Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: School District of Abington Township, Pennsylvania v. Schempp (1963)
An equity term is a period during which a court tries only equity cases. Equity cases are those that involve fairness and justice, rather than legal technicalities. For example, a case involving a dispute over property ownership may be heard in equity court if the legal ownership is unclear, and the court needs to determine what is fair and just.
One example of an equity case is a dispute over a will. If the will is unclear or there are questions about its validity, an equity court may be called upon to determine how the deceased person's assets should be distributed.
Another example of an equity case is a dispute over a contract. If one party claims that the other party did not fulfill their obligations under the contract, an equity court may be called upon to determine what is fair and just in the situation.
Overall, equity terms are important because they allow courts to focus on cases that require a deeper understanding of fairness and justice, rather than just legal technicalities.