personal autonomy
Overview
The Supreme Court does not use the phrase "personal autonomy" very often. Unlike privacy, it is not a fundamental right. As such, it is still a very limited concept regarding its impact on legal jurisprudence.
In Planned...
physical incapacity
Physical incapacity refers to a lack of physical ability sufficient to justify a legal consequence. The term is used across a realm of laws regarding disability, competency, criminal statutes, and marriage laws. The inclusion of the...
polygamy
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse at the same time. Polygamy as a crime originated in the common law, and it is now outlawed in every state. In the United States, polygamy was declared unlawful through the passing of...
pot trust
Pot trusts (also called family pot trusts, discretionary trusts, or sprinkling trusts) are a type of trust where the trustee is allowed to give funds to the beneficiaries according to their relative needs. Pot trusts are created by parents...
premarital agreement
A premarital agreement, also known as a prenuptial agreement or antenuptial agreement, is a contract made by the parties to a marriage prior to the marriage.
The agreement may determine matters such as one party's rights in...