Legal Glossary

Plain-English explanations of 501 common legal terms used across Indian courts and law.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z

A

Abetment
The offence of instigating, conspiring with, or intentionally helping another person to commit a crime, even…
Absconder
A person who deliberately evades arrest or court proceedings by hiding or fleeing, typically after a warrant…
Absolute Divorce
A common informal term for a final divorce decree that completely and permanently dissolves a marriage, as…
Acquittal
A court's formal finding that the prosecution has failed to prove the charges, resulting in the accused being…
Ad-interim Order
A temporary order passed by a court to preserve the situation immediately, pending a fuller hearing on an…
Adoption
The legal process by which a person becomes the lawful parent of a child who is not their biological…
Adverse Possession
A legal doctrine under which a person who has openly and continuously occupied another's property for a long…
Advocate
A person legally qualified and enrolled with a Bar Council to practise law and represent clients before…
Advocate-Client Privilege
The legal protection ensuring that confidential communications between a client and their lawyer, made for…
Affidavit
A written statement of facts, sworn or affirmed by the person making it before an authorised officer, used as…
Agreement to Sell
A contract in which the seller agrees to transfer property to the buyer in future, on fulfilment of agreed…
Alibi
A defence in which the accused claims they were at a different place at the time the offence was committed…
Alimony
Financial support one spouse pays the other after separation or divorce, meant to help the recipient maintain…
Alimony Modification
A subsequent court application to increase, decrease, or terminate a previously ordered maintenance amount…
Amicus Curiae
A neutral, independent person — often a senior lawyer — appointed by the court to assist it with expertise on…
Ancestral Property
Property inherited up to four generations of male lineage in a Hindu joint family, in which descendants…
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
A mandatory yearly meeting of a company's shareholders, at which key matters like financial statements and…
Annulment
A court decree declaring a marriage null and void, treating it as though it never legally existed, rather…
Anti-Dowry Petition
A complaint filed alleging harassment or cruelty connected to dowry demands, which can lead to both criminal…
Anticipatory Bail
Pre-arrest bail sought from a Sessions or High Court by a person who apprehends arrest in a non-bailable…
Anticipatory Bail Conditions
Specific conditions a court can attach when granting anticipatory bail, such as cooperating with…
Anticipatory Bail in Economic Offences
Pre-arrest bail sought in cases involving financial fraud or economic crimes, where courts often apply a…
Appeal
A request to a higher court to review and potentially reverse or modify the decision of a lower court.
Arbitral Award
The final, binding decision issued by an arbitrator (or arbitral tribunal) resolving the dispute referred to…
Arbitration
A private method of resolving disputes outside regular courts, where the parties agree to have an independent…
Arbitration Clause
A clause within a contract by which the parties agree, in advance, to resolve any future disputes arising…
Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT)
A specialised tribunal that adjudicates disputes relating to service matters and appeals against court…
Article 226
The constitutional provision empowering High Courts to issue writs for enforcement of Fundamental Rights, and…
Article 32
The constitutional provision giving citizens the right to directly approach the Supreme Court for enforcement…
Articles of Association (AOA)
A document setting out the internal rules and regulations governing how a company is managed and run…
Assignment (Contract)
The transfer of rights (and sometimes obligations) under a contract from one party to another, without…
Attempt to Commit an Offence
An act done with the intention to commit a crime, which goes beyond mere preparation but falls short of…
Attempt to Murder
An act done with the intention or knowledge required for murder, and in circumstances that, had death…
Attestation
The act of a witness confirming, usually by signing, that they saw a document being executed (signed) by the…

B

Bail
The conditional release of a person accused of a crime, pending trial or investigation, usually on furnishing…
Bailable Offence
An offence, usually less serious, where bail is a matter of right and can be granted by the police or a…
Bailable Warrant
A warrant that allows the person arrested under it to be released immediately on furnishing bail, without…
Bar Council
A statutory body that regulates the legal profession, including enrolment, discipline, and standards of…
Basic Structure Doctrine
A judicially developed principle holding that certain fundamental features of the Constitution cannot be…
Benami Property
Property held by one person (the benamidar) in their name, but actually paid for and beneficially owned by…
Bench Warrant
A warrant issued directly by a judge from the bench, usually when a party fails to appear despite being…
Bequest
A gift of property made through a will, to take effect after the death of the person making the will.
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The high standard of proof the prosecution must meet in a criminal case before a court can convict the…
Bigamy
The offence and civil wrong of marrying again while a previous, legally valid marriage is still subsisting.
Bilateral Investment Treaty
An agreement between two countries setting out terms and protections for investments made by investors of one…
Bill of Exchange
A written, unconditional order by one party directing another to pay a specified sum of money to a third…
Board Resolution
A formal decision passed by a company's board of directors at a duly convened meeting, recorded in the…
Bona Fide Requirement (Eviction)
A landlord's genuine, honest need to occupy their own property — for personal use or that of a family member…
Boundary Dispute
A disagreement between neighbouring property owners over the exact location of the dividing line between…
Breach of Contract
The failure, without lawful excuse, of a party to a contract to perform an obligation they agreed to under…
Bribery
The offence of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value to influence the actions of a…
Builder-Buyer Agreement
The contract between a developer and a homebuyer setting out the terms of sale for an under-construction or…
Burden of Proof
The obligation on a party to prove the facts they allege, which in a criminal trial rests primarily on the…

