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W
Legal definitions for terms and concepts beginning with W

Wager of Law
An ancient English law defence to a claim of contractual debt.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wager of Law
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wagner Act
Waiver
An intentional relinquishment or abandonment of a known right or privilege.
Expanded Legal Definition of Waiver
Waiver By Conduct
The abandonment of a right implied from a person's conduct.
Expanded Legal Definition of Waiver By Conduct
Wallace Damages
Increased damage award in a wrongful dismissal case because of the manner in which the dismissal was handled by the employer.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wallace Damages
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Want of Prosecution
War
The use of violence and force between two or more states to resolve a matter of dispute.
Expanded Legal Definition of War
War Crimes
Excessive brutality during war, in contravention of an international treaty or convention.
Expanded Legal Definition of War Crimes
Warranty
A guarantee given on the performance of a product or the doing of a certain thing.
Expanded Legal Definition of Warranty
Waste
The abuse, destruction or permanent change to property by one who is merely in possession of it as in the case of a tenant or a life tenant.
Expanded Legal Definition of Waste
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Waterboarding
Watered Stock
Shares in a corporation which is stated to be, or issued as fully paid but which in fact, has not been paid for.
Expanded Legal Definition of Watered Stock
Wedlock
Being married.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wedlock
Welsh Mortgage
A unique, now archaic species of common law mortgages where a person collects rents or profits in regards to specified real property, until the loan and any interest, is paid off.
Expanded Legal Definition of Welsh Mortgage
Wergeld
A fine set for injury or death of certain animals or person and upon which, the perpetrator was required to pay to the family of the deceased. Also spelled wergild.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wergeld
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wild Horse Annie Act
Will
A written statement, usually signed, made by an individual, which directs the distribution of their property when they die.
Expanded Legal Definition of Will
Wire-tapping
An electronic surveillance device which secretly listens in and records conversations held over a phone line.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wire-tapping
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Witchcraft
Withdrawal
A cancellation of a statement of defence or counterclaim by a defendant.
Expanded Legal Definition of Withdrawal
Without Prejudice
A reservation made on a statement or an offer that it is not an admission or cannot otherwise be used against the issuing party in future dealings or litigation with any determinative legal effect.
Expanded Legal Definition of Without Prejudice
With Prejudice
A statement or order that is conclusive between the parties as to the dispute between them.
Expanded Legal Definition of With Prejudice
Witness
A person who perceives an event (by seeing, hearing, smelling or other sensory perception).
Expanded Legal Definition of Witness
Women's Court
An in camera court set up to hear cases involving women.
Expanded Legal Definition of Women's Court
Words of Limitation
Words in a conveyance or in a will which set the duration of an estate.
Expanded Legal Definition of Words of Limitation
Words of Purchase
Words which specifically name the person to whom land is being conveyed.
Expanded Legal Definition of Words of Purchase
Wreck
An abandoned vessel, or something abandoned off a vessel, which is either afloat, stranded, aground or sunken.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wreck
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.
Expanded Legal Definition of Writ
Wrongful Death
A 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).
Expanded Legal Definition of Wrongful Death
Wrongful Dismissal
Being fired from a job without an adequate reason or without any reason whatsoever.
Expanded Legal Definition of Wrongful Dismissal

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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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