wex definitions

Definition

A witness whose testimony is clearly biased in favor of the party for whom he or she is testifying. 

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. Mayes v. Gibson, 2010 F.3d 1284, 1291 (10th Cir. 2000).

See also

• Witness

Definition

A printout that shows that no votes have been cast on a voting machine prior to a poll's opening.

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. NAACP of Pennsylvania v. Cortes, 591 F.Supp.2d 757, 761 (E.D.Pa. 2008).

See also

• Poll

• Voting Rights Act

• Voter bill of rights

Definition

An agreement between an employer and employee in which the employee agrees not to join or remain a member of a labor or employer organization. Yellow dog contracts are generally illegal. 

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. Lincoln Federal Labor Union No. 19129 v. Northwestern Iron & Metal Co., 335 U.S. 525 (1949).

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of 36 participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Definition

1) In business law, the relationship between companies in a distribution chain. For example, a manufacturer and a distributor are in vertical privity. Those in vertical privity are jointly liable for product defects in the vertical chain.

2) The relationship between a party to a restrictive covenant and a person who later acquires the property burdened by the covenant from the party. The purchaser is bound by the covenant if he or she had sufficient notice of it at the time of purchase.

Definition

Persons who form a venire; prospective jurors.

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. Skilling v. United States, 130 S.Ct. 2896 (2010) (Sotomayor, J., dissenting in part).

See also

Definition

An annuity — periodic payments to a recipient — that varies in amount based on the performance of the underlying investments.

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. NationsBank of North Carolina, N.A. v. Variable Annuity Life Ins. Co., 513 U.S. 251 (1995).

See also

• Fixed annuity

• Pension

Definition

A form of whole life insurance that accumulates cash value on a tax-deferred basis. Variable life insurance operates similarly to a mutual fund because the insured pays premiums that go into a separate investment account owned by the insured.

Definition

A benefit conferred or a detriment incurred by a party in exchange for another's promise. Valuable consideration may be non-monetary as long as it is of some value to one or both parties. Also called good and valuable consideration and legal consideration.

Illustrative caselaw

See, e.g. Digital Equipment Corp. v. Desktop Direct, Inc., 511 U.S. 863 (1994).

See also

• Consideration

• Contract

Definition

An estate that has no heirs, because they either do not exist or have renounced the estate. A vacant estate may escheat back to the state.