Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: SIPC
Due: When someone owes something, like money or a promise, it is called "due." This means that it needs to be paid or fulfilled. Sometimes it is overdue, which means it should have been paid or fulfilled already. "Due" can also mean fair or reasonable, like when someone takes proper care of something.
Definition: Due refers to an obligation that is owed or payable. It can refer to a debt, a claim of right, or any other definite obligation. When something is due, it means that it must be paid or fulfilled immediately or in the near future.
For example, if you borrow money from a friend and promise to pay it back by a certain date, the money is due on that date. If you fail to pay it back on time, it becomes overdue.
Another example is when a company sends an invoice to a customer for goods or services provided. The invoice will state the amount due and the due date, which is the date by which the customer must pay the invoice.
Due can also mean just, proper, or reasonable. For instance, a doctor must exercise due care when treating a patient, which means they must provide the appropriate level of care and attention that a reasonable doctor would provide in similar circumstances.
Examples:
The examples illustrate how due refers to an obligation that must be fulfilled by a certain date or within a certain timeframe. In the case of the contractor, due diligence refers to the level of care and attention that should have been exercised in completing the project.