Legal Terms: I

A form filed by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident to establish a qualifying family relationship with a foreign national seeking an immigrant visa.

An employer-filed petition to classify a foreign worker as eligible for an employment-based immigrant visa.

A statement that appears to be a promise but actually commits the promisor to nothing, making any resulting contract unenforceable.

A visa issued to a foreign national intending to live permanently in the United States, based on an approved petition by a family member or employer.

A bond posted to secure the release of a detained foreign national from immigration custody, with the amount set by an immigration judge or ICE.

A judge within the Executive Office for Immigration Review who presides over removal proceedings and decides whether a foreign national may remain in the United States.

A form of relief that forgives certain grounds of inadmissibility, such as unlawful presence or fraud, allowing an otherwise ineligible foreign national to obtain a visa or green card.

Protection from legal liability or prosecution granted by law. Types include sovereign immunity (government), diplomatic immunity, and witness immunity.

To select and seat a jury for a trial.

The process of formally accusing a public official of misconduct. In evidence law, the process of attacking a witness's credibility.

Consent inferred from a person's actions or circumstances rather than explicit agreement. In DUI law, driving implies consent to breathalyzer testing.

Latin for 'in chambers.' A legal proceeding or review conducted privately by a judge, typically to review sensitive evidence.

Latin for 'in the manner of a pauper.' A status allowing a person who cannot afford court fees to proceed without paying them.

Latin for 'in the place of a parent.' Refers to a person or institution acting in a parental capacity.

A legal action directed against property rather than against a specific person.

Grounds under the Immigration and Nationality Act that make a foreign national ineligible for admission to the United States, including criminal convictions, health issues, and prior immigration violations.

Rights that cannot be surrendered, sold, or transferred to another person, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The confinement of a person in a jail or prison as punishment for a crime or while awaiting trial.

Incomplete or not fully formed. An inchoate crime is one that has been begun but not completed, such as attempt or conspiracy.

A claim or liability that is attached to property, potentially diminishing its value. Alternative spelling of encumbrance.

A contractual obligation of one party to compensate another for losses or damages. Common in business contracts and insurance policies.

A worker who provides services to another entity under terms specified in a contract, maintaining control over how the work is performed and not classified as an employee.

A federal law governing the removal and placement of Native American children in foster or adoptive homes, requiring preference for placement with extended family or tribal members.

A 1968 federal law imposing most of the protections of the Bill of Rights on tribal governments in their dealings with individuals.

The provision of the U.S. Constitution granting Congress the power to regulate commerce with Indian tribes, forming a basis for federal Indian law.

A legal term defined by federal statute encompassing all land within the limits of any Indian reservation, dependent Indian communities, and Indian allotments.

A federal law establishing the framework for the operation and regulation of gaming on Indian lands, requiring tribal-state compacts for Class III gaming.

A 1934 federal law reversing the allotment policy, encouraging tribal self-governance, and providing for the establishment of tribal constitutions and corporate charters.

A formal written accusation issued by a grand jury charging a person with a crime, based on a finding of probable cause.

The legal and ethical requirement that healthcare providers disclose the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a proposed treatment and obtain the patient's voluntary agreement before proceeding.

A minor violation of a law or rule, less serious than a misdemeanor, typically punishable only by a fine.

The unauthorized use of a protected intellectual property right, such as a patent, copyright, or trademark.

The process of comparing an accused product or process to the claims of a patent to determine whether the patent's rights have been violated.

A legal assertion by an IP owner that another party has violated their exclusive rights under patent, copyright, or trademark law.

Property or assets received from a deceased person through a will or intestate succession.

The first sale of a company's stock to the public, transitioning the company from private to public ownership.

A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing a specific act. Types include temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and permanent injunctions.

A court order directing the infringer to stop making, using, or selling the patented invention, granted based on a four-factor equitable test.

A provision allowing a spouse to be relieved of joint tax liability when the other spouse improperly reported or omitted income on a joint return without the innocent spouse's knowledge.

The buying or selling of a publicly traded security by someone who possesses material nonpublic information about that security.

The condition of being unable to pay debts as they become due. A prerequisite for many bankruptcy filings.

A financial condition where a person's or entity's liabilities exceed the fair market value of their assets, or where they are unable to pay debts as they come due.

An arrangement with the IRS allowing a taxpayer to pay their tax liability over time through regular monthly payments.

Legal rights protecting creations of the mind, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.

The state of mind accompanying an act. In criminal law, intent (mens rea) is a key element in determining culpability.

A post-grant proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to challenge the validity of a patent based on prior art consisting of patents or printed publications.

A temporary or provisional court order that is not a final judgment, such as a preliminary injunction.

A set of written questions sent by one party to another during the discovery phase of litigation, which must be answered under oath.

Commercial activity that crosses state borders, which Congress has the power to regulate under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.

Dying without a valid will. The deceased person's property is distributed according to state intestacy laws.

The unintentional killing of a person through criminal negligence or during the commission of a non-felony crime.

A bankruptcy case filed against a debtor by creditors, forcing the debtor into bankruptcy if the creditors can show the debtor is generally not paying debts as they come due.

Specific expenses that individual taxpayers can deduct from adjusted gross income instead of taking the standard deduction, including mortgage interest, state taxes, and charitable contributions.