Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Common Intendment: The common or natural meaning of words and actions in legal interpretation. It's what people expect when they interact with each other in the legal world. For example, when we vote in an election, we expect our vote to be counted for the candidate we chose. This expectation is part of the common intendment of the election process, even if we don't consciously think about it.
Definition: Common intendment refers to the natural or common meaning in legal interpretation. It is the sense in which the law understands something.
For example, the intendment of a contract is that the contract is legally enforceable. This means that the common understanding of a contract is that it is a legally binding agreement between two or more parties.
Another example is the intendment of a statute. If the text of a statute is clear, there is no need for intendment. However, if there is ambiguity in the text, a decision-maker may infer the true meaning or intention of the statute.
Intendment can also refer to a person's expectations when interacting with others within the legal sphere. For instance, when a person casts their vote in an election, they expect that their ballot will be counted in favor of the candidate they voted for. This expectation is a common intendment of the institution of elections.
Overall, common intendment is the natural or common understanding of legal concepts and expectations within the legal sphere.