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Legal definitions for terms and concepts beginning with I
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Identity Theft
The wrongful taking or using another person's identifying information for the purpose of fraud or other criminal activity.Expanded Legal Definition of Identity Theft
Ignorance of the Law
A mistake of law in relation to a person's rights or responsibilities.Expanded Legal Definition of Ignorance of the Law
Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat
Latin: ignorance of the law is no excuse.Expanded Legal Definition of Ignorantia Juris Non Excusat
Immunity
An exemption that a person enjoys from the normal operation of the law such as a legal duty or liability, either criminal or civil.Expanded Legal Definition of Immunity
Immovable
Land and fixtures thereto, civil law term.Expanded Legal Definition of Immovable
Impaired
A deterioration of an individual’s judgment and decrease in his or her’s physical ability. Used primarily in criminal law; driving under the influence of alcohol or disability law in regards to a person’s physical or mental impairment.Expanded Legal Definition of Impaired
Implied Trust
A trust that is imposed by law onto certain situations either by presuming an intention of the participants to create a trust, or simply because of the facts at hand.Expanded Legal Definition of Implied Trust
In Camera
A closed and private session of Court or some other deliberating body.Expanded Legal Definition of In Camera
Incest
The crime of sexual contact with a blood relative usually including a parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild.Expanded Legal Definition of Incest
Inchmaree Clause
A standard clause in maritime insurance contracts covering risk of events not directly linked to perils at sea such as, but not necessarily limited to, loading accidents.Expanded Legal Definition of Inchmaree Clause
Incorporeal
Legal rights which are intangible such as copyrights or patents.Expanded Legal Definition of Incorporeal
Incorporeal Hereditament
An intangible right which is attached to property and which is inheritable.Expanded Legal Definition of Incorporeal Hereditament
Indefeasible
A right or title in property that cannot be made void, defeated or canceled by any past event, error or omission in the title.Expanded Legal Definition of Indefeasible
Indemnity
Contract with a third-party to perform another's obligations if called upon to do so by the third-party, whether the other has defaulted or not.Expanded Legal Definition of Indemnity
Indian
Nomenclature selected by Canada and USA to refer to and define their aboriginal or indigenous people.Expanded Legal Definition of Indian
Indictable Offence
An offence which the government can opt to cause trial by a more formal process than by summary process.Expanded Legal Definition of Indictable Offence
Indictment
The formal document by which the state sets out the claim that a person has committed a crime. It is on the basis of an indictment that an accused person must stand trial.Expanded Legal Definition of Indictment
Indigenous
Native to a particular territory.Expanded Legal Definition of Indigenous
Indigent
A poor person; not penniless but in need and who has no financial support from any other.Expanded Legal Definition of Indigent
Indirect Tax
The passing on of a tax or duty by the person who first pays it, through subsequent transactions.Expanded Legal Definition of Indirect Tax
Industrial Design
A new product or packaging design, or some such ornamental feature, and eligible for intellectual property law exclusive-use protection.Expanded Legal Definition of Industrial Design
Infanticide
Murder of an infant soon after its birth. Expanded Legal Definition of Infanticide
Inherent Jurisdiction
The residual, automatic and ex officio authority of a court of law to regulate proceedings before it including punishing contempt.Expanded Legal Definition of Inherent Jurisdiction
Injunction
A court order that prohibits a party from doing something (restrictive injunction) or compels them to do something (mandatory injunction). Expanded Legal Definition of Injunction
In Limine
Latin: at the beginning or on the threshold.Expanded Legal Definition of In Limine
In Loco Parentis
A person who, though not the natural parent, has acted as a parent to a child and may thus be liable to legal obligations as if he/she were a natural parent.Expanded Legal Definition of In Loco Parentis
Innocent Passage
A term of international law referring to a ship or aircraft's right to enter and pass through another's territory so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the other state.Expanded Legal Definition of Innocent Passage
Innuendo
In defamation, the inferential, inherent or secondary meaning of words.Expanded Legal Definition of Innuendo
In Pari Delicto
Latin: both parties are equally at fault.Expanded Legal Definition of In Pari Delicto
In Personam
Regarding a person; a right, action, judgment or entitlement that is attached to a specific person(s).Expanded Legal Definition of In Personam
In Rem
Regarding a thing; proprietary in nature; a right or judgment related to the use or ownership of an item of property.Expanded Legal Definition of In Rem
Insanity
Disorder which impairs the human mind and prevents distinguishing between actions that are right or wrong.Expanded Legal Definition of Insanity
