Legal Definitions - specific

In legal terms, specific refers to something that is clearly identified, precisely defined, or uniquely designated, leaving no room for ambiguity or general interpretation. It points to a particular item, condition, or action rather than a broad category or general concept.

• Example 1: Contract for a Unique Item

  Imagine a contract for the sale of a rare, signed baseball card – specifically, "the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, serial number 12345, graded PSA 9."

  This illustrates "specific" because the contract isn't for "a baseball card" or "a Mickey Mantle card" in general. It precisely identifies one unique item by its year, player, serial number, and condition, ensuring both parties know exactly what is being bought and sold.

• Example 2: Bequest in a Will

  A will states, "I leave my 1965 Ford Mustang convertible, VIN 5F08F100001, to my nephew, David."

  Here, the will is not leaving "a car" or "a vintage car" to David. It is designating a specific vehicle by its make, model, year, and unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), eliminating any doubt about which car David is to inherit.

• Example 3: Court Order for Action

  A court issues an order requiring a construction company to repair "the cracked foundation wall on the north side of the property located at 123 Main Street, within 30 days."

  This order is specific because it doesn't just tell the company to "fix the building" or "make repairs." It clearly defines the exact part of the property to be repaired (the north foundation wall), the nature of the repair (cracked), the location (123 Main Street), and the timeframe, leaving no ambiguity about the required action.