Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A relationship is the connection between two or more people. It can be a special bond between family members, like a parent and child, or a professional connection, like a doctor and patient. Some relationships, like an attorney-client relationship, have legal rights and responsibilities. Other relationships, like a confidential relationship, involve trust and keeping secrets. No matter what kind of relationship it is, it's important to treat each other with care and respect.
A relationship is the connection between two or more people. It can be a legally recognized association that affects the participants' legal rights and responsibilities. There are different types of relationships, including:
This is a formal legal representation of a person by a lawyer. It can be established without any formal agreement and imposes a duty on the lawyer to act in the best interest of the client.
This is the association between a medical provider and a patient who is being diagnosed or treated. The relationship imposes a duty on the doctor to ensure that the patient gives informed consent for treatment.
This is the association between a person employed to perform services for another, who in turn has the right to control the person's physical conduct in the course of that service. It imposes a duty on the employer to provide a safe working environment and to pay the employee for their services.
This is a relationship in which one person is under a duty to act for the benefit of another on matters within the scope of the relationship. It requires an unusually high degree of care and arises when one person places trust in the faithful integrity of another. Examples include trustee-beneficiary, guardian-ward, principal-agent, and attorney-client relationships.
This is the association between an adult and a minor in the adult's care, especially an offspring or an adoptee. It imposes a high duty of care on the adult, including the duties to support, to rescue, to supervise and control, and to educate.
This is an association that involves one person's reliance on the other person's specialized training. Examples include one's relationship with a lawyer, doctor, insurer, banker, and the like.
These examples illustrate how different types of relationships impose different duties and responsibilities on the parties involved. Understanding the nature of a relationship is important in determining the legal rights and obligations of the parties.