Legal Definitions - concurrent

In legal terms, concurrent describes situations where multiple things exist, operate, or have authority simultaneously over the same subject matter.

• Example 1: Concurrent Criminal Sentences

  Imagine a person is convicted of two separate crimes, such as fraud and money laundering, arising from the same scheme. A judge might sentence them to a 5-year prison term for fraud and a 3-year prison term for money laundering, but order these sentences to run concurrently.

  This illustrates concurrent because the individual serves both sentences at the same time. The 3-year sentence for money laundering is served during the same period as the 5-year sentence for fraud. Therefore, after 5 years, both sentences are completed, rather than the individual serving 5 years followed by an additional 3 years (which would be "consecutive" sentences).

• Example 2: Concurrent Jurisdiction in Courts

  Consider a lawsuit where a resident of one state sues a company incorporated in another state for breach of a contract worth a significant amount of money. This type of case involves "diversity of citizenship" and a high enough dollar amount.

  This demonstrates concurrent jurisdiction because both the state court (where the contract was potentially signed or where the plaintiff resides) and the federal court (due to the diversity of citizenship and the amount in dispute) have the authority to hear the case. The plaintiff typically has the option to file their lawsuit in either the state or federal court system.

• Example 3: Concurrent Regulatory Authority

  Suppose a pharmaceutical company develops a new drug. Before it can be sold to the public, this drug must undergo rigorous testing and approval processes.

  This showcases concurrent authority because the drug's development and marketing are subject to regulations from multiple bodies. For instance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has federal authority over drug safety and efficacy, while state boards of pharmacy also have authority over the distribution and dispensing of drugs within their respective states. Both federal and state entities have the power to regulate different aspects of the same drug's journey to market.