C

Carpet Area
The actual usable floor area within the walls of a flat or unit, excluding the thickness of walls — the…
Case Management Hearing
An early hearing in a civil suit where the court fixes a timeline for various stages of the case, aimed at…
Cashless Claim (Health Insurance)
A health insurance claim process where the insurer settles the hospital bill directly with the network…
Cause of Action
The set of facts that gives a person the legal right to sue another person or entity in court.
Caveat (Legal)
A formal notice filed in court by a person requesting that no order be passed in an anticipated case against…
Caveat Emptor
A principle meaning "let the buyer beware," under which a buyer is generally responsible for reasonably…
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
A regulatory authority empowered to investigate, prosecute, and penalise unfair trade practices and…
Certiorari
A writ by which a higher court quashes an order or decision of a lower court, tribunal, or authority that…
Charge Sheet
The final report police file with the magistrate at the end of investigation, listing the accused, the…
Chargesheet Under Investigation
An interim status indicating the police have not yet completed their investigation and finalised the charge…
Cheating
The offence of dishonestly inducing someone to part with property or do something they otherwise wouldn't, by…
Cheque Bounce (Dishonour)
The refusal of a bank to honour a cheque, commonly due to insufficient funds, which can amount to a criminal…
Cheque Truncation System
An electronic cheque clearing system where a scanned image of the cheque is transmitted for clearing, rather…
Child Custody
The legal right and responsibility to care for and make decisions about a minor child, typically decided…
Christian Marriage Act Divorce
Divorce proceedings for Christian couples in India, governed by a specific statute applicable to marriages…
Circumstantial Evidence
Evidence that doesn't directly prove a fact but allows the court to infer it from a chain of connected…
Class Action / Representative Suit
A single suit or complaint filed by (or on behalf of) a group of people who share the same grievance against…
Codicil
A supplementary document that amends, adds to, or partially revokes an existing will, without needing to…
Cognizable Offence
An offence serious enough that police can register an FIR, investigate, and arrest without needing prior…
Collective Bargaining Agreement
An agreement negotiated between an employer (or group of employers) and a trade union, setting terms of…
Commercial Court
A specially designated court handling commercial disputes above a specified monetary value, following a more…
Committee of Creditors (CoC)
A body comprising a company's financial creditors, formed during insolvency resolution, with the power to…
Common Area Maintenance
Charges collected from flat owners or tenants in a building or complex to cover the upkeep of shared spaces…
Common Intention (Criminal Law)
A shared plan among two or more people to commit a criminal act together, which can make each of them liable…
Company Secretary
A qualified professional responsible for ensuring a company complies with corporate law and governance…
Company Strike Off
The removal of a company's name from the Register of Companies by the Registrar, either on the company's own…
Compassionate Appointment
A job offered to a dependent family member of an employee who dies in service or is medically unfit to…
Competition Law Violation
Conduct by businesses that harms fair market competition, such as cartelisation, abuse of a dominant market…
Completion Certificate
A certificate confirming that construction of a building has been completed in accordance with the sanctioned…
Compounding of Cheque Bounce Case
The settlement of a cheque dishonour case between the complainant and accused, typically involving payment of…
Compounding of Offence
A legal process allowing certain offences to be settled between the complainant and accused, ending the…
Conciliation
A dispute resolution process similar to mediation, where a conciliator actively assists the parties in…
Confession
A statement by an accused person admitting to having committed the offence, either in whole or in a way that…
Consideration (Contract Law)
Something of value — money, a promise, or an act — that each party to a contract gives or agrees to give in…
Constructive Dismissal
A situation where an employee resigns because the employer's conduct made continuing in the job intolerable…
Consumer Commission (District)
The first-level forum for consumer complaints, handling claims up to a specified monetary threshold within…
Consumer Complaint
A complaint filed by a consumer before a Consumer Commission alleging a defect in goods, deficiency in…
Consumer Court E-Filing
The online portal system allowing consumers to file complaints electronically with Consumer Commissions…
Consumer Mediation Cell
A mediation facility attached to Consumer Commissions, offering parties the option to resolve disputes…
Consumer Protection Act 2019
The current comprehensive law governing consumer rights and grievance redress in India, replacing the earlier…
Consumer Protection Councils
Advisory bodies at the central, state, and district level established to promote and protect consumer rights.
Contempt of Court
Wilful disobedience of a court's order, or conduct that scandalises or lowers the authority of the court.
Contested Divorce
A divorce sought by one spouse on legally recognised grounds, where the other spouse does not consent and the…
Contributory Negligence
A situation where the injured party's own carelessness partly contributed to the accident, which can reduce…
Conveyance Deed
A deed transferring ownership of land or a building from a developer or society to the individual flat owners…
Conviction
A court's formal finding that the accused is guilty of the offence charged, following which sentencing takes…
Cooperative Society Dispute
A dispute arising between a cooperative society and its members, or between members, relating to society…
Coparcenary Rights
Rights that members of a Hindu joint family — including daughters, by law — have by birth in ancestral joint…
Copyright
The exclusive legal right granted to the creator of an original literary, artistic, musical, or other…
Copyright Infringement
Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, or other use of a copyrighted work without the permission of the…
Corporate Guarantee
A guarantee given by one company to secure the debt or obligation of another company, commonly used within…
Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP)
A time-bound process under insolvency law where a company unable to pay its debts is either revived through a…
Court Marriage
A civil marriage solemnised under a secular marriage law before a Marriage Officer, without requiring any…
Court Martial
A military court that tries members of the armed forces for offences under military law, distinct from the…
Credit Information Report (CIR)
A record maintained by credit bureaus documenting a person's borrowing and repayment history, used by lenders…
Criminal Breach of Trust
The offence of dishonestly misusing property that was entrusted to a person, in violation of the terms of…
Criminal Conspiracy
The offence of two or more people agreeing to commit an illegal act, or a legal act by illegal means.
Criminal Defamation
The criminal offence of making or publishing an imputation about a person, knowing or believing it will harm…
Cross-Examination
The questioning of a witness by the opposing side's lawyer, aimed at testing the truthfulness and reliability…
Cruelty (Matrimonial)
Conduct by one spouse — physical or mental — that makes it unsafe or intolerable for the other spouse to…
Cruelty by Husband or Relatives
A specific offence covering wilful conduct by a husband or his relatives likely to drive a woman to suicide…
Culpable Homicide
Causing death by an act done with the intention or knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without…
Curative Petition
A final, extraordinary remedy before the Supreme Court, filed after a review petition has been dismissed, to…
Custodial Death
The death of a person while in police or judicial custody, treated with particular seriousness given the…
Custodial Interrogation
Questioning of an accused person carried out while they are in police custody, as opposed to being free or on…
Custody Evaluation
An assessment, sometimes involving a court counsellor or mental health professional, examining a child's…
Customs Duty
A tax levied by the government on goods imported into, or in some cases exported out of, the country.
Cyber Crime
Any criminal activity that involves a computer, computer network, or digital device, either as the target of…
Cyberstalking
Repeatedly following, monitoring, or contacting a person through electronic communication or the internet, in…

