penalty phase
penalty phase. The part of a criminal trial in which the fact-finder determines the punishment for a defendant who has been found guilty. — Also termed sentencing phase. Cf. GUILT PHASE.
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target benefit plan
A money-purchase plan that sets a “target” benefit for each participant and mandates employer contributions determined by an actuarial cost method designed to fund the target benefit.
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contractor
contractor. 1. A party to a contract. 2. More specif., one who contracts to do work or provide supplies for another. competent contractor. A contractor who has the knowledge, skill, experience, and available equipment to do the work that he or she is employed to do without creating an unreasonable risk of injury to others
joint adoption
An adoption in which the prospective parents apply as a couple and are approved or rejected as a couple, as opposed to filing separate and individual applications to adopt a child. • Although the term most often applies to adoption by a married couple, it also applies to an adoption petition by two unmarried partners
knight service
knight-service. Hist. A type of lay tenure in which a knight held land of another person or the Crown in exchange for a pledge of military service. — Also termed knight’s service; (Scots law) ward holding. Cf. BASE SERVICE; SOCAGE; VILLEINAGE. “By far the greater part of England is held of the king by knight’s
reddendo singula singulis
reddendo singula singulis (ri-den-doh sing-gy[schwa]-l[schwa] sing-gy[ schwa]-lis). [Latin “by rendering each to each”] Assigning or distributing separate things to separate persons, or separate words to separate subjects. • This was used as a rule of construction designed to give effect to the intention of the parties who drafted the instrument. — Also termed referendo singula
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uncia
uncia ([schwa]n-shee-[schwa]), n. [Latin] 1. Roman law. One-twelfth of the as (a pound or, by analogy, an estate or inheritance). • The English word ounce is derived from this term. Cf. AS; BES. 2. Hist. A measure of land used in a royal charter. • The size of an uncia is unclear, but it may
dispatch money
dispatch money. Maritime law. An amount paid by a shipowner to a vessel’s charterer if the vessel’s cargo is unloaded at the port sooner than provided for in the agreement between the charterer and the shipowner. — Also termed dispatch. Cf. contract demurrage under DEMURRAGE. [Cases: Shipping 49(6). C.J.S. Shipping § 108.] “Some charters contain
no evidence
no evidence. 1. The lack of a legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable fact-finder to rule in favor of the party who bears the burden of proof (there is no evidence in the record about his whereabouts at midnight). • Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a party can move for judgment as
birth mother
The woman who carries an embryo during the gestational period and who delivers the child. • When a child is conceived through artificial insemination, the birth mother may not be the genetic or biological mother. And she may not be the legal mother. — Also termed gestational mother. See surrogate mother; natural mother; biological mother.