A foreign divorce is a divorce granted in a different jurisdiction or country from the one in which a spouse resides.
[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]
local governmental law
full faith and credit
Full faith and credit is the requirement, derived from Article IV, Section I of the Constitution, that state courts respect the laws and judgments of courts from other states. This clause attempts to prevent conflict among states and ensure...
general plan
General plan (also referred to as a comprehensive or master plan) is a broad, long-term plan made by cities and other governments to organize development and community initiatives. General plans have been used by cities in the United States...
gerrymander
Gerrymandering occurs when political or electoral districts are drawn with the purpose of giving one political group an advantage over another. This practice often results in districts with bizarre or strange shapes. The term gerrymander...
grandfather clause
Grandfather clause refers to a section of a law, regulation, or other legal document that limits how changes will be applied to legal relations and activities existing prior to the change. When laws and regulations go through major changes,...
grandfathered in
Grandfathered in refers to conduct that receives the benefit of a grandfather clause, allowing this conduct to receive the treatment of prior laws or rules. After legal changes, most conduct will have to abide by the new rules, but many who...
home rule
Home rule is a provision of the state constitution or similar legislation granting a local municipality a certain amount of autonomy to allocate powers between the state and the local government. If it is accepted by the local government,...
homeowners' associations (HOAs)
Homeowners’ associations (HOAs) are the governing body of many common interest communities (CIC), such as subdivisions, who manage the common areas and interests of the community. When a person buys property in a CIC, there is a legal...
land use
“Land use” is a term that is used to describe the different purposes land may be used for. This includes both economic and cultural uses of land. Common types of land use include:
Agricultural Residential Industrial Commercial...local government law
Local governments, those which govern cities, villages, counties, and towns, are established and regulated by state law. Their authority in relation to other units of local government and in relation to state government rests ultimately on...