motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. A party’s request that the court enter a judgment in its favor despite the jury’s contrary verdict because there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a jury to find for the other party. • Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, this procedure has been replaced by the […]
motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict Read More »
Jurisdiction over the nature of the case and the type of relief sought; the extent to which a court can rule on the conduct of persons or the status of things. — Also termed jurisdiction of the subject matter; jurisdiction of the cause; jurisdiction over the action. Cf. personal jurisdiction. [Cases: Courts 4; Federal Courts
subject matter jurisdiction Read More »
A custom that operates as a binding rule of law, independently of any agreement on the part of those subject to it. — Often shortened to custom.
red tape. A bureaucratic procedure required to be followed before official action can be taken; esp. rigid adherence to time-consuming rules and regulations; excessive bureaucracy. • The phrase originally referred to the red ribbons that lawyers and government officials once used to tie their papers together.
Office of Government Ethics. An independent agency in the executive branch responsible for issuing rules and regulations about ethical conduct and financial disclosure, providing training in ethics, monitoring the ethics of practices in departments and agencies, and giving guidance on matters of ethics. • The agency was established under the Ethics in Government Act of
office of government ethics Read More »
state-compulsion test. Civil-rights law. The rule that a state is responsible for discrimination that a private party commits while acting under the requirements of state law, as when a restaurant owner is required by state law to refuse service to minorities. Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 90 S.Ct. 1598 (1970). See
state compulsion test Read More »
connecting-up doctrine. The rule allowing evidence to be conditionally admitted if the offering party promises to show relevance by adducing other evidence. [Cases: Criminal Law 672; Federal Civil Procedure 2014; Trial 51. C.J.S. Criminal Law § 1217; Trial § 177.]
connecting up doctrine Read More »
nonacquiescence (non-ak-wee-es-[schwa]nts).Administrative law. An agency’s policy of declining to be bound by lower-court precedent that is contrary to the agency’s interpretation of its organic statute, but only until the Supreme Court has ruled on the issue. “Too much nonacquiescence, however, would interfere with the courts‘ ability to prevent an agency from violating its statutory mandate.