Legal Definitions

At some point, everyone gets confronted with the need to understand complicated legal definitions. Comprehending this type of information can present quite a challenge to the layman, however. Linguists often refer to "legalese" as being a unique dialect, much like the jargon of the medical community. A tremendous amount of time spent by aspiring lawyers at law school is devoted to learning how the legal language functions.

The law affects everyone, yet not everyone is privy to the knowledge that makes the language of the law clear. The following resources are available to help shed light on this complicated and important genre of the English language.

Where to Look for Legal Definitions

• Law.com: The online legal dictionary law.com is a resource provided by the media company ALM, which also serves the real estate and larger business communities with its various publications. Law.com offers three easy ways to look up definitions: by the legal term, by the definition itself (a reverse lookup), or by the first letter of the word or phrase you are looking for.
• US Legal: If you don't find the legal definition you are looking for at US Legal, simply request it from their customer service department. Resources are also available to find attorneys or purchase legal forms.
• Nolo: Advertised as "the nation's oldest and most respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses," Nolo offers a comprehensive legal glossary that contains clear, down-to-earth definitions of the most puzzling legal terminology.
• People’s Law: Another comprehensive glossary of definitions explained in plain English is found at People’s Law. This site also has links to specific glossaries for domestic violence cases and terms on appropriate dispute resolution.
• Legal Explanations: Legal Explanations is a very clear, straightforward Web site that contains over 2,500 definitions of legal terms. The site is currently expanding and will soon include a wide array of legal resources.

Specialized Areas

Because the scope of the law is so vast, specific resources are available that only focus on certain aspects of the law as they relate to particular demographics. In addition, specific legal areas such as real estate transactions and financial investments have their own industry specific terminologies. Depending on your legal issues, an understanding of these distinct terms could be crucial.

• WomensLaw.org: The glossary at WomensLaw.org is designed to reflect the specific terminology that is found in court proceedings related to domestic violence and sexual assault. This Web site also provides resources for finding help, preparing your case, choosing lawyers, and filing appeals.
• Immigration Law: This specific immigration law glossary has information on the many different types of visas and other issues specific to immigration.
• Real Estate ABC: The glossary at Real Estate ABC defines the legal terms that are specific to real estate and mortgage transactions.
• Accounting Terminology Guide: The New York State Society of CPAs hosts an accounting terminology guide as a resource to journalists who report on issues of a financial nature. The explanations are clear and are useful for anyone who needs clarification on a specific financial definition.

Use These Resources Carefully

Being self-informed is important, but when it comes to the law it is important to understand your limits. The above resources are provided to help eliminate confusion when confronted with the need to understand legal definitions. Be advised, however, that the definitions they provide should in no way be considered definitive.

Many laws are state specific, so depending on where you live, their definitions may be quite different for you than for someone who lives in another part of the country. Laws are constantly being reinterpreted as well, and new precedents are created every day. Therefore, the currency of the Web sites you are accessing is also an important factor to consider.

Make sure you contact an attorney if your issue is serious to be sure the information you have researched is correct, and you are taking the appropriate legal action.