De facto segregation was a term used during the 1960s racial integration efforts in schools, to describe a situation in which legislation did not overtly segregate students by race, but nevertheless school segregation continued. In Balsbaugh v. Rowland, 447 Pa.
De minimis is something that is very trifling or of little importance. Usually refers to something so small, whether in dollar terms, importance, or severity, that the law will not consider it. For example, the de minimis fringe benefit rule in tax law allows the exclusion of tax on de minimis fringe benefits.
A dead man's statute states that in a civil action, a party with an interest in the litigation may not testify against a dead party about communications with the dead party. In Larkin v. Metz, 398 Pa.Super.
Deadly force refers to force which is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The term “deadly force” is frequently seen in the field of criminal law and is a key issue for certain convictions or defenses.
A deadly weapon is an object, instrument, substance, or device which is intended to be used in a way that is likely to cause death, or with which death can be easily and readily produced.
The death penalty is the state-sanctioned punishment of executing an individual for a specific crime.
Debtor-creditor law governs situations where one party, known as the debtor, is unable to pay a monetary debt to another, known as the creditor. Debtor-creditor law typically plays out through bankruptcy proceedings.
Decedent is a term that is generally used in the law governing estates and trusts, in reference to a person who has died. Decedents have rights that continue after their death and the authority to take certain actions/make certain decisions through third-party representatives. The assets of a decedent are known as the decedent’s estate.
In the legal context, a decision is a judicial determination of parties’ rights and obligations reached by a court based on facts and law. A decision can mean either the act of delivering a court’s order or the text of the court’s opinion on the case and the accompanying court order.
A declaration is an official statement, or proclamation, such as an affidavit. If the person making the declaration (called the declarant) lies in it, the declarant may be guilty of perjury.
[Last reviewed in September of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
