Legal Definitions - cognizable

Cognizable refers to something that is capable of being known, recognized, or legally acted upon. It has several specific applications in law:

• 1. Capable of being known or recognized: This means an issue, injury, or claim is sufficiently clear, real, or significant to be acknowledged or acted upon, especially in a legal context.

  • Example: A small business owner discovers that a former employee stole proprietary customer data and used it to start a competing company, resulting in a measurable loss of revenue for the original business.

    Explanation: The financial harm suffered by the business owner is a cognizable injury because it is a real, quantifiable loss that a court can acknowledge and potentially provide a remedy for.

• 2. Capable of being identified as a group: This refers to a group of people who share a distinct characteristic or interest, making them identifiable as a specific unit for legal purposes, such as in jury selection or class action lawsuits.

  • Example: All residents of a particular apartment complex who were exposed to toxic mold due to landlord negligence.

    Explanation: These residents form a cognizable group because they share the common characteristic of living in the same affected complex and suffering similar harm from the mold, allowing them to potentially join together in a class action lawsuit.

• 3. Capable of being judicially tried or examined: This means a specific court or legal body has the authority or jurisdiction to hear and decide a particular type of case or claim.

  • Example: A dispute over the terms of a multi-million dollar international trade agreement is filed in a local small claims court.

    Explanation: This complex international trade dispute would likely not be cognizable in a small claims court, as that court typically has limited jurisdiction over minor financial disputes and lacks the legal authority and expertise to handle such a large and specialized case.