Under common law knock-and-announce rule, a police officer executing a search warrant generally should not immediately force their way into a residence. Instead, the officer must first knock, identify themselves and their intent, and wait a...
individual rights
lawful permanent resident (LPR)
Lawful permanent resident (LPR) is a status given to U.S. immigrants/non-citizens who can legally live in the United States forever. LPRs enjoy similar rights as citizens including working without special restrictions, own property, receive...
legal aid
Legal aid refers to professional legal services available to those who cannot afford them. Broadly speaking, the term encompasses public and charitable means of providing services to economically disadvantaged individuals who require an...
Legal Services Corporation
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) was established by Congress in 1974. The LSC operates as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and seeks to promote equal access to justice. As Americans are only guaranteed legal assistance for...
LGBT
LGBT or GLBT is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Gay is used to describe persons, specifically men, who are romantically or sexually attracted to persons of the same sex. Lesbian is a preferred term for women who are...
Liberman v. Riverside Memorial Chapel
Liberman v. Riverside Mem. Chapel, 225 A.D.2d 283 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep’t 1996) is a New York appellate case regarding whether a funeral home and the Office of the Medical Examiner wrongfully performed an autopsy against the religious...
liberty interest
A liberty interest is an individual’s right to do anything, or not do anything, as one pleases. An individual’s liberty interest comes from the due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions. Laws may restrict an individual’s...
life expectancy
Life expectancy is a calculation of the amount of time a person is expected to live, often using actuarial tables based upon multiple factors like age, health, origin, wealth, or gender. Life expectancy arises in many legal circumstances...
living will
A living will is a type of advance directive that lists a person's wishes about medical treatment in the event that the person cannot give informed consent or refusal. A living will commonly includes specific directives on which life-...
LRE
LRE is the abbreviation for least restrictive environment.
[Last updated in April of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]