A claim is actionable if there exist sufficient circumstances to meet the requirements of a cause of action. For example, a claim for the tort of battery is actionable if a person intentionally and without your consent made contact with you...
legal education and practice
actual authority
Actual authority is an agent's power to act on behalf of a principal, because such power was expressly or impliedly conferred. Express actual authority is when a principal directly tells the agent that they have the authority to take certain...
actual cause
Actual cause is a necessary element for both liability in civil cases and a guilty verdict under much of criminal law. In both civil and criminal cases, actual cause is determined by the but-for cause test; however, some jurisdictions also...
actual damages
In tort law, actual damages, also known as compensatory damages, are damages awarded by a court equivalent to the loss a party suffered. If a party’s right was technically violated but they suffered no harm or losses, a court may instead...
actual innocence
Actual innocence refers to a failure of proof defense arguing that the prosecution failed to prove all relevant elements of a charged crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
Unlike affirmative defenses, which all argue the...
actual notice
Actual notice is a notice that is given directly to a party or is personally received by a party informing them of a case that could affect their interests. In case of an actual notice, the notice is served in person as opposed to...
actus reus
Actus reus refers to the act or omission that comprise the physical elements of a crime as required by statute. Actus reus includes only a voluntary affirmative act, or an omission (failure to act), causing a criminally proscribed result.
...ad litem
The Latin translation of ad litem is "for the suit."
Examples:
A guardian ad litem is a guardian (usually a lawyer) appointed by the court to manage the affairs of the ward as they relate to a proceeding or particular...ad seriatim
Ad seriatim is a Latin word meaning one after another or in a series.
For example, a judge delivering an opinion one by one or a court dealing with multiple issues in a certain order.
[Last updated in June of 2022...
ad valorem tax
Ad valorem is a Latin phrase that translates to “according to the value.”
The essential characteristic of ad valorem tax is that it is proportional to the value of the underlying asset, unlike a specific tax, where the tax...