Legal Definitions - partial

In legal terms, partial describes something that is incomplete, unfinished, or constitutes only a portion of a larger whole. It signifies that a situation, payment, agreement, or action has not reached its full or intended conclusion.

• Example 1: Partial Performance of a Contract

  Imagine a software development company hired to build a new mobile application with five distinct features. After several months, they deliver an application that includes three of the five requested features, with the remaining two still under development and not functional.

  This is a partial performance of the contract because the company has not delivered the complete product as initially agreed upon. While some work has been done, the full scope of the agreement remains unfulfilled.

• Example 2: Partial Settlement in a Lawsuit

  During a complex lawsuit involving multiple defendants, the plaintiff reaches an agreement with one of the defendants to settle their portion of the claim for a specific amount of money. However, the lawsuit continues against the other defendants regarding their respective liabilities.

  This represents a partial settlement because only a segment of the overall legal dispute has been resolved. The entire case has not concluded, as claims against other parties are still active.

• Example 3: Partial Payment of a Debt

  A person owes a bank $10,000 on a personal loan. On the due date, they are only able to pay $3,000, informing the bank that they will pay the remaining balance later.

  This is a partial payment because the amount submitted does not cover the full outstanding debt. A significant portion of the obligation remains unpaid, and the debt is not fully satisfied.