SCOTCH VERDICT
Scotch verdict.See NOT PROVEN. [Blacks Law 8th]
SCOT AND LOT
scot and lot.Hist. 1.The customary payment of a share of taxes based on one’s ability. 2. A municipal tax on the right to vote. [Blacks…
SCOTAL
scotal (skot-<<schwa>>l).Hist. An extortionary practice by which forest officers forced people to patronize the officers’ alehouses, often in exchange for the officers’ ignoring forest offenses.…
SCOT
scot.Hist. A payment; esp., a customary tax. soul scot.Hist. Eccles. law. See MORTUARY(3). — Also written soul shot. [Blacks Law 8th]
SCORCHED-EARTH DEFENSE
scorched-earth defense.Corporations. An antitakeover tactic by which a target corporation sells its most valuable assets or divisions in order to reduce its value after acquisition…
SCOPE-OF-WORK CLAUSE
scope-of-work clause.A contractual provision that highlights in summary fashion what work is to be performed under the contract. [Blacks Law 8th] [Blacks Law 8th]
SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT
scope of employment.The range of reasonable and foreseeable activities that an employee engages in while carrying out the employer’s business; the field of action in…
SCOPE OF BUSINESS
scope of business.The range of activities that are reasonably necessary to operate a commercial venture successfully, as determined by the nature of the venture and…
SCOPE OF AUTHORITY
scope of authority.Agency. The range of reasonable power that an agent has been delegated or might foreseeably be delegated in carrying out the principal’s business.…
SCOPE OF A PATENT
scope of a patent.Patents. The limits of a patent’s protection, as defined by the allowed claims. [Cases: Patents 165. C.J.S. Patents §§ 283, 287, 290,…
SCOPE NOTE
scope note.In a digest, a précis appearing after a title and showing concisely what subject matter is included and what is excluded. “In the Century…
SCOLD
scold,n. Hist. A person who regularly breaks the peace by scolding people, increasing discord, and generally being a public nuisance to the neighborhood. • This…
SCOFFLAW
scofflaw (skof-law). A person who treats the law with contempt; esp., one who avoids various laws that are not easily enforced <some scofflaws carry mannequins…
SCINTILLA JURIS
scintilla juris (sin-til-<<schwa>> joor-is). [Law Latin “a spark of right”] Hist. A fragment of law or right. • This refers to a figurative expression in…
SCITE
scite (sIt). [fr. Latin situs] Archaic. 1. A location; a site. 2. The site of a capital messuage. 3. A municipal ordinance. — Also termed…
SCIRE FIERI INQUIRY
scire fieri inquiry (sI-ree fI-<<schwa>>-rI), n.[Law Latin] Hist. A writ to ascertain the location of a testator’s property from an executor, when the sheriff returned…
SCIRE FECI
scire feci (sI-ree fee-sI). [Latin “I have caused to know”] Hist. The sheriff’s return to a writ of scire facias, indicating that notice was given…
SCIRE FACIAS
scire facias (sI-ree fay-shee-<<schwa>>s). [Law Latin “you are to make known, show cause”] A writ requiring the person against whom it is issued to appear…
SCINTILLA-OF-EVIDENCE RULE
scintilla-of-evidence rule.A common-law doctrine holding that if even the slightest amount of relevant evidence exists on an issue, then a motion for summary judgment or…
SCINTILLA
scintilla (sin-til-<<schwa>>). A spark or trace <the standard is that there must be more than a scintilla of evidence>. Pl. scintillas (sin-til-<<schwa>>z). [Cases: Evidence 597;…
SCILICET
scilicet (sil-<<schwa>>-set or -sit). [fr. Latin scire licet “that you may know”] That is to say; namely; VIDELICET. • Like videlicet, this word is used…
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
scientific method.An analytical technique by which a hypothesis is formulated and then systematically tested through observation and experimentation. [Cases: Criminal Law 388.1; Evidence 555. C.J.S.…
SCIENTER ACTION
scienter action.A lawsuit in which the plaintiff must prove that the defendant acted knowingly or knew of the danger — e.g., at common law an…