D

Dacoity
A specific, aggravated form of robbery committed jointly by five or more persons acting together.
Data Protection / Privacy Law
Legal rules governing how personal data is collected, stored, used, and shared by organisations, and the…
Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT)
A specialised tribunal for the recovery of debts owed to banks and financial institutions above a specified…
Decree
The formal expression of a court's final decision in a civil suit, conclusively determining the rights of the…
Deemed Conveyance
A legal mechanism allowing a flat owners' association to compel a developer to formally transfer land and…
Deficiency in Banking Service
Failures or shortcomings by a bank in providing services to its customers — such as wrongful debit, delayed…
Deficiency in Service
Any fault, imperfection, shortcoming, or inadequacy in the quality or manner of a service that a provider was…
Delayed Possession Compensation
Compensation a developer is required to pay a homebuyer for delay beyond the promised possession date…
Desertion
One spouse abandoning the other without reasonable cause and without consent, for a continuous statutory…
Design Registration
Registration protecting the visual appearance — shape, pattern, or ornamentation — of an article, distinct…
Development Agreement
An agreement between a landowner and a developer allowing the developer to construct on the owner's land…
Directive Principles of State Policy
Guidelines set out in the Constitution directing the state to work toward social and economic welfare, which…
Director's Fiduciary Duty
The legal obligation of a company director to act honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of the…
Discharge (Criminal Case)
An order releasing an accused from a case before trial, when the court finds insufficient grounds to proceed…
Discovery of Documents
A pre-trial procedure requiring parties to disclose documents relevant to the case that are in their…
Disproportionate Assets Case
A prosecution against a public servant who is found to possess assets or income significantly beyond their…
Divorce by Mutual Consent Waiver
A court's discretionary waiver of the mandatory statutory cooling-off period between the first and second…
Divorce Recrimination
A defence in a contested divorce where the respondent alleges that the petitioner is equally or more at…
Divorce Settlement Agreement
A written agreement between divorcing spouses covering alimony, custody, visitation, and division of assets…
Divorced Muslim Woman Maintenance
The right of a divorced Muslim woman to maintenance, governed by a specific statute alongside the general…
DNA Evidence (Forensic)
Genetic material analysis used to identify or exclude a person as being connected to a crime scene or…
Domestic Enquiry (Employment)
An internal investigation process an employer conducts to examine allegations of employee misconduct before…
Domestic Violence
Physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, or economic abuse committed by a person against a woman in a domestic…
Domicile
The country or place a person treats as their permanent home, which can determine which country's succession…
Dowry
Property or valuable security given or agreed to be given, directly or indirectly, in connection with a…
Dowry Death
The death of a woman within seven years of marriage, under suspicious circumstances connected to…
Due Diligence
A thorough investigation of a company's legal, financial, and operational affairs, typically carried out…
Dying Declaration
A statement made by a person about the cause of their death or the circumstances leading to it, given while…

E

E-Commerce Consumer Rights
Specific consumer protections applicable to online transactions, covering matters like mandatory seller…
E-Filing (Court Cases)
The electronic submission of court documents and pleadings through an online portal, rather than physically…
Easement Right
A right that the owner of one property has to use, in a limited way, a neighbouring property — such as a…
Election Petition
A petition filed before a High Court challenging the validity of an election result, on grounds such as…
Employee State Insurance (ESI)
A social security scheme providing medical care and cash benefits to employees earning below a specified wage…
Employment Bond
A clause in an employment contract requiring an employee to serve a minimum period, or repay…
Employment Contract
A written agreement between an employer and employee setting out the terms of employment, including role…
Encroachment
The unauthorised occupation or extension of use onto land or property belonging to another person, or onto…
Encumbrance Certificate
An official record showing whether a property is free from any registered legal or financial liabilities…
Enforcement Directorate (ED)
The government agency responsible for investigating and prosecuting offences under money laundering and…
Equality Before Law
The constitutional guarantee that every person is equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of…
Escrow Account
A bank account held by a neutral third party, into which funds are deposited and released only once specified…
ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan)
A scheme allowing a company to grant its employees the option to buy company shares at a predetermined price…
Estate Planning
The process of organising and planning how a person's assets will be managed during their lifetime and…
Estoppel
A legal principle preventing a person from denying or going back on a fact or position they have previously…
Eviction
The legal process by which a landlord removes a tenant from a property, which (except in narrow situations)…
Ex Parte Order
An order passed by the court hearing only one side, typically because the other party failed to appear…
Examination-in-Chief
The initial questioning of a witness by the party who called them, used to bring out their evidence in…
Execution of Decree
The legal process of enforcing a court's decree, where the winning party takes steps to actually realise the…
Executor of Will
The person named in a will responsible for carrying out its terms, including collecting the deceased's…
Extortion
The offence of putting a person in fear of injury in order to dishonestly force them to hand over property or…
Extradition
The formal process by which one country hands over a person accused or convicted of an offence to another…
Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
A shareholders' meeting called to address urgent or specific business that cannot wait until the next Annual…