Inscrutable Fault
A judicial finding that a fault has occurred but the court is unable to locate the source, to pinpoint a tort-feasor.Expanded Legal Definition of Inscrutable Fault
Insider Trading
Participation by corporate officers, directors or employees in the trade of a stock based on confidential or privileged corporate information, knowing that information to be confidential, and seeking thereby to acquire profits or avoid losses on the stock market.Expanded Legal Definition of Insider Trading
Insolence
Insulting a supervisor at the workplace or during the tenure of an employment contract.Expanded Legal Definition of Insolence
Insolvent
A person not able to pay his or her debts as they become due.Expanded Legal Definition of Insolvent
Insubordination
Willful failure to obey a supervisor's lawful orders.Expanded Legal Definition of Insubordination
Insurance
Where a persons agrees, for consideration, to pay a certain amount on the occurrence of a specified event.Expanded Legal Definition of Insurance
Intellectual Property
As a type of property, intellectual property has that unique characteristic of being ethereal; of the mind, intangible, with no corporeal existence; hence, 'intellectual property'.Expanded Legal Definition of Intellectual Property
Intentional Tort
Torts actionable upon evidence of an intent to cause harm on another, such as assault, trespass, false imprisonment, private nuisance, defamation or invasion of privacy.Expanded Legal Definition of Intentional Tort
Inter Alia
Latin: 'among other things', 'for example' or 'including'.Expanded Legal Definition of Inter Alia
Interim Order
A temporary court order; intended to be of limited duration, usually just until the court has had an opportunity of hearing the full case and make a final order.Expanded Legal Definition of Interim Order
Interlineation
An addition of something to a document after it has been signed. Such additions are ignored unless they are initialed by the signatories and, if applicable, witnesses (eg. wills).Expanded Legal Definition of Interlineation
Interlocutory
Housekeeping, procedural proceedings taken during the course of, and incidental to a trial.Expanded Legal Definition of Interlocutory
Interlocutory Injunction
A temporary injunction; which lasts only until the end of the trial during which the injunction was sought.Expanded Legal Definition of Interlocutory Injunction
Interloper
A person who, without legal right, runs a business (eg. without mandatory licenses), or who wrongfully interferes or intercepts another's business.Expanded Legal Definition of Interloper
International Commercial Arbitration
A commercial dispute subject to arbitration and in which a significant international elements exists such as, for example, the head offices of the disputants are different countries or the performance of the underlying contract is in a foreign state.Expanded Legal Definition of International Commercial Arbitration
International Convention on Salvage, 1989
An international treaty which standardizes, for signatories, the rules related to salvage and the compensation thereof.Expanded Legal Definition of International Convention on Salvage, 1989
International Law
A combination of treaties and customs which regulates the conduct of states amongst themselves, and persons who trade or have legal relationships which involve the jurisdiction of more than one state.Expanded Legal Definition of International Law
Internet
A global computer network through which the almost-instant delivery of data or files occurs between connected computers.Expanded Legal Definition of Internet
In Terrorem
Latin: in terror, fright, threat or warning.Expanded Legal Definition of In Terrorem
Inter Partes
Latin: between parties. Expanded Legal Definition of Inter Partes
Inter Se
Latin: as between or amongst themselves.Expanded Legal Definition of Inter Se
Inter Vivos
Latin: from one living person to another living person.Expanded Legal Definition of Inter Vivos
Intestate
Dying without a will. Expanded Legal Definition of Intestate
Intuitu Personae
Latin: Because of the person.Expanded Legal Definition of Intuitu Personae
Inure
To take effect, to result; to come into operation.Expanded Legal Definition of Inure
Invitation to Treat
An invitation to another person to make an offer to contract.Expanded Legal Definition of Invitation to Treat
Invitee
A person invited, implicitly or explicitly, upon the real property of another.Expanded Legal Definition of Invitee
Invitor
Relevant to occupiers' liability; a person who, implicitly or explicitly, invites another to a place.Expanded Legal Definition of Invitor
IOU
Acronym for I owe you; a written acknowledgment of a debt.Expanded Legal Definition of IOU
Islamic Law
The law according to the Muslim faith and as interpreted from the Koran. Expanded Legal Definition of Islamic Law
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Unless otherwise noted, this article was written by Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. In addition, the law changes rapidly and sometimes with little notice so from time to time, an article may not be up to date. Therefore, this is merely legal information designed to educate the reader. If you have a real situation, this information will serve as a good springboard to get legal advice from a lawyer.

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