SCIENTER
scienter (sI-en-t<<schwa>>r or see-), n.[Latin “knowingly”] 1. A degree of knowledge that makes a person legally responsible for the consequences of his or her act…
SCIENS ET PRUDENS
sciens et prudens (sI-enz et proo-denz). [Latin] Hist. In full knowledge and understanding. [Blacks Law 8th]
SCIENDUM EST
sciendum est (sI-en-d<<schwa>>m est). [Latin] Roman law. It is to be known or understood. • This phrase often introduced a particular topic or explanation. [Blacks…
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE
Science and Technology Directorate.The division of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for coordinating research and development, including preparing for and responding to terrorist threats…
SCHOOL DISTRICT
school district.A political subdivision of a state, created by the legislature and invested with local powers of self-government, to build, maintain, fund, and support the…
SCHOOL BOARD
school board.An administrative body, made up of a number of directors or trustees, responsible for overseeing public schools within a city, county, or district. Cf.…
SCHOOL DISTRICT.
private school.A school maintained by private individuals, religious organizations, or corporations, funded, at least in part, by fees or tuition, and open only to pupils…
SCHOOL
school,n.1. An institution of learning and education, esp. for children. [Cases: Schools 11. C.J.S. Schools and School Districts §§ 4, 74, 76, 396–398.] “Although the…
SCHISM
schism (siz-<<schwa>>m orskiz-<<schwa>>m).1. A breach or rupture; a division, esp. among members of a group, as of a union. 2. A separation of beliefs and…
SCHEME
scheme. 1. A systemic plan; a connected or orderly arrangement, esp. of related concepts <legislative scheme>.2. An artful plot or plan, usu. to deceive others…
SCHEDULE
schedule,n. A written list or inventory; esp., a statement that is attached to a document and that gives a detailed showing of the matters referred…
SCÈNES À FAIRE
scènes à faire (sen ah fair). [French “scenes for action”] Copyright. Standard or general themes that are common to a wide variety of works and…
SCATTER-POINT ANALYSIS
scatter-point analysis.A method for studying the effect that minority-population changes have on voting patterns, involving a plotting of the percentage of votes that candidates receive…
SCARLET-LETTER PUNISHMENT
scarlet-letter punishment.See shame sanction under SANCTION. [Blacks Law 8th]
SCANDALUM MAGNATUM
scandalum magnatum (skan-d<<schwa>>-l<<schwa>>m mag-nay-t<<schwa>>m). [Law Latin] Hist. Actionable slander of powerful people; specif., defamatory comments regarding persons of high rank, such as peers, judges, or…
SCANDALOUS SUBJECT MATTER
scandalous subject matter.Trademarks. A word, phrase, symbol, or graphic depiction that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office may refuse to register because it is shockingly…
SCANDALOUS MATTER
scandalous matter.Civil procedure. A matter that is both grossly disgraceful (or defamatory) and irrelevant to the action or defense. • A federal court — upon…
SCANDAL
scandal. 1. Disgraceful, shameful, or degrading acts or conduct. 2. Defamatory reports or rumors; esp., slander. See SCANDALOUS MATTER. “Scandal consists in the allegation of…
SCALPING
scalping,n.1. The practice of selling something (esp. a ticket) at a price above face value once it becomes scarce (usu. just before a high-demand event…
SCALPER
scalper. 1. A seller who buys something (esp. a ticket) at face value (or less) and then tries to resell it for a higher price.…
SCALING LAW
scaling law.Hist. A statute establishing a process for adjusting value differences between depreciated paper money and specie. • Statutes of this type were necessary when…
SCALE TOLERANCE
scale tolerance.The nominal variation of the mass or weight of the same goods on different scales. [Blacks Law 8th]