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In contracts. A release, absolution, or discharge from an obligation, liability, or engagement. In criminal practice. The legal and formal certification of the innocence of a person who has been charged with crime; a deliverance or setting free a person from a charge of guilt In a narrow sense, it is the absolution of a party accused on a trial before a traverse jury. Thomas v. … [Read more...] about ACQUITTAL

Legal maxim and Latin for outward acts indicate the intent hidden from within. You are presumed to intend that natural consequences of your actions, e.g. if you fire a gun directly into a crowd of people you intend to harm, injure or kill someone. Overt acts make known latent thoughts, or Acts indicate the intention. Where an authority given by law is abused, the person becomes … [Read more...] about ACTA EXTERIORA IUDICANT INTERIORA SECRETA

A trust instrument where trust income accumulates and is not paid to beneficiaries until specified conditions have been met. By way of example, a grandfather creates an accumulation trust for a grandson where the grandson will only receive the proceeds of the trust upon receiving a college degree. The grandson is the beneficiary of an accumulation trust. … [Read more...] about ACCUMULATION TRUST

The father of a child on the record, also responsible for child support. The biological father of a child who is born to an unmarried couple and is established as the father either by admission or per agreement with the child's mother. … [Read more...] about ACKNOWLEDGED FATHER

In contracts. A written discharge, whereby one is freed from an obligation to pay money or perform a duty. It differs from a release in not requiring to be under seal. This word, though perhaps not strictly speaking synonymous with "receipt," includes it. A receipt is one form of an acquittance; a discharge is another. A receipt in full is an acquittance, and a receipt for a … [Read more...] about ACQUITTANCE