F

Family Court
A specialised court set up to handle matrimonial and family disputes, with an emphasis on conciliation and…
Family Settlement
An agreement among family members resolving disputes over shared property or assets, typically to avoid…
Fast Track Court
A specially designated court set up to hear and dispose of specific categories of cases — such as those…
Fast Track Special Court (Sexual Offences)
Dedicated courts set up specifically to expedite trials in cases of rape and offences against children under…
FEMA Compliance
Compliance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act, which regulates cross-border financial transactions…
Financial Creditor
A creditor to whom a company owes a debt arising from a financial transaction, such as a loan, with the time…
FIR (First Information Report)
The written record a police station prepares on receiving information about the commission of a cognizable…
Fixed-Term Tenancy
A tenancy created for a specific, defined period, automatically ending at the end of that term without…
Food Safety Compliance
Compliance with food safety law governing licensing, standards, and labelling requirements for businesses…
Force Majeure
A contract clause excusing a party from performing its obligations when prevented by extraordinary events…
Foreign Divorce Recognition
The legal question of whether a divorce decree obtained in a foreign country will be recognised and given…
Forgery
The offence of making a false document or altering a genuine one, with intent to cause damage, claim…
Framing of Charges
The stage where the court formally states the specific offence(s) the accused must answer to at trial.
Franchise Agreement
A contract granting a person or business (the franchisee) the right to operate under an established brand and…
Fraud (Civil)
A false representation of fact, made knowingly or recklessly, with the intent to deceive another party and…
Free Look Period (Insurance)
A short window after purchasing a life insurance policy during which the policyholder can review the terms…
Freedom of Speech and Expression
A Fundamental Right guaranteeing citizens the freedom to express opinions and ideas, subject to specified…
Fresh Start Process (Individual Insolvency)
A simplified insolvency process allowing eligible individuals with very limited income and assets to have…
Fundamental Rights
The basic rights guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution, enforceable directly through the courts…

G

Garnishee Order
A court order directing a third party who owes money to a judgment debtor (such as their bank or employer) to…
Gift Deed
A document transferring ownership of property from one person to another voluntarily and without any payment…
Grandparents' Visitation Rights
The limited, evolving legal recognition of a grandparent's interest in maintaining contact with a grandchild…
Gratuity
A lump-sum payment an employer is required to make to an employee on retirement, resignation, or termination…
Grievance Redressal Mechanism
An internal process a company or institution is required to maintain, allowing customers to raise and have…
Grievous Hurt
Bodily injury of a serious kind specifically listed in law — such as fracture, loss of a limb, or permanent…
Grounds for Divorce
The specific legal reasons — such as cruelty, adultery, or desertion — that a spouse must establish to obtain…
GST Registration
Mandatory registration under the Goods and Services Tax law for businesses whose turnover exceeds the…
GST Show Cause Notice
A formal notice issued by GST authorities requiring a taxpayer to explain an alleged discrepancy, short…
Guarantee (Financial)
A contract where one party (the guarantor) promises to perform an obligation, or pay a debt, if the principal…
Guardian ad Litem
A person appointed by a court to represent the interests of a minor or a person of unsound mind in a specific…
Guardianship
The legal authority and responsibility to take care of a minor's person and property, which may or may not…

I

Iddat
A waiting period a Muslim woman observes after divorce or her husband's death, before she can remarry, also…
Identity Theft (Cyber)
Fraudulently using another person's identifying information — such as their name, password, or bank details —…
Immovable Property
Property that cannot be moved from one place to another, such as land and anything permanently attached to…
In-Camera Proceedings
Court proceedings conducted privately, closed to the general public and media, typically to protect the…
Income Tax Return (ITR)
A form filed with the tax authorities declaring a person's or entity's income, deductions, and tax liability…
Incorporation of a Company
The legal process of registering a company with the Registrar of Companies, giving it a distinct legal…
Indemnity Bond
A document by which a person agrees to compensate another for any loss they might suffer due to a specified…
Indemnity Clause
A contractual provision under which one party agrees to compensate the other for specified losses, damages…
Industrial Dispute
A disagreement between employers and workmen, or between workmen themselves, connected with employment terms…
Informed Consent (Medical)
A patient's agreement to a medical procedure, given after being adequately informed of its nature, risks…
Injunction
A court order directing a party to do, or refrain from doing, a specific act, used to prevent harm before or…
Input Tax Credit (ITC)
A credit businesses can claim for the GST already paid on their purchases, which is set off against the GST…
Insider Trading
Trading in a company's securities based on unpublished, price-sensitive information not available to the…
Insolvency
A financial state where a person or entity is unable to pay their debts as they fall due.
Insolvency Professional
A qualified professional who takes over management of a company (or individual's affairs) during insolvency…
Insurable Interest
A financial or legal interest a person must have in the subject matter of an insurance policy, which is a…
Insurance Claim Repudiation
An insurer's formal rejection of a claim, usually citing a specific policy exclusion, non-disclosure, or…
Insurance Surveyor
An independent professional appointed to assess and quantify the loss suffered in an insurance claim, whose…
Interim Bail
Short-term, temporary bail granted while a regular or anticipatory bail application is still pending decision.
Interim Compensation (Cheque Bounce)
An amount a court can direct the accused to pay to the complainant during the pendency of a cheque bounce…
Interim Custody of Property
A court order granting temporary custody of seized property — such as a vehicle or goods — to a claimant…
Interim Maintenance
Maintenance ordered by the court to support a spouse (and children) while a matrimonial case is still…
Interlocutory Application
An application filed during the pendency of a case seeking interim relief or a procedural direction, without…
Internal Committee (POSH)
A committee every qualifying workplace must set up to receive and inquire into complaints of sexual…
International Commercial Arbitration
Arbitration of a commercial dispute where at least one party is based outside India, or the dispute otherwise…
Interrogatories
Written questions one party formally puts to the other during a civil suit, which must be answered on oath…
Intestate Succession
The distribution of a deceased person's property according to the default rules of law, applicable when they…
Investigating Officer
The police officer responsible for investigating a registered case — collecting evidence, recording…
Irretrievable Breakdown of Marriage
A situation where a marriage has broken down beyond any realistic chance of reconciliation, even though it…

