Resources
Legal words, in plain language
Quick, jargon-free definitions of common legal terms. Highlighted words elsewhere on the site link back here.
- at-will employment
- A rule in most states letting an employer fire you for almost any reason — but never an illegal one, like discrimination or retaliation.
- background check
- An employer's or landlord's review of your criminal, credit, or work history. There are limits on how it can be used against you.
- constructive eviction
- When a landlord makes a home unlivable to force you out without going to court.
- creditor
- A person or company you owe money to, such as a lender, a card issuer, or a debt collector.
- debt validation
- Your right to make a collector prove a debt is really yours before you pay.
- defendant
- The person or company being sued or accused in a court case.
- demand letter
- A formal written request — for repairs, wages, or a refund — that creates a dated record before legal action.
- discrimination
- Illegal unfair treatment based on a protected trait such as race, gender, disability, or national origin.
- eviction
- The legal process a landlord must follow to make a tenant leave. It usually requires a court order — not just a notice.
- expungement
- A legal process that clears or seals an old arrest or conviction so it no longer shows on most background checks.
- final paycheck
- The last wages an employer owes you after you quit or are fired, including pay for every hour you worked.
- garnishment
- A court order that lets a creditor take part of your paycheck or bank account to pay a debt.
- habitability
- A landlord's legal duty to keep a rental safe and livable — working heat, water, locks, and no serious hazards.
- hostile work environment
- Harassment at work so severe or constant that it makes the job abusive — often based on a protected trait.
- independent contractor
- A self-employed worker hired for a specific job who controls how the work gets done — not an employee.
- judgment
- A court's final decision in a lawsuit. A money judgment can let the winner collect through garnishment or liens.
- landlord
- The owner of a rental property, or the manager acting for the owner, who rents housing to tenants.
- lease
- A written rental agreement between a tenant and a landlord that sets the rent, the term, and each side's responsibilities.
- minimum wage
- The lowest hourly pay an employer is legally allowed to pay most workers.
- misclassification
- When an employer wrongly labels an employee as an "independent contractor" to avoid paying overtime, taxes, or benefits.
- notice to vacate
- A written notice from a landlord asking a tenant to leave by a certain date. It is not the same as a court eviction order.
- overtime
- Extra pay (usually 1.5× your rate) for hours worked beyond 40 in a week.
- plaintiff
- The person or company that starts a lawsuit by filing a complaint against someone.
- retaliation
- Illegal punishment for asserting your rights — like being fired or evicted for filing a complaint.
- security deposit
- Money you pay a landlord up front that must be returned (minus lawful, itemized deductions) after you move out.
- severance
- Extra pay or benefits some employers offer when a job ends. It is usually optional unless a contract requires it.
- small claims court
- A simple, low-cost court for disputes over smaller amounts of money, where you usually don't need a lawyer.
- statute of limitations
- The deadline for filing a legal claim. After it passes, you usually lose the right to sue.
- summons
- An official court document telling you that you're being sued and that you must respond by a deadline.
- tenant
- A person who rents and lives in a home owned by someone else.
- unemployment benefits
- Temporary payments from the state to workers who lost a job through no fault of their own.
- wage theft
- When an employer doesn't pay what you earned — unpaid hours, overtime, or your final paycheck.
- whistleblower
- A worker who reports illegal or unsafe conduct. The law protects whistleblowers from being punished for speaking up.
- workers' compensation
- Insurance that pays for medical care and lost wages when you're injured or made sick because of your job.