Legal Definitions - ban

The term "ban" refers to a formal or official prohibition, often established by law, rule, or authority, preventing something from being done, used, or allowed. As a verb, to "ban" means to formally or officially prohibit something, making it illegal or disallowed by an authority.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of "ban":

• Example 1 (Environmental Regulation): A state legislature passed a law to ban the disposal of electronic waste in landfills, requiring instead that it be recycled through specialized facilities.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the legislature, acting as a legal authority, formally prohibited a specific action (disposing of e-waste in landfills), making it unlawful. This demonstrates "ban" used as a verb.

• Example 2 (Public Health Policy): Due to concerns about public health, a local government implemented a ban on smoking within 25 feet of all public building entrances.

  Explanation: Here, "ban" is used as a noun, referring to the official prohibition itself – the rule that prevents people from smoking too close to public entrances. This restriction was put in place by a governmental authority.

• Example 3 (Product Safety): After discovering a critical design flaw, a national consumer safety agency issued a ban on the sale and distribution of a particular model of electric scooter.

  Explanation: This example shows a regulatory body imposing a formal prohibition (the ban) on a product to protect consumers. The ban prevents the product from being sold or distributed, illustrating the term as a noun.

Separately, the phrase Banns of Matrimony (sometimes spelled "banns") refers to a public announcement, traditionally made in a church, stating an intention to marry. The purpose of these announcements is to allow anyone who knows of a legal impediment or reason why the couple should not marry (such as one party already being married) to come forward before the wedding takes place.