Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: Sounds in
Definition: When someone sues another person or company, they need to have a legal reason for doing so. This legal reason is called the "sounds in" of the lawsuit. It means that the lawsuit is based on a specific area of the law, like a contract or a tort (which is when someone does something wrong to another person). For example, if someone sues for fraud, their lawsuit "sounds in" fraud. This means they need to prove that the other person did something wrong on purpose. If someone sues for a breach of contract, their lawsuit "sounds in" contract. This means they need to prove that the other person didn't do what they promised to do in a contract.
Definition: Sounds in refers to the legal basis or cause of action underlying a lawsuit. For example, a tort claim sounds in tort, and a contract claim sounds in contract.
For instance, in a fraud claim, a plaintiff may allege a unified course of fraudulent conduct and rely entirely on that course of conduct as the basis of that claim. In this case, the claim "sounds in fraud" and is subject to the heightened pleading standard for fraud or mistake. Similarly, a claim for breach of contract may "sound in tort" when the breach relates to obligations that arise from tort law and not a contractual agreement.
For example, if a person sues their employer for wrongful termination, the claim would "sound in" employment law. If a person sues a doctor for medical malpractice, the claim would "sound in" negligence.