Abatement
a reduction in rent

Acceleration clause
a clause in a lease requiring a tenant who misses rent payments to pay rent in advance

Acceptance
the clear assent to a definite offer

Affirmative-action programs
a program offered by an employer, a learning institution, or some other body designed to increase the number of people in the organization belonging to specific groups where traditionally those groups have been underrepresented and considered disadvantaged

Age of majority
the age at which a person can undertake legal obligations (in Alberta, 18)

Assign a lease
to turn a lease over to another person who will become the new tenant and pay rent to the landlord

Bankruptcy
a legal situation in which a debtor turns most of his or her assets over to an official and is protected from further legal proceedings by creditors to recover the outstanding loan(s)

Bilateral
agreements between two parties

Bona fide occupational requirement
a legitimate job requirement that makes it reasonable for an employer to hire people from some groups over others

Breach of contract
failure to perform an obligation in a contract

Capacity
the legal ability to enter into a valid contract

Case Law
often known as common law in Canada; the body of law that gradually developed in courts in the English-speaking world based on judges’ decisions. It comes from the decisions that judges have made in the cases brought before them by individuals. Each time a new situation arises, lawyers and judges look to past, similar cases to guide them in their arguments or judgments

Civil law
the branch of law that governs the relations between individuals

Civil rights
rights guaranteed citizens of a country; in Canada, rights guaranteed by the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Collateral
assets used to secure a loan; that is, something of value that the lender keeps if the loan isn't repaid

Common law
the body of law that gradually developed in courts in the English-speaking world based on judges' decisions

Consideration
something of value exchanged by the parties to a contract

Consolidate
to combine or merge two or more things, such as debts, into one

Constitution
a document stating the fundamental rules according to which a country is governed and other laws are made

Constructive dismissal
the forcing of an employee to resign through tactics like demotion, unreasonable job demands, and transferral to a less-desirable location

Contract
a legally binding agreement between two or more parties

Credit
money (or good or services) advanced to another for repayment at a later date

Credit bureau
a business that provides lenders with information about the credit history of prospective borrowers

Credit rating
a personal financial profile detailing a person's history of taking out and repaying loans

Criminal Code
a statute enacted by the federal Parliament in 1892; a segment of public law

Criminal law
the branch of law that sets out certain acts as crimes and punishes those acts

Damages
money awarded to a successful plaintiff by a court to compensate for a wrong suffered

Default
failure to carry out an obligation you have contracted to do

Deposit
an amount of money given by a purchaser to a seller in return for which the seller agrees to hold an item for a stipulated time

Discrimination
the practice of treating some people differently from others because of prejudice toward a group to which they belong

Duress
the compelling of a person to do something against his or her will by means of force or the threat of force

Duty to accommodate
the legal requirement of an employer to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of employees or potential employees so as not to discriminate unfairly against certain groups

Employment insurance
a system whereby working people make regular financial contributions to create a pool of money from which contributors can withdraw if they lose their jobs

Employment Standards Act
the law that contains basic rules about employing people and working. Both employees and employers have rights and responsibilities under this Act.

Escalation clause
a clause in a lease allowing a landlord to raise the rent while the lease is in effect to cover increased operating costs

Express contract
a contract in which the terms are specifically laid out

Express warranty
an explicit, clearly stated warranty that's usually written down

Fixed-term tenancy
a rental agreement that begins and ends on specific dates

Garnishee wages
to legally withhold all or part of a debtor is wages each wage period and pay them to the lender until the debt is paid

Genuine Consent
all parties to a contract sincerely discuss and agree to the terms and conditions; intimidation or lying cannot be present.

Guarantee
an express warranty

Halibut Treaty
the first treaty independently negotiated and signed by the Canadian government

Harassment
unwelcome behaviour toward another (who is often in a subordinate position)

Human rights
rights that protect people from discrimination from others in certain areas of life

Implied contract
a contract that is suggested by the actions of the parties

Implied warranty
a warranty that a seller may not actually make but that the law says is part of the contract anyway

Joint tenancy
a tenancy that includes more than one lessee

Joint tenants
people who are the legal owners of a property together

Labour union
an organization that represents employees in a company or industry and bargains for them with their employer(s)

Landlord
a person who rents out a home to a tenant

Lease
a contract between a landlord and tenant for the rental of a property

Legal Purpose
One element of a valid contract. The purpose of every legally enforceable contract must itself be legal. If, for example, a woman pays a hit man to murder her husband and the murder does not take place, she cannot take the hit man to court for breach of contract.

