Glossary on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia

UK Legal Terms A-D

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A

Act of Parliament — Primary legislation passed by the Queen in Parliament, consisting of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Royal Assent. Acts are the highest form of law in the UK and may cover any subject matter. They can only be amended or repealed by a subsequent Act of Parliament.

Adverse Possession — A method of acquiring title to land through long-term possession without the owner’s consent, governed by the Limitation Act 1980 and the Land Registration Act 2002. If a person occupies land in adverse possession for the relevant limitation period (typically 12 years for unregistered land), the original owner’s title is extinguished and the squatter may acquire title. The rules differ for registered land, where the squatter must apply to be registered as proprietor after 10 years.

UK Legal Terms E-H

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

E

Easement — A right benefiting one landowner over another’s land, such as a right of way or a right to light. Easements may be created expressly, by implication, by prescription (long use), or by statute. An easement must accommodate the dominant tenement (benefit the land), not merely confer a personal benefit.

Equity — A body of law developed in the Court of Chancery to supplement the common law. Equity operates according to maxims and provides remedies including injunctions, specific performance, and rectification. Where equity conflicts with common law, equity prevails.

UK Legal Terms I-L

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I

In Camera — A hearing conducted in private, excluding the press and public, typically for matters involving national security, children, or confidential information. The court may also sit in camera to protect trade secrets or the identity of parties.

Incitement — The act of encouraging or persuading another to commit a criminal offence. Incitement is an inchoate offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007, which replaced the common law offence of incitement with new statutory offences of encouraging or assisting crime.

UK Legal Terms M-P

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M

Magistrates’ Court — The lowest criminal court in England and Wales, dealing with summary offences and preliminary hearings for indictable offences. Magistrates may be lay justices (volunteers) or district judges (professional lawyers). The court also has jurisdiction in some civil matters including family proceedings and licensing.

Mareva Injunction — An interim injunction freezing a defendant’s assets pending trial to prevent dissipation. Now known as a freezing order under the Civil Procedure Rules. Named after Mareva Compania Naviera SA v International Bulkcarriers SA (1975).

UK Legal Terms Q-Z

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Q

Quantum Meruit — A claim for reasonable remuneration for work performed where no contract price has been agreed or where a contract has been discharged. The claimant may recover the reasonable value of services rendered, assessed by the court.

Queen’s Bench Division — Now the King’s Bench Division following the accession of King Charles III. The division handles contract, tort, commercial, and administrative law matters and includes specialist courts for commercial, admiralty, and technology cases.