L

Labour Court
A specialised forum that adjudicates industrial disputes, including matters relating to wrongful dismissal…
Land Acquisition
The process by which the government compulsorily acquires private land for a public purpose, paying…
Land Revenue Records
Government-maintained records tracking ownership, tenancy, and use of agricultural and other land…
Lease Deed
A legal document setting out the terms on which a property owner (lessor) allows another party (lessee) to…
Legacy
A term often used interchangeably with "bequest," referring to property or money given to someone through a…
Legal Aid
Free legal services provided to persons who cannot afford a lawyer, ensuring access to justice regardless of…
Legal Aid Defence Counsel
A lawyer provided at state expense to an accused person who cannot afford private legal representation.
Legal Heir Certificate
A certificate issued by a revenue authority identifying the legal heirs of a deceased person, commonly used…
Legal Heir Dispute
A dispute among family members over who qualifies as a legal heir, or the extent of their respective shares…
Legal Metrology Compliance
Compliance with regulations governing weights, measures, and packaged commodity declarations, ensuring…
Legal Notice
A formal written communication sent by a lawyer on a client's behalf, notifying the other party of a…
Legal Notice for Recovery
A formal notice demanding payment of an outstanding debt, sent before initiating a recovery suit or other…
Legitimacy of Children
The legal status of a child as being born of a valid (or, in some cases, voidable) marriage, which affects…
Letter of Credit
A financial instrument issued by a bank guaranteeing payment to a seller on behalf of a buyer, provided…
Letters of Administration
A court order appointing an administrator to manage and distribute a deceased person's estate when they died…
Limitation Period
The maximum time within which a legal proceeding must be initiated after the cause of action arises, beyond…
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
A business structure combining features of a partnership and a company, where partners have limited liability…
Liquidated Damages
A pre-agreed amount specified in a contract as compensation payable if a particular breach occurs, meant to…
Liquidation
The process of winding up a company by converting its assets into cash and distributing the proceeds among…
Live-in Relationship
A relationship where a man and woman cohabit and share a domestic life together without formally marrying…
Loan Default
The failure of a borrower to repay a loan according to the agreed schedule, which can trigger recovery action…
Loan Restructuring
A revision of a loan's original repayment terms — such as extending the tenure or reducing instalments —…
Locus Standi
The legal right or standing of a person to bring a particular case or challenge a particular action before a…
Lok Adalat
A forum where pending court cases or pre-litigation disputes are settled or compromised amicably, with the…
Look Out Circular (LOC)
A notice issued by authorities to immigration checkpoints, restricting or monitoring a specific person's…

M

MACT (Motor Accident Claims Tribunal)
A specialised tribunal set up to adjudicate compensation claims arising from motor vehicle accidents…
Maintenance of Parents
The legal obligation of children to provide financial support to their elderly or dependent parents who are…
Maintenance Pendente Lite
Maintenance ordered to be paid while a matrimonial case is still pending in court, covering the period until…
Mandamus
A writ directing a public authority to perform a duty it is legally obligated to perform but has failed or…
Mareva Injunction (Asset Freezing Order)
A court order freezing a defendant's assets to prevent them from being moved or dissipated before a judgment…
Marriage Counselling (Court-Mandated)
Sessions with a trained counsellor that courts often direct parties to attend before proceeding with a…
Marriage Registration
The process of officially recording a marriage with the government, resulting in a marriage certificate that…
Mediation
A voluntary, non-binding process where a neutral third party (the mediator) helps disputing parties negotiate…
Medical Negligence
A failure by a medical professional or hospital to exercise the reasonable standard of care and skill…
Mehr (Dower)
An amount of money or property that a Muslim husband is obligated to pay or settle on his wife as part of the…
Memorandum of Association (MOA)
A foundational document of a company setting out its name, registered office, objects, and the scope of…
Merger and Acquisition (M&A)
The combination of two companies (merger) or the purchase of one company by another (acquisition), often…
Minimum Wages
The lowest wage rate an employer is legally required to pay workers in a specific category of employment…
Misrepresentation
A false statement of fact made by one party that induces another to enter into a contract, made without the…
Molestation
An act involving assault or use of criminal force against a woman intending to, or knowing it is likely to…
Money Laundering
The process of concealing the illegal origin of money obtained through crime, by passing it through…
Moratorium (Insolvency)
A legal freeze on further legal proceedings, recovery actions, and asset transfers against a company once…
Mortgage
A transfer of an interest in immovable property to a lender as security for a loan, giving the lender the…
Motor Accident Claim
A claim for compensation filed by a victim (or their legal heirs) for injury, death, or property damage…
Movable Property
Property that can be physically moved from one location to another, such as vehicles, jewellery, cash, and…
Mutation of Property
The process of updating land revenue records to reflect a change in ownership, following a sale, inheritance…
Mutual Consent Divorce
A divorce granted when both spouses agree to end the marriage and jointly petition the court, rather than one…
Mutual Will
A pair of wills made by two people, typically with reciprocal terms, based on an agreement that neither will…

