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W

Definitions for legal terms and law concepts beginning with W
Wagner Act
A 1935 American federal statute which recognized employee rights to collective bargaining, protected the right to belong to a union, prohibited many anti-union tactics then used by employers, and set up the National Labor Relations Board. - (see definition)
Waiver
When a person disclaims or renounces to a right that they may have otherwise had. - (see definition)
Want of Prosecution
An application to a judge to dismiss a law suit alleging that the litigant has inexcusably delayed moving the litigation along and that under the circumstances, the litigation ought to be dismissed. - (see definition)
War crimes
Excessive brutality during war, in contravention of an international treaty or convention. - (see definition)
Warranty
A guarantee given on the performance of a product or the doing of a certain thing. - (see definition)
Waste
The abuse, destruction or permanent change to property by one who is merely in possesion of it as in the case of a tenant or a life tenant. - (see definition)
Waterboarding
A criminal investigation interrogation technique whereby a person suspected of having or withholding relevant information is blindfolded and bound on their back, sometimes with the fact covered with porous or nonporous material, and subjected to water poured over their mouth and nose such as to simulate drowning and to thus, under duress, elicit information. - (see definition)
Wedlock
Being married. - (see definition)
Wild Horse Annie Act
A 1959 American law that sought to restrict the use of motorized vehicles by cowboys rounding-up wild horses on public land. - (see definition)
Will
A written and signed statement, made by an individual, which provides for the disposition of their property when they die. - (see definition)
Wire-tapping
An electronic surveillance device which secretly listens in and records conversations held over a phone line. - (see definition)
Witchcraft
According to law books of the Middle Ages, the act of invoking evil spirits or consulting, covenanting with, entertaining, employing, feeding, or rewarding any evil spirit. - (see definition)
Without prejudice
A statement set onto a written document such as a letter, which qualifies the signatory as exempt from the content to the extent that it may be interpreted as containing admissions or other interpretations which could later be used against him or her; or as otherwise affecting any legal rights of the agent of or the person signing. - (see definition)
Witness
The regular definition of this word is a person who perceives an event (by seeing, hearing, smelling or other sensory perception). - (see definition)
Words of limitation
Words in a conveyance or in a will which set the duration of an estate. - (see definition)
Words of purchase
Words which specifically name the person to whom land is being conveyed. - (see definition)
Writ
An official court document, signed by a judge or bearing an official court seal, which commands the person to whom it is addressed, to do something specific. - (see definition)
Wrongful death
An American tort law action which claims damages from any person who, through negligence or direct act or omission, caused the death of certain relatives (eg. spouse, children or parent). - (see definition)
Wrongful dismissal
Being fired from a job without an adequate reason or without any reason whatsoever. - (see definition)

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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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