Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: involuntary civil commitment
Stay: A stay is when a court stops a legal case or the actions of a person temporarily. This can happen for many reasons, like if there is another case happening that will affect the current one or if someone needs to do something before the case can continue. A stay can also stop a punishment from happening, like a jail sentence or a fine. Sometimes, a stay is automatic, which means that a person or company cannot do something until a certain event happens, like in bankruptcy when creditors cannot ask for money until the bankruptcy is over.
Stay is a legal action taken by a court to stop a legal proceeding or the actions of a party. It is usually temporary and can be issued for various reasons.
These examples illustrate how a stay can be used in different legal situations to temporarily stop a legal proceeding or the actions of a party.
Compare with injunction.