N

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC)
The apex consumer forum in India, handling the highest-value consumer disputes and appeals from State…
NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal)
A specialised tribunal with jurisdiction over company law and insolvency matters, including company disputes…
NDPS Case
A criminal case registered under narcotics law for the possession, sale, transport, or trafficking of…
NDPS Commercial Quantity
A quantity of a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance above a specified threshold, attracting the most…
Negotiable Instrument
A document — such as a cheque, promissory note, or bill of exchange — that guarantees payment of a specific…
Next Friend
A person who represents a minor as plaintiff in a suit, since a minor cannot file a case directly in their…
Nikah
The Islamic marriage contract, entered into between a Muslim man and woman with mutual consent, typically…
No Objection Certificate (NOC)
A document issued by a relevant authority or society confirming they have no objection to a specific…
No-Fault Liability (Motor Accidents)
A principle allowing a motor accident victim to claim a fixed minimum compensation without having to prove…
Nomination (Bank/Insurance)
The designation of a person to receive an asset, such as a bank deposit or insurance payout, on the account…
Non-Bailable Offence
A more serious offence where bail is not a right and is granted only at the court's discretion, weighing the…
Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW)
A warrant requiring the person to be produced before the court in custody, with bail decided only by the…
Non-Cognizable Offence
A relatively minor offence where police cannot investigate or arrest without the magistrate's prior…
Non-Compete Clause
A contractual provision restricting a person (often an employee or a seller of a business) from engaging in a…
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
A contract under which parties agree to keep specified information confidential and not disclose or use it…
Non-Performing Asset (NPA)
A loan or advance where the borrower has stopped making interest or principal payments for a specified…
Notary
A person legally authorised to witness the signing of documents, administer oaths, and certify copies as…
Notice Period (Employment)
The period of advance notice an employee or employer must give before ending an employment relationship, as…
Novation
The substitution of a new contract or a new party in place of an existing one, with the consent of all…
NRI Property Dispute
Disputes involving property in India owned by, or claimed by, a Non-Resident Indian, often complicated by…
Nuisance
An act or condition that unreasonably interferes with another person's use and enjoyment of their property…

P

Panchnama
A written record, prepared in the presence of independent witnesses, documenting facts observed by police…
Parenting Plan
A detailed arrangement, often agreed between separating parents, specifying custody, visitation schedules…
Parole
Temporary release of a prisoner already serving a sentence, usually for a specific, limited purpose and…
Parsi Marriage and Divorce
Marriage and divorce for the Parsi community in India, governed by a dedicated statute with its own specific…
Partition Deed
A document formally dividing jointly owned property among co-owners, specifying each person's separate share…
Partition Suit (Family Property)
A civil suit filed by a co-owner or coparcener seeking their defined share of jointly held family property to…
Partnership Deed
A written agreement between partners of a firm setting out the terms of the partnership, including…
Passing Off
A common law remedy protecting an unregistered trademark or business identity from being misrepresented by…
Passport Impounding
The seizure or cancellation of a person's passport by the passport authority or a court, often in connection…
Patent
An exclusive right granted for a new invention that is novel, involves an inventive step, and has industrial…
Patent Infringement
Making, using, selling, or importing a patented invention without the patent holder's authorisation, during…
Pecuniary Jurisdiction
The authority of a court to hear cases based on the monetary value of the claim involved, with different…
Perjury
The offence of intentionally giving false evidence or making a false statement under oath in a judicial…
Personal Bond
A bond an accused person executes themselves, promising to appear in court as required, sometimes without…
Personal Guarantee
A promise by an individual to personally repay a loan or debt if the primary borrower (often a company) fails…
Personal Injury Claim
A legal claim for compensation brought by a person who has suffered physical or psychological harm due to…
Phishing
A fraudulent practice of sending communications, often disguised as coming from a trustworthy source, to…
Plaint
The formal written document by which a civil suit is initiated, setting out the facts, cause of action, and…
Plea Bargaining
A process allowing an accused in certain less serious cases to negotiate a reduced sentence in exchange for…
Pledge
The transfer of possession (but not ownership) of movable property to a lender as security for a debt, giving…
POCSO Case
A criminal case registered under the special law protecting children from sexual assault, harassment, and…
Police Custody
Custody where an arrested person is held directly by the investigating police, typically for a short period…
Possession Letter
A formal document issued by a developer to a homebuyer confirming that possession of the purchased unit has…
Power of Attorney (General)
A legal document authorising a named person (the attorney) to act on behalf of another (the principal) in…
Power of Attorney (Property)
A document authorising another person (the attorney) to act on the owner's behalf in matters relating to the…
Pre-Existing Disease Exclusion
A clause in health insurance policies excluding or limiting coverage for medical conditions the insured…
Prenuptial Agreement
A contract entered into by a couple before marriage, setting out how assets, debts, and other matters would…
Presumption of Innocence
The foundational principle that an accused person is treated as innocent unless and until proven guilty by…
Preventive Detention
Detention of a person by the state to prevent them from committing a future offence, without the ordinary…
Private Complaint (Criminal)
A criminal complaint filed directly before a magistrate by a private individual, rather than through a…
Pro Bono Legal Services
Legal services provided by a lawyer voluntarily and without charging a fee, typically for individuals or…
Probate
A court certificate confirming the validity of a will and the authority of the executor named in it to…
Probation
A sentencing option letting a convicted person avoid or suspend imprisonment, subject to good conduct and…
Proclaimed Offender
A person formally declared by the court to be absconding, after public proclamation requiring them to appear…
Product Liability
The legal responsibility of a manufacturer, seller, or service provider for harm caused by a defective…
Promissory Note
A written, signed promise by one person to pay a specific sum of money to another person, either on demand or…
Property Survey Number
A unique identification number assigned to a parcel of land in government revenue records, used to identify…
Prosecution
The party — represented by the state through a public prosecutor — that brings and pursues criminal charges…
Prospectus (Securities)
A formal document a company issues when inviting the public to subscribe to its shares or other securities…
Protection Officer
An official appointed under domestic violence law to assist a woman in filing a complaint and accessing legal…
Provident Fund (PF)
A retirement savings scheme where both employer and employee make regular contributions, accumulated for the…
Provisional Attachment (PMLA)
A temporary order freezing or seizing property suspected to be proceeds of crime, made by the Enforcement…
Public Information Officer (PIO)
The designated officer within a public authority responsible for receiving RTI applications and providing the…
Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
A petition filed in a High Court or the Supreme Court not for a private grievance but for the protection of a…
Public Prosecutor
The lawyer appointed by the government to conduct criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state in court.

