Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: federal gift tax
A surmise is an idea that someone has based on very little evidence. It's like guessing what might happen without really knowing for sure. In the past, surmise was also used to describe a suggestion made to a court or a statement in a complaint.
Libel is a type of surmise that is expressed in writing or other fixed forms, like pictures or electronic broadcasts. It's a statement that harms someone's reputation and is considered both a crime and a tort. Libel can be classified as false-implication, group, libel per quod, libel per se, obscene, seditious, or trade libel. To libel someone means to defame them in a permanent medium, like writing.
Definition: An idea or conclusion based on weak evidence or conjecture. In historical contexts, it can also refer to a suggestion made to a court or an allegation in a complaint related to ecclesiastical law.
The first two examples illustrate the everyday use of the term "surmise" to describe a conclusion drawn from limited evidence. The third example shows how the term was used in a specific historical context related to ecclesiastical law.