Dictionary blog

The Law.com Law Dictionary is one of a web dictionaries of legal terms which I visit regularly. You find it at: http://dictionary.law.com/ and it gives you three search possibilities:

• You can search for the term (as traditional dictionaries enable us to do)
• You can write down a description or definition of a legal term (sometimes you can explain it, but you are trying to find the exact term to describe)
• or search their alphabetical index

Just for the fun of it, I’m listing here 5 interesting legal terms I found on their index (these are only short versions of each description. For a the full description, visit the site):

1. Barratry = creating legal business by stirring up disputes and quarrels, generally for the benefit of the lawyer who sees fees in the matter.
2. Vehicular manslaughter = the crime of causing the death of a human being due to illegal driving of an automobile, including gross negligence, drunk driving, reckless driving or speeding.
3. Pilferage = theft of small objects.
4. Jump bail = to fail to appear for a court appearance after depositing (posting) bail with the intention of avoiding prosecution, sentencing or going to jail.
5. Scintilla = Latin for “spark.” Scintilla is commonly used in reference to evidence, in the context that there must be a “scintilla of evidence” (at least a faint spark) upon which to base a judgment.

These terms all the other thousands of legal terms are part of The People’s Law Dictionary written by Gerald and Katherine Hill.