Legislation
a law or laws that have been passed by a governing body like Alberta's Legislative Assembly or the Parliament of Canada

Lessee
the tenant in a leasing arrangement

Lessor
the landlord in a leasing arrangement

Maturity
the date at which a total amount borrowed is due

Merchantable quality
suitable for sale

Minor
anyone under the age of majority

Multilateral
agreements between more than 2 parties

Necessaries
goods and services considered necessary for a person's health and well-being

Non-competition clause
a clause in an employment contract designed to limit competition, usually by restricting where and when an employee may work after leaving the current employer

Non-necessaries
good and services not considered essential for a person's health and well-being

Offer
a proposal to enter into a contract

Offer and Acceptance
One element of a valid contract. There must be a genuine offer and a genuine acceptance of that offer. The offer must be clear, exact, and intended seriously as an offer. The acceptance has to be unqualified and clear, and it has to agree with the precise terms of the offer.

Out of court settlement
an agreement by both parties to a lawsuit that resolves their legal dispute without asking a court to make a judgment. Generally, out of court settlements can be made at any time before a verdict is rendered by a judge or jury.

Periodic tenancy
a rental agreement running on a week-to-week or month-to-month basis

Plaintiff
the party bringing a legal action against another party in civil court

Poisoned work environment
employment environment in which one person is subjected to hostility and rejection by co-workers because of some perceived difference

Poisoned work environment harassment
employment harassment in which one person is subjected to hostility and rejection by co-workers because of some perceived difference

Precedent
a previous court decision that lower courts must follow when making decisions in similar cases

Private Law
also known as "civil law"; the law that governs relationships between individuals

Procedural law
the body of law concerned with how to enforce and defend such rights and obligations. For example, murder is a criminal offence (substantive law) while the rules to be followed in prosecuting an offender for murder are referred to as procedural law

Quid pro quo harassment
employment harassment that involves a person in a position of authority demanding favours in return for fair or preferential treatment

Repudiate
reject or disclaim a contract

Residential Tenancies Act
a statue in Alberta which outlines the obligations of landlords and tenants

Return
an arrangement whereby a seller accepts a purchased item back from the buyer in exchange for the purchase price, other merchandise, or a credit voucher

Right
a power or privilege granted by the law

Seal
a marking placed on a written contract to express serious intent

Security deposit
(commonly called a damage deposit): an amount of money left by a tenant with a landlord at the beginning of a tenancy to cover any amounts owing when the tenancy ends

Simple contract
any contract-implied, oral, or written, that is not under seal

Specialty contract
an agreement signed and placed under seal

Statute
a law passed by a government

Strikes
are work stoppages of employees, caused by the refusal of employees to perform work, usually in response to employee grievances.

Sublet
as a tenant, to rent a property (or part of it) to a third party who will pay rent to you

Substantive law
the body of law concerned with rights and obligations - for example, what are the legal rights and obligations in the legal system when a person is accused of murder?

Tenant
a person who rents, rather than owns, the home in which he or she lives

The Rule of Law
a concept that implies that everyone should be able to know what the law requires and that the law should apply equally to everyone. The rule of law expresses our belief that no one is above the law, and that those who make and enforce the law must do so in a way that is fair to everyone.

Tort
a civil wrong other than a breach of contract

Treaties
legal agreements between the Canadian government and First Nations people

Warranty
a promise by a manufacturer or retailer that goods being sold meet a certain standard

Workers' Compensation
a system whereby benefits are paid to workers injured on the job or suffering health problems related to the workplace

Wrongful dismissal
the termination of employment by an employer either without just cause or without giving reasonable notice



© 2018 ADLC, a subsidiary of The Board of Trustees of Pembina Hills Regional Division No. 7. All rights reserved.