legal education and practice

Willful refers to acts which are intentional, conscious, voluntary, and designed to achieve a particular result. The specific meaning of the term “willful” depends on the context in which it is used.

The writing requirement for wills demands that a will be in written or in physical form to be valid.

• trusts and estates

Wiretapping is the act of recording communications between parties, often without their consent.

When a court dismisses an action, they can either do so “with prejudice” or “without prejudice.” Dismissal with prejudice means that the plaintiff cannot refile the same claim again in that court. 

Without recourse is a phrase meaning that one party has no legal claim against another party. It is often used in two contexts:

In legal proceedings, witnesses can serve as sources of evidence, offering firsthand accounts that can corroborate or refute claims made by parties involved. Their testimony can influence the outcome of a case by providing insights that might otherwise remain concealed.

The witness stand is the location in a courtroom where a witness sits or stands while giving testimony. This is usually a platform to the left and slightly below the judge's seat.  A witness called to testify is said to "take the stand."

[Last reviewed in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

Witnesseth is legal jargon for the term witness. The general meaning is “to take notice of” or “to witness.” With the passing of time, the usage of the term “witnesseth” has declined but it is still used in contracts to make them look more formal.

[Last reviewed in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

A wobbler is a special class of crimes involving conduct that varies widely in its level of seriousness.

Words of art is a reference to terminology with a meaning that is specific to a particular profession, art, science, technology, or other field; or jargon that is only known to those who have a particular occupation.