Legal Terms Starting with I

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

Immunity

Legal protection from prosecution, lawsuit, or liability, granted by law or agreement in exchange for testimony or cooperation.

Criminal Law

Impeachment

The process of challenging a witness's credibility or charging a public official with misconduct in office.

Evidence Law

Implied Contract

An agreement inferred from conduct or circumstances rather than expressed in words or writing.

Contract Law

Inadmissible Evidence

Evidence that cannot be presented in court due to legal rules, relevance, or constitutional protections.

Evidence Law

Incapacity

Legal inability to make decisions or perform actions due to mental or physical impairment.

Estate Planning

Indemnity

A contractual obligation to compensate another for loss or damage, often used in insurance and business agreements.

Contract Law

Indictment

A formal written accusation by a grand jury charging a person with a serious crime.

Criminal Procedure

Infringement

Violation of another's legal rights, particularly in intellectual property such as patents, copyrights, or trademarks.

Intellectual Property

Inheritance

Property, assets, or rights received from a deceased person's estate through will or intestacy laws.

Estate Planning

Injunction

A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing specific acts to prevent harm or preserve rights.

Civil Procedure

Insanity Defense

A criminal defense claiming the defendant lacked mental capacity to understand wrongfulness or control their conduct.

Criminal Law

Intellectual Property

Creations of the mind protected by law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

Intellectual Property

Intent

The mental state or purpose behind an action, crucial in determining criminal culpability and contract formation.

General Legal Terms

Interrogatories

Written questions submitted to an opposing party during discovery that must be answered under oath.

Civil Procedure

Intestate

Dying without a valid will, resulting in estate distribution according to state intestacy laws.

Estate Planning

Invasion of Privacy

Unauthorized intrusion into an individual's personal life, information, or seclusion causing harm or embarrassment.

Tort Law

Irrevocable Trust

A trust that cannot be modified or terminated by the grantor after creation without beneficiary consent.

Estate Planning

Joint Tenancy

Property ownership by two or more people with equal shares and right of survivorship upon death.

Property Law

Impartial Jury

A constitutional right to a jury free from bias or prejudice who will decide a case based solely on evidence.

Constitutional Law

In Camera

Latin term meaning "in chambers" - a private proceeding or review conducted by a judge outside public view.

Court Procedure