Published On:Thursday 12 January 2012
Posted by Muhammad Atif Saeed
Law Dictionary Word Under M
Magistrate a Justice of the Peace who presides over (is in charge of) minor cases heard in the magistrates' court.
Magistrates' court the lowest court. The things it deals with include minor criminal cases, most criminal cases involving 10- to 17-year-olds, issuing alcoholic drink licences and hearing child welfare cases.
Maintenance money paid (and things paid for) to support a partner (husband or wife) and children when a marriage has failed.
Majority the age when a person gains full legal rights and responsibilities. In the UK it is when a person becomes 18 years old.
Male issue male descendants (sons only) of men.
Malfeasance an unlawful act.
Malice intending to do something which is against the law.
Malice aforethought planning to kill someone or intending to do something which is likely to kill.
Malicious falsehood a written or spoken lie told to harm somebody and which does do harm.
Malicious prosecution a prosecution which is brought unreasonably.
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Mandate an authority to act given by one party to another. An example is when a bank's customer writes instructions on the mandate for the bank to follow when operating the customer's account.
Manslaughter killing someone illegally but by accident.
Market overt a lawful market in which, as long as someone buying goods is not aware that they do not belong to the seller, the buyer will get a good title to the goods.
Martial law government of a country by the military.
Master of the Rolls the person in charge of:
_ the Civil Division of the Appeal Court; and
_ admitting solicitors to the roll of solicitors in practice.
Material facts facts which are a key part of a defence or a claim.
Matricide the killing of a mother by her son or daughter.
Matrimonial causes the court proceedings:
_ to divorce people;
_ to separate a married couple; or
_ to dissolve a marriage.
Matrimonial home the house that a husband and wife live in as a married couple.
Mediation help from an independent person (a mediator) to solve differences between a husband and wife whose marriage has broken down. The mediator helps them to agree what should be done about their children, money and so on.
Memorandum and articles of association The memorandum gives details of a company's
name, objects (purposes) and share capital. It also sets out the limits of the shareholders' liability if the company has to be wound up. The articles set out the members' rights and the directors' powers.
Mens rea the intent to commit a crime and also the knowledge that an act is wrong. (This term is Latin.)
Mercantile law the branch of the law dealing with commerce.
Merchantable quality the assumption in the law that goods sold by a business will be fit for their purpose.
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Mesne profits income lost by a landlord because the property is occupied without the landlord's permission. An example would be a tenant failing to leave the property when the tenancy finished. It is also the profits lost by a landowner when wrongly deprived of the use of his or her land.
Messuage a house together with its land and outbuildings.
Minor someone who has not yet reached the age when they get full legal rights and responsibilities. In the UK this is a person under 18 years old.
Minority being under the age of full legal rights and responsibilities.
Minutes a record of the meetings held by members and directors of companies.
Misadventure an unexpected accident which happens while lawfully doing something.
Miscarriage of justice the court system failing to give justice to someone.
Misconduct deliberately doing something which is against the law or which is wrong.
Misdirection a judge instructing a jury wrongly.
Misfeasance when:
_ something is done badly even though it is still legal; or
_ a company officer does something which is a breach of trust or a breach of duty.
Misrepresentation a lie told to persuade someone to enter into a contract.
Mistrial a trial that has been made invalid.
Mitigation putting facts to a judge, after someone has been found guilty, to justify a lower sentence.
Molest/Molestation behaviour by a person which annoys or greatly troubles their children or spouse. The behaviour can include violence, verbal threats and written threats.
Money laundering making money from crime and then passing it through a business to make it appear legitimate.
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Moratorium an agreement not to take action to recover a debt for an agreed period of time.
Mortgage using property as security for a debt. It is also the name for the contract which is signed by the borrower and lender when money is lent using property as security for a loan.
Mortgagee the lender of the money which is secured by a mortgage.
Mortgagor the person who borrows the money to buy a property. The lending is secured with a mortgage of the property.
Motive a reason for a person doing something.
Muniments documents which are evidence of a right to something.
