Legal Definitions - volunteer

In legal terms, the word "volunteer" carries several distinct meanings beyond its common everyday usage, often referring to someone who acts without formal obligation, payment, or direct personal interest in a specific legal context.

• 1. An Unsolicited Helper in a Business Context:

  This refers to a person who, without being hired by an employer or having a legitimate personal stake, assists an employee in performing the employer's business duties. Their actions are taken on their own initiative, without formal request or authorization from the employer.

  • Example: While visiting a friend who works at a local bookstore, Sarah notices a large delivery of heavy boxes of books. Seeing her friend struggle, Sarah steps in to help unload the boxes from the truck and carry them into the store, even though she is not an employee and was not asked by the store manager.

    Explanation: In this scenario, Sarah is acting as a "volunteer" in the legal sense because she is assisting in the store's business operations without being an employee, without the employer's explicit assent, and without a direct personal interest in the store's profits or operations. Her legal standing, particularly regarding liability if she were injured, would be different from that of a paid employee.

• 2. Recipient of a Gifted Property (Grantee in a Voluntary Conveyance):

  In property law, a "volunteer" is someone who receives property (such as land or a house) as a gift, meaning they do not provide any money or other valuable consideration in exchange for it. The transfer is made freely and without obligation.

  • Example: An elderly couple decides to transfer the title of their vacation cabin to their grandchild as a birthday gift, without the grandchild paying any money or exchanging any goods or services for the property.

    Explanation: The grandchild is considered a "volunteer" because they are the recipient (grantee) of a "voluntary conveyance." This means they received the property without providing any valuable consideration in return, making it a gift rather than a sale or exchange.

• 3. A Person Who Willingly Enters Military Service:

  In military law, a "volunteer" is an individual who freely chooses to enlist in the armed forces, as opposed to being compelled to serve through a draft or conscription.

  • Example: After completing college, David decides to join the Air Force, signing up for a four-year term of service because he feels a strong desire to serve his country.

    Explanation: David is a "volunteer" because he made a conscious and willing decision to enter military service, rather than being required to join through a mandatory draft system.