Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

CONTEST [L. contestor, contestari / to call a witness; to start an action by summoning witnesses] To dispute or challenge. To litigate; to make the subject of a dispute or litiga tion. To reject a claim or demand. A competition to determine the truth or the superiority of one participant over another. CONTIGUOUS [L. contingere / to touch, to have contact with] Describes two pieces of land which have a common boundary or border or which touch at any given point. CONTINGENT, CONTINGENCY [L. contingere] An event which may or may not happen. A condition which may or may not be satisfied. A fortuitous event which happens without plan or anticipation. A contingent fee agreement is an agreement between lawyer and client under which the attorney will be compensated only if there is recovery. A contin gent beneficiary is anyone who will succeed to a benefit only if a primary beneficiary dies before him. A contingent liability is a liability which can be anticipated but which will arise only if a future and uncertain event actually occurs. A guarantor is contingently liable for the debts of the principal debtor. CONTINUANCE [L. continuare / to unite, connect] In law, the postponement or adjournment of a hearing, trial or other proced ing to another day, usually at the request of one of the parties. CONTRA [L. against; opposed to; on the opposite side] Contrary to; in violation of; in defiance of; e.g., “the view of the New York court is contra the decision of the New Jersey court.” CONTRA BONOS MORES Against good morals; conduct which is so bad or unacceptable as to violate CONTRACT [L. contrahere / to draw together, unite, to agree or contract] A set of enforceable promises between parties creating obligations to do or to refrain from doing specified acts. An arrangement or set of promises recog nized by the law and for which the law gives a remedy in the event of breach, or the performance of which the law regards as a duty. CONTRACTOR [L. contrahere ] Anyone who enters into a contract. One who agrees to provide specified ser vices or labor in exchange for payment. Anyone who promises or undertakes to construct a building or a part of a building. general social standards. See BONOS MORES

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