Legal Definitions - Petition

A Petition is a formal, written request submitted to a court or other official government body, asking it to take a specific action, make a particular decision, or grant a certain right.

• Example 1 (Family Law): When an individual wishes to legally end their marriage, they typically file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (often called a divorce petition) with the appropriate family court. This formal document outlines their request for a divorce and may include details about property division or child custody, prompting the court to initiate legal proceedings to terminate the marriage.

  This illustrates a petition as a formal, written request made to a court, asking for a specific judicial action—the legal dissolution of a marriage.

• Example 2 (Administrative Law): A property owner who wants to build a structure that doesn't conform to existing zoning rules might submit a Petition for a Zoning Variance to their local planning commission or city council. This written application formally asks the governmental body to make an exception to the standard regulations for their specific property.

  Here, the petition is a formal, written request made to an official government body (the planning commission/city council), asking for a specific administrative decision—a variance from zoning rules.

• Example 3 (Probate Law): If a person passes away without a will, a family member might file a Petition for Letters of Administration with the probate court. This formal request asks the court to appoint them as the administrator of the deceased person's estate, granting them the legal authority to manage and distribute assets according to law.

  This example shows a petition as a formal, written request to a court (the probate court), asking for a specific judicial action—the appointment of an administrator and the granting of legal authority over an estate.