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Recovery Suit
A civil suit filed to recover a specific sum of money owed, whether under a contract, loan, unpaid invoice…
Registered Post / Legal Service
A method of formally delivering legal documents, such as a legal notice or court summons, with proof of…
Registered Sale Agreement
A sale agreement (agreement to sell) that has been formally registered with the sub-registrar, giving it…
Registered Trademark
A mark — such as a brand name, logo, or slogan — officially registered with the Trademark Registry, giving…
Registered Will vs Unregistered Will
The distinction between a will that has been formally registered with the sub-registrar and one that hasn't…
Registrar of Companies (ROC)
The government authority responsible for registering companies and ensuring they comply with ongoing filing…
Registration of Documents
The formal recording of a property document with the sub-registrar's office, required by law for most…
Regular Bail
Bail applied for by a person who has already been arrested and is in police or judicial custody.
Related Party Transaction
A transaction between a company and a person or entity closely connected to it — such as a director or their…
Relinquishment Deed
A document by which a co-owner gives up their share in a jointly owned property in favour of one or more…
Remand
An order sending an arrested person into police or judicial custody for a specified period while…
Rent Agreement (Leave and Licence)
A short-term agreement, usually for 11 months, under which an owner permits a tenant to occupy premises…
Rent Control Act
State-specific legislation regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants, including permissible…
Rent Receipt
A written acknowledgment issued by a landlord confirming receipt of rent from a tenant, serving as proof of…
RERA Complaint
A complaint filed by a homebuyer before the Real Estate Regulatory Authority against a developer for delay…
RERA Registration
Mandatory registration of a real estate project with the state Real Estate Regulatory Authority before it can…
Res Judicata
A legal principle preventing the same parties from relitigating an issue that has already been conclusively…
Reservation Policy (Constitutional)
Constitutionally sanctioned affirmative action measures reserving a percentage of seats or posts for…
Residuary Legatee
The beneficiary in a will entitled to whatever remains of the estate after specific bequests and debts have…
Restitution of Conjugal Rights
A court remedy directing a spouse who has withdrawn from the other's company, without reasonable cause, to…
Retrenchment
The termination of a workman's employment by the employer for reasons other than misconduct, such as surplus…
Review Petition
A petition asking the same court that passed a judgment to reconsider it, on grounds like discovery of new…
Revision Petition
An application asking a higher court to examine the legality, correctness, or propriety of an order passed by…
Right of Way
A specific type of easement giving a person the right to pass through another person's property to access…
Right to Fair Compensation (Land)
A landowner's right to receive fair, adequate compensation when their land is compulsorily acquired by the…
Right to Fair Trial
The fundamental principle that every accused person is entitled to an impartial, unbiased trial conducted…
Right to Information (RTI)
A citizen's legal right to request and receive information from public authorities, aimed at promoting…
Right to Life and Personal Liberty
A constitutional guarantee that no person shall be deprived of their life or personal liberty except…
Right to Property (Constitutional)
The constitutional protection against being deprived of property except by authority of law, now a legal…
Rioting
The use of force or violence by an unlawful assembly, or any member of it, in pursuit of the assembly's…
Robbery
Theft or extortion committed using force, or the threat of instant force or fear, against the victim.
RTI Appeal
A challenge filed when a public authority denies an RTI request, refuses to respond within the required time…

