legal education and practice

Battery is the intentional infliction of harmful or offensive physical contact with another person without consent. It is both an intentional tort and a crime. 

• assault
• battery
• tort law
• tort liability
• criminal law

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) was enacted by the 107th Congress, 2nd Session, and signed into law by President Bush on March 27, 2002 to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (now located at Title 52, Subtitle III of the U.S.

• regulation

Bearer paper is a negotiable instrument, document of title, or proof of security that is payable to whoever possesses it.

Begging the question is a logical fallacy in which an argument’s premises assume the truth of the conclusion. Arguments that beg the question work to obscure the actual points in controversy and can be looked at as a form of circular reasoning. 

• logic

Bench refers to the seat where the judge sits in the courtroom, and the term is used to refer to the judge. It can be used to describe all the judges of a particular court, such as the second circuit bench, or “full bench”, which refers to all the judges of a court.

Bench trial refers to the type of trial that does not involve a jury but is conducted by the judge alone, in which the judge both decides the facts of the case and applies the law.

A beneficiary is an individual or entity designated to receive benefits.

Bequest is a gift of personal property made through a will. Traditionally, bequests have been used for the giving of personal property, while devises have been used for the giving of real property.

The best evidence rule applies when a party wants to admit the contents of a writing, recording, or photograph at a trial, but that the original is not available.

The best interests of the child is a court doctrine used in custody proceedings when two parents are contesting custody of the child.

• family law