Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: short lease
Before the fact: This means that something was done or decided before an important event happened. It could be something related to the law or any other situation. For example, if someone plans a robbery and buys weapons before the actual robbery takes place, they are doing it before the fact.
Beg: This means to ask someone for something in a very serious way. It could be asking for help, money, or anything else. In the past, people used to ask to be appointed as a guardian for someone else. This means they would take care of that person's needs and make decisions for them. Nowadays, people usually ask for charity when they need help.
Definition: Before the fact means in advance of an event of legal significance.
Examples:
The examples illustrate that before the fact refers to actions taken before a crime or illegal activity is committed. In both examples, the individuals took actions in advance of the illegal activity, which led to their arrest and prosecution.
Other meanings:
These meanings are not related to the legal definition of before the fact. They refer to different contexts where the term "before the fact" can be used.