Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Gordon v. Virtumundo, 575 F.3d 1040 (9th Cir. 2009)
An orphan is a child whose parents have died. Sometimes it can also mean a child who only has one living parent who cannot take care of them. Orphan can also be used to describe diseases that affect very few people or drugs developed to treat those diseases. It can also refer to shares that belong to companies that no longer exist.
An orphan is a child whose parents have died. It can also refer to a child who only has one living parent who cannot properly care for them. In some cases, a child can be considered a legal orphan if their parents' parental rights have been terminated and they are available for adoption.
The term "orphan" can also be used in other contexts, such as:
These examples illustrate how the term "orphan" can be used in different contexts, but they all relate to situations where something or someone is lacking or without support.