Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: IOU
FAIR: Being fair means treating everyone equally and without any bias or prejudice. It is important to be fair in all situations, whether it is in a game, at school, or in a court of law. In the past, a fair was a special market where people could buy and sell goods, and it was granted to a town by the king or queen. This fair had special privileges and legal characteristics that are no longer used today.
Definition: Fair is an adjective that means impartial, just, equitable, or disinterested. It can also mean free of bias or prejudice. As a noun, it refers to a privileged market for buying and selling goods.
The first two examples illustrate the adjective form of fair, which means impartial or free of bias. In the first example, Judge Jones is considered fair because he is just and equitable in his decisions. In the second example, the lawyers want to select a fair and impartial jury, meaning they want to choose jurors who are not biased or prejudiced.
The third example illustrates the noun form of fair, which refers to a privileged market for buying and selling goods. In the past, towns were granted the franchise to hold a fair, which gave them important privileges. Fairs were legally recognized institutions with distinctive legal characteristics, but most of these are now obsolete.