Legal Definitions - singular

In legal terms, singular refers to something that is individual, distinct, or separate. It emphasizes a focus on particular items, persons, or interests rather than a collective group or an entire whole.

• Example 1: Individual Responsibility in a Contract

  Imagine a lease agreement for a shared apartment where three roommates are tenants. The lease might state that each tenant is singularly responsible for any damage they personally cause to the property. This means that if one roommate breaks a window, only that individual tenant is held accountable for the repair cost, rather than all three roommates being jointly responsible for all damages.

  How it illustrates the term: This example highlights the "individual" aspect of singular, where responsibility is assigned to each person separately rather than to the group as a whole.

• Example 2: Specific Bequests in a Will

  Consider a will where a person leaves their entire estate to their children. Instead of simply dividing the total value of the estate equally, the will might specify that a particular antique watch goes to one child, and a specific piece of artwork goes to another. These are singular bequests because they relate to separate, distinct items of property rather than a general share of the entire estate.

  How it illustrates the term: Here, "singular" refers to the distribution of specific, individual assets from an estate, emphasizing separate interests in property rather than the estate as a whole.

• Example 3: Individual Consent for a Decision

  In a corporate setting, a company's bylaws might require the singular approval of each board member for certain critical decisions, such as selling a major company asset. This means that every single board member must individually agree to the proposal, not just a simple majority vote. If even one member withholds consent, the decision cannot proceed.

  How it illustrates the term: This demonstrates "singular" in the sense of requiring individual, distinct agreement from each person involved, rather than a collective or aggregated decision.