Legal Definitions - dote

To dote means to exhibit either a decline in mental faculties, often associated with advanced age, leading to impaired judgment or confused behavior, or to show extreme, often uncritical or indulgent, affection or love towards someone or something.

• Example 1 (Mental Decline): An elderly individual, Mr. Henderson, who was once known for his sharp business acumen, begins making erratic and financially unsound decisions, such as giving away large sums of money to telemarketers or forgetting to pay essential bills, despite having ample funds. His family notices a significant change in his ability to manage his affairs.

  This illustrates "dote" in the sense of mental decline, where Mr. Henderson's judgment is impaired due to age, leading to actions that are not in his best interest and are uncharacteristic of his former self.

• Example 2 (Excessive Fondness - Parent/Child): Mrs. Rodriguez constantly praises her teenage son, Leo, even when he performs poorly in school or acts disrespectfully towards others. She buys him expensive gifts and defends his every action, refusing to acknowledge any faults, despite concerns raised by his teachers and other family members.

  Here, Mrs. Rodriguez is "doting" on Leo by showing excessive and uncritical fondness, which prevents her from setting appropriate boundaries or holding him accountable for his behavior.

• Example 3 (Excessive Fondness - Romantic/Exploitative): Sarah, deeply in love, consistently overlooks her partner Mark's manipulative behavior and financial irresponsibility. She continues to lend him money she cannot afford to lose and makes excuses for his actions, despite clear warnings from friends and family about his exploitative tendencies.

  Sarah is "doting" on Mark by demonstrating an extreme and uncritical affection that blinds her to his negative traits and allows her to be exploited.