Legal Terms Starting with K
The letter K appears in fewer English words than most other letters, and that scarcity carries over to legal vocabulary. Even so, several K-words show up regularly in criminal law (kidnapping, knowingly), evidence (knowledge), business law (key person insurance), and constitutional procedure. Below are the most commonly encountered.
Kickback
Illegal payment or compensation received in return for facilitating a transaction, contract, or favorable treatment.
Criminal LawKidnapping
The unlawful seizure and detention of a person against their will through force, fraud, or threat.
Criminal LawKin
Blood relatives or family members related by birth, marriage, or adoption, important in inheritance and custody matters.
Family LawKnowingly
A mental state in criminal law where a person is aware their conduct will cause a particular result.
Criminal LawKnowledge
Awareness or understanding of facts or circumstances, often relevant in determining liability or culpability.
General Legal TermsKangaroo Court
A sham legal proceeding that ignores recognized standards of law or justice, conducted to reach a predetermined outcome.
Court ProcedureKey Person Insurance
Life insurance policy taken by a business on essential employees to protect against financial loss from their death or disability.
Business LawKiting
A fraudulent scheme involving writing checks from accounts with insufficient funds, exploiting bank float time.
Criminal LawKnock-and-Announce Rule
The general Fourth Amendment requirement that police announce their presence and purpose before entering a residence to execute a warrant, subject to recognised exceptions.
Criminal ProcedureKnown Creditor
In bankruptcy, a creditor whose identity and claim are known or reasonably ascertainable from the debtor's records, and who is therefore entitled to direct notice of the case.
Bankruptcy LawKey Money
An up-front payment a tenant makes to obtain a lease, separate from rent and security deposit. Treatment varies by state; some jurisdictions restrict or prohibit it in residential rentals.
Real EstateKelo Case
Shorthand for the Supreme Court's 2005 eminent-domain decision in Kelo v. City of New London, which held that economic development can qualify as a "public use" under the Fifth Amendment. Many states tightened their own takings laws in response.
Property LawKinship Care
An arrangement in which a relative — most often a grandparent — assumes care of a child whose parents are temporarily or permanently unable to do so. May be informal or formalised through a guardianship or kinship-foster placement.
Family LawKompetenz-Kompetenz
A doctrine in arbitration law holding that an arbitrator has the authority to rule on their own jurisdiction, including challenges to the existence or validity of the arbitration agreement.
Dispute Resolution