LSDefine
Simple English definitions for legal terms
A quick definition of act in the law:
An act is something that someone does on purpose or by accident. It can be a physical action, like moving your body, or a mental action, like thinking. Some acts are important in the law because they can create, change, or end a
legal right. For example, signing a contract is an act that can create a legal obligation. Not doing something that you are supposed to do can also be an act, like not stopping at a red light when you are driving. There are many different types of acts, like
intentional acts that you meant to do, or negligent acts that you didn't mean to do but still caused harm.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: An act that is intended to create, transfer, or extinguish a right and that is effective in law for that purpose; the exercise of a legal power.
Examples:
- Signing a contract to buy a house
- Creating a will to transfer property after death
- Extinguishing a debt by paying it off
These examples illustrate how an act in the law can be used to create, transfer, or extinguish legal rights. By signing a contract to buy a house, the buyer is creating a legal obligation to purchase the property and the seller is transferring their right to the property. Creating a will allows the testator to transfer their property to designated beneficiaries after their death. Extinguishing a debt by paying it off terminates the legal obligation to repay the debt.
act in pais |
action, cause of