Law Lexicon
Sidebar - A conference between the judge and lawyers, usually in the courtroom, out of earshot of the jury and spectators.
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Slander - Spoken defamation which tends to injure a person's reputation.
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Small Business Administration (SBA) - A federal agency which provides assistance of all kinds, including loans, to small businesses.
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Small Claims Court - A state court that handles civil claims for small amounts of money. People often represent themselves rather than hire an attorney.
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Social Security - A system of federal old-age pensions for employed persons begun in 1935. A portion of the payment is deducted from the employee's salary and an equal portion is contributed by the employer.
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Social Security Administration - The federal agency which administers the national social security program.
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Social Security Tax - A payroll deduction based on gross wages paid; this amount is matched by the employer as required by the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA).
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Sovereign Immunity - The doctrine that the government, state or federal, is immune to lawsuit unless it give its consent.
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Specific performance - A remedy requiring a person who has breached a contract to perform specifically what he or she has agreed to do. Specific performance is ordered when damages would be inadequate compensation.
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Spendthrift trust - A trust set up for the benefit of someone who the grantor believes would be incapable of managing his or her own financial affairs.
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Standard of proof- Indicates the degree to which the point must be proven. In a civil case, the burden of proof rests with the plaintiff, who must establish his or her case by such standards of proof as a "preponderance of evidence" or "clear and convincing evidence."
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Standing - The legal right to bring a lawsuit. Only a person with something at stake has standing to bring a lawsuit.
Source: Jurist International.
