Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: REIFICATION
Definition: Reification is when you turn an idea or concept into something that seems real or physical. It can also refer to the process of identifying something in a legal case or making a right to payment official by writing it down. To reify means to make something abstract seem concrete.
Definition: Reification is the process of turning an abstract idea or concept into a physical object or thing.
For example, when we talk about love, we are referring to an abstract concept that cannot be seen or touched. However, when we give someone a heart-shaped object as a symbol of our love, we are reifying the concept of love into a physical object.
Reification can also refer to the legal process of identifying a disputed object in a non-personal action and giving it a legal status. For instance, in a property dispute, the court may reify the disputed property by giving it a legal status and jurisdictional purpose.
Another example of reification is in commercial law, where a right to payment can be embodied in a writing, such as a negotiable instrument. This means that when the writing is transferred, the right to payment is also transferred.
Example: When we talk about democracy, we are referring to an abstract concept of a political system where people have a say in how they are governed. However, when we hold an election and people cast their votes, we are reifying the concept of democracy into a physical action.
Explanation: The example illustrates how an abstract concept like democracy can be turned into a physical action, such as voting. This is an example of reification because the abstract concept is being given a physical form.