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Sale Deed
The primary legal document that transfers ownership of an immovable property from the seller to the buyer…
SARFAESI Action
A process allowing banks and financial institutions to recover secured debts by directly seizing and selling…
Second Motion (Divorce)
The second and final step in a mutual consent divorce, filed after the mandatory waiting period, confirming…
Section 125 CrPC Maintenance
A maintenance remedy available to a wife, children, and parents against a person with sufficient means who…
Section 156(3) Application
An application to a magistrate seeking a direction to police to register and investigate an FIR, used when…
Section 164 Statement
A statement or confession recorded by a magistrate during investigation, carrying greater evidentiary weight…
Section 24 Application
A common shorthand for an application seeking interim maintenance and litigation expenses during the pendency…
Section 9 Petition
A common shorthand for a restitution of conjugal rights petition, filed by a spouse seeking a court order for…
Section 91 Summons (Document Production)
A court order directing a person to produce a specific document or thing considered necessary for the…
Security Deposit (Tenancy)
A refundable amount a tenant pays the landlord at the start of a tenancy, to cover potential unpaid rent or…
Sedition
An offence historically covering acts or words that bring, or attempt to bring, hatred or contempt towards…
Self-Acquired Property
Property a person has acquired through their own effort, resources, or independent means, over which they…
Senior Citizen Rights
Legal protections specifically available to elderly persons, including the right to maintenance from children…
Sentence
The punishment a court imposes on a convicted person, which may be imprisonment, a fine, or both, depending…
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
A contract, often part of a larger services agreement, specifying the standard of service a provider commits…
Sessions Court
The trial court in each district that has jurisdiction to try serious criminal offences, including those…
Sexual Harassment at Workplace (POSH)
Unwelcome sexually coloured behaviour at the workplace, which every organisation is legally required to…
Shared Household
The residence where a woman lives or has lived in a domestic relationship, in which she has a legally…
Shareholders' Agreement
A private agreement among a company's shareholders governing their mutual rights and obligations, including…
Show Cause Notice (Employment)
A notice issued by an employer to an employee alleging misconduct and requiring them to explain why…
Small Cause Court
A court dealing with civil disputes of a relatively small monetary value, following a simplified and quicker…
Society Bye-Laws
The internal rules governing a housing or cooperative society's functioning, covering matters like…
Society Redevelopment
The process by which an old housing society engages a developer to demolish and reconstruct the building(s)…
Sole Proprietorship
A business owned and run by a single individual, with no legal distinction between the owner and the business…
Special Leave Petition (SLP)
A petition seeking the Supreme Court's special permission to appeal against a judgment or order of any court…
Special Marriage Act Divorce
Divorce proceedings for couples married under the secular Special Marriage Act, applicable regardless of the…
Special Public Prosecutor (POCSO)
A prosecutor specifically appointed to conduct cases under the child sexual offences law, given the sensitive…
Specific Performance
A court remedy directing a party to actually carry out their contractual obligation — such as completing a…
Speedy Trial
The right of an accused person to have their case tried without unreasonable delay, recognised as part of the…
Stalking
The offence of following or contacting a woman repeatedly despite clear disinterest, or monitoring her use of…
Stamp Duty
A state-levied tax payable on property transaction documents like sale deeds, calculated as a percentage of…
Standing Committee (Sexual Harassment)
A committee constituted at the district level to handle sexual harassment complaints from workplaces too…
Startup Recognition (DPIIT)
A formal recognition granted by the government to eligible new-age businesses, unlocking benefits like tax…
State Consumer Commission
The appellate and first-instance forum for higher-value consumer disputes within a state, above the District…
Statutory Auditor
An independent chartered accountant appointed to examine a company's financial statements and confirm they…
Stay Order
A court order temporarily halting the operation, enforcement, or further proceedings of a lower court order…
Streedhan
Property, including gifts, jewellery, and money, given to a woman before, during, or after her marriage…
Stridhan Recovery Suit
A civil suit filed by a woman to recover her streedhan — personal gifts and property — that was retained by…
Subletting
A tenant renting out all or part of the premises they themselves are renting, to a third party, typically…
Succession Certificate
A court-issued certificate authorising a person to collect debts and securities (such as bank deposits or…
Suit for Declaration
A civil suit seeking a court's formal declaration of a legal right or status, without necessarily also asking…
Summary Suit
A fast-track civil procedure available for certain claims — typically for a fixed sum of money on a written…
Summons
A court order directing a person to appear before it on a specified date, either as an accused, witness, or…
Support Person (POCSO)
A person appointed to render assistance to a child throughout the process of a POCSO case, including during…
Surety
A person who undertakes financial responsibility to ensure an accused released on bail appears in court as…

T

Talaq
The general term for divorce initiated by a Muslim husband, historically taking several forms, some of which…
Tax Appeal
A challenge filed by a taxpayer (or the tax department) against an assessment or other tax order, before a…
Tax Assessment
The process by which tax authorities examine a taxpayer's return and determine the correct amount of tax…
TDS (Tax Deducted at Source)
A mechanism requiring the payer of certain kinds of income to deduct tax at the time of payment and deposit…
Tenant Eviction Notice
A formal notice given by a landlord to a tenant, stating the intention to terminate the tenancy and requiring…
Term Sheet
A non-binding document summarising the key commercial terms of a proposed investment, before detailed…
Territorial Jurisdiction
The geographic area within which a particular court has the authority to hear and decide cases.
Test Identification Parade (TIP)
A procedure where a witness is asked to identify the accused from among a group of similar-looking people, to…
Testamentary Capacity
The legal and mental capacity a person must have to make a valid will, including being of sound mind and…
Theft
The offence of dishonestly taking movable property out of another person's possession, without their consent…
Third Degree / Custodial Torture
The unlawful use of physical or psychological coercion against a person in custody to extract information or…
Third-Party Insurance
A mandatory motor insurance policy covering liability toward third parties for injury, death, or property…
Title Deed
A document that establishes legal ownership of a property, forming the chain of evidence a buyer relies on to…
Trade Union
An association of workers formed to protect and promote their collective interests, including through…
Trademark Infringement
The unauthorised use of a registered trademark, or a mark deceptively similar to it, in relation to similar…
Transfer Petition
A petition seeking to move a pending case from one court to another, often filed by a party who finds it…
Trespass
The unlawful entry onto, or interference with, another person's property without their permission.
Trespass to Person (Assault)
An act that causes a person to reasonably apprehend imminent use of criminal force against them, even without…
Trust Deed
A document creating a trust, under which property is transferred to a trustee to hold and manage for the…

V

Vakalatnama
A document authorising an advocate to represent a party in a specific court case, filed with the court at the…
Vendor Agreement
A contract between a business and its supplier, setting out the terms on which goods or services will be…
Victim Compensation Scheme
A state-run scheme providing financial compensation to victims of crime, or their dependents, particularly in…
Virtual Hearing
A court hearing conducted through video conferencing rather than requiring physical presence of the parties…
Vishakha Guidelines
Guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court for preventing sexual harassment at the workplace, later codified…
Visitation Rights
The right of a parent who doesn't have primary custody to spend scheduled time with their child.
Void Agreement for Uncertainty
A contract that is unenforceable because its terms are too vague or uncertain for a court to determine what…
Void Contract
An agreement that is not enforceable by law from the very outset, having no legal effect between the parties.
Void Marriage
A marriage that is invalid from the very outset, as though it never legally took place, due to a fundamental…
Void Marriage Declaration Suit
A civil suit seeking the court's formal declaration that a marriage is void, typically sought for legal…
Voidable Contract
An agreement that is valid and enforceable unless the party whose consent was affected — such as by coercion…
Voidable Marriage
A marriage that remains valid unless and until one party successfully challenges it in court on a specific…
Voidable Marriage Time Limit
The limited time period within which a petition to annul a voidable marriage must generally be filed, after…