abrogate

v. to annul or repeal a law or pass legislation that contradicts the prior law. Abrogate also applies to revoking or withdrawing
conditions of a contract

abscond
v. 1) traditionally to leave a jurisdiction (where the court, a process server or law enforcement can find one) to avoid being served
with legal papers or being arrested. 2) a surprise leaving with funds or goods that have been stolen, as in "he absconded with the
loot."

condone
v. 1) to forgive, support, and/or overlook moral or legal failures of another without protest, with the result that it appears that such
breaches of moral or legal duties are acceptable. An employer may overlook an employee overcharging customers or a police officer
may look the other way when a par...

concurrence
n. 1) the fact of two or more events or circumstances happening or existing at the same time. 2) agreement or consistency.

compel
v. 1) force or oblige (someone) to do something. 2) bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure.

indemnity
n. the act of making someone "whole" (give equal to what they have lost) or protected from (insured against) any losses which have
occurred or will occur.

levy
1) v. to seize (take) property upon a writ of execution (an order to seize property) issued by the court to pay a money judgment
granted in a lawsuit. The levy is actually made by a sheriff or other official at the request of the holder of the judgment (the winner
in the lawsuit), and the property will be sold at a sheriff's sale to provide money to satisfy the unpaid judgment. 2) v. the act of a
governmental legislative body, such as a board of supervisors or commissioners assessing a tax on all property, all sales, business
licenses or any thing or transaction which may be taxed. Thus, the county "levies" a tax on businesses. 3) n. the seizure of property
to satisfy a judgment.

novation
n. agreement of parties to a contract to substitute a new contract for the old one. It extinguishes (cancels) the old agreement. A
novation is often used when the parties find that payments or performance cannot be made under the terms of the original
agreement, or the debtor will be forced to default or go into bankruptcy unless the debt is restructured. While voluntary, a novation
is often the only way any funds can be paid .

nugatory
adj. of no force or effect; invalid. Example: a statute which is unconstitutional is a nugatory law.

prescription
n. the method of acquiring an easement upon another's real property by continued and regular use without permission of the
property owner for a period of years required by the law of the state (commonly five years or more). Examples: Phillip Packer drives
across the corner of Ralph Roundup's ranch to reach Packer's barn regularly for a period of ten years; for a decade Ronald Retailer
uses the alley behind Marjorie Howard's house to reach his storeroom. In each case the result is a "prescriptive easement" for that
specific use. It effectively gives the user an easement for use but not ownership of the property.

rescind
v. to cancel a contract, putting the parties back to the position as if the contract had not existed. Both parties rescind a contract by
mutual agreement, since a unilateral cancellation of a contract is a "breach" of the contract and could result in a lawsuit by the non-
cancelling party.

retroactive
adj. referring to a court's decision or a statute enacted by a legislative body which would result in application to past transactions
and legal actions. In criminal law, statutes which would increase penalties or make criminal activities which had been previously
legal are prohibited by the constitutional ban on ex post facto laws (Article I, Section 9). Most court decisions which change the
elements necessary to prove a crime or the introduction of evidence such as confessions are usually made non-retroactive to
prevent a flood of petitions of people convicted under prior rules. Nor can statutes or court decisions take away "vested" property
rights or change contract rights. However, some decisions are so fundamental to justice they may have a retroactive effect,
depending on the balance between stability of the law and the public good. Retroactive is also called "retrospective."

tenor
1 the exact words of a deed, as distinct from their effect.
2 an exact copy or transcript.
3 loosely, the meaning of a document