Legal Definitions - ordinary

In legal terms, ordinary describes something that is typical, routine, and expected under normal circumstances. It refers to actions, events, or conditions that are regular, customary, and not unusual, exceptional, or extraordinary. When something is deemed "ordinary," it aligns with common practice or what a reasonable person would anticipate or do in a given situation.

• Example 1: Ordinary Course of Business

  Imagine a local hardware store that regularly sells tools, paint, and gardening supplies to its customers. The act of selling these items, restocking shelves, and processing customer payments falls within the store's ordinary course of business.

  This illustrates "ordinary" because these are the typical, routine, and expected activities for a hardware store. If, however, the store suddenly decided to sell off its entire building and all its inventory to a real estate developer, that would likely be considered an extraordinary transaction, outside its normal operations, and might require different legal procedures or approvals.

• Example 2: Ordinary Care

  Consider a driver approaching a stop sign. They slow down, come to a complete stop, check for cross-traffic, and then proceed when it's safe. This behavior demonstrates the exercise of ordinary care.

  This example highlights "ordinary" because stopping at a stop sign and checking for traffic is the standard, customary, and expected action of a reasonable and prudent driver to prevent accidents. Failing to stop or speeding through the intersection would be considered a lack of ordinary care, potentially leading to legal liability.

• Example 3: Ordinary Wear and Tear

  A tenant rents an apartment for two years. At the end of the lease, there are minor scuffs on the walls from moving furniture, and the kitchen counter has a few faint scratches from daily use. These are typically considered ordinary wear and tear.

  This demonstrates "ordinary" because these minor imperfections are the expected and customary deterioration that naturally occurs from the normal, everyday use of a property over time. They are not considered damage caused by negligence or misuse, which would be an extraordinary level of damage beyond what is anticipated from typical occupancy.