Legal Definitions - laundry list

The term "laundry list" refers to a comprehensive or extensive enumeration of specific items, conditions, or actions found within a legal document, such as a statute, court opinion, or contract.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Regulatory Compliance

  A new federal regulation designed to protect consumer data privacy might include a laundry list of specific security measures that companies must implement. This could detail everything from encryption standards and access controls to data retention policies and breach notification procedures.

  How it illustrates the term: This example shows a detailed and extensive enumeration of individual requirements that companies must fulfill, much like a long list of tasks or items to be addressed.

• Example 2: Contractual Obligations

  In a commercial lease agreement, the section outlining the tenant's responsibilities for maintaining the property might contain a laundry list of duties. These could include specific instructions for landscaping, waste disposal, pest control, and periodic equipment inspections, among many others.

  How it illustrates the term: Here, the term describes a long and specific enumeration of various obligations the tenant must perform, leaving little room for ambiguity about their responsibilities.

• Example 3: Court Findings

  When a court issues a ruling in a complex environmental lawsuit, the judge's written decision might include a laundry list of the specific harms caused by the defendant's actions. This could detail various types of pollution, affected species, damaged ecosystems, and the estimated costs of remediation, all supported by evidence presented during the trial.

  How it illustrates the term: This demonstrates how a court opinion can enumerate a comprehensive set of findings or consequences, detailing each distinct element that contributed to the overall judgment.