Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Pray: A fancy word that used to mean asking a judge for help or money at the end of a written complaint. Nowadays, people usually say they want or need something instead of praying for it in court.
Definition: Pray is an old-fashioned legal term that means to formally request a judgment, relief, or damages at the end of a civil complaint. It is used to describe the specific request made by the plaintiff in a lawsuit.
Example: In a 1957 Florida Supreme Court case, Chasin v. Richey, the court stated that “every complaint is considered to pray for general relief, and ordinarily it is the facts alleged, the issues and proof, and not the form of the prayer for relief, which determines the nature of the relief to be granted.” This means that the court will consider the facts and evidence presented in the complaint to determine what relief should be granted, regardless of the specific wording used in the prayer for relief.
Explanation: The example illustrates how the term "pray" is used in a legal context to describe the specific request made by the plaintiff in a lawsuit. It also shows how the court will consider the facts and evidence presented in the complaint to determine what relief should be granted, regardless of the specific wording used in the prayer for relief.