Law Library Legal Dictionary – P (Page 3)

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Legal Definitions – P (Page 3)

Polygamy – The act of more than two people entering into a marriage.

Ponzi Scheme – A fraudulent money-making operation in which the person behind the fraud advertises that he or she can give extraordinarily high returns on an investment in a short time period.

Pooled Trust – A type of trust arrangement in which multiple persons or parties "pool" together their resources into an umbrella trust account.

Poor Man’s Copyright – A myth that one may obtain copyright protection for one’s work by placing it in an envelope and mailing it to oneself.

Popcorn Lung Disease – Bronchiolitis obliterans that has been contracted by exposure to diacetyl, which is a chemical used in artificial butter flavoring.

Port of Entry (POE) – A specific place where a person can lawfully enter a country, such as an international airport, a railway, a ship dock, and board-crossing stations on highways.

Possessing an Instrument of Crime – The illegal possession of anything specially made or adapted for criminal use, or an object that is commonly used for criminal purposes.

Possession and Use of Fireworks – The illegal possession and illegal use of explosives used for enjoyment and pleasure with the exception of things like toy pistols, sparklers, and torches.

Possession of Burglary Tools – The illegal possession of any tools or devices that are used to assist a person in committing burglary with the intent to use them in committing burglary.

Possession of Paraphernalia – The illegal possession of any instrument that is used in the manufacturing, production, distribution, sale, or consumption of drugs.

Post-Conviction Criminal Proceedings – Court proceedings that allow a criminal defendant to challenge the outcome of a conviction or judgment that has otherwise become final.

Post-Divorce Legal Issues – Legal issues that parties may still have to deal with after a divorce is finalized, such as any unresolved property issues or spousal support modifications.

Post-Sale Warnings and Recalls – Warnings that are issued by manufacturers of products and are meant to warn consumers of any manufacturing or design defects associated with their products.

Post-Delivery Injury – An injury that either a mother or a newborn sustains due to complications resulting from the birth.

Postdated Check – A check with a date in the future written on it, so that the check cannot be cashed until the date that is written on the check. Such a check is not payable on demand.

Postnuptial Agreement – A contract between spouses and entered into during marriage. It often contains provisions on how to divide property and income in the event of separation, divorce or death.

Pour-Over Will – A type of testamentary legal instrument that "pours over" property from a will into an already existing trust.

Power of Attorney – A document in which the maker (known as the "principal") gives authority to an "attorney-in-fact" to act on the principal’s behalf.

Power of Attorney Scams – A scam in which a person takes advantage of another by having them sign a financial power of attorney, which grants them authority to access the other’s bank accounts and assets. Once the person has access to the other’s accounts, they will then complete the scam by taking the account monies and properties for their own use.

Pre and Post-Adoption Rights of Biological Parents – The parental rights that biological parents possess in relation to their child before and after their child is adopted, including the right to consent to an adoption and the right to revoke that consent.

Pre-Foreclosure – A property status in which the property owner is informed that the property may soon be repossessed.

Pre-Hiring Drug Testing – Drug testing that an employer requires of a potential employee before the employee is officially hired.

Pre-Trial Motion – A motion that is filed with the court before the trial commences.

Pre-Trial Stages of a Criminal Case – The stages of a criminal case that take place before the trial commences, such as the initial arrest, the arraignment, and the plea bargain.

Pre-Bankruptcy Planning – Planning engaged in by a debtor to ensure that as many of his assets as possible are legally protected.

Predatory Mortgage Lending – A scam where a lender persuades a borrower to agree to a mortgage with unfair terms such as high fees, high interests rates, and/or provisions that strip the borrower of equity. When the borrower invariably defaults on the loan, the lender seizes the property.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act – Federal law that prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against pregnant women as customers.

Pregnant Patient Bill of Rights – The rights of a pregnant patient that are used to identify an appropriate level of medical care and delineate what a pregnant patient should expect from medical staff.

Preliminary Hearing – A legal proceeding used in some states where the judge determines whether there is probable cause that the defendant has committed the crime charged.

Premises Liability – The liability faced by those in control of property in light of their responsibility for the safety of others that are on their property.

Prenuptial Agreement – A contract entered into before marriage where a couple specifies how they will divide their property, debts, income and expenses should the marriage dissolve.

Presumed Father – A person who is recognized under law to be the legal father of a child. The person becomes the child’s legal father by operation of law, based on their conduct and the circumstances surrounding their relationship with the child.

Presumed Speed Limits – A speed limit that takes into account the conditions of the road at the time the person was ticketed.

Pretexting Crime – A crime in which the thief has done some research on their victim and uses that information to get the person to release even more information. For instance, the thief may use information about the person’s family, schedules, or daily habits to get the person to release their credit card number, driver’s license number, or social security number.

Pretrial Conference – A preliminary meeting between the parties, their lawyers, and the judge or magistrate to allow the parties to discuss issues and reach various conclusions prior to the start of the trial.

Pretrial Diversion Programs – An alternative to jail that is available to criminal defendants in many countries. It is meant to both encourage behavioral change through counseling within the community and to make judicial resources available for more serious crimes.

Price-Fixing – An illegal activity in most states that occurs when a vendor conspires with a competitor to set a price and maintain it within a specific market.

Principal Agency Laws – Laws that govern situations where one party authorizes another to perform tasks on their behalf.

Principal Place of Business – The place where a corporation’s officers direct, control, and coordinate business activities.

Prisoner Rights ViolationsCivil rights abuses committed against prisoners while they are incarcerated.

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Last Modified: 03-1-2017 02:38 AM UTC