Here you’ll find 74 Legal terms that start with P, organized alphabetically. They run from “Parens patriae” to “Writ of prohibition” and cover common procedural, doctrinal, and statutory terms.
Legal terms that start with P are specialized words and phrases used in statutes, cases, and legal practice. Many have Latin roots, such as “parens patriae,” reflecting long legal traditions.
Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, Etymology, Jurisdiction, and Notes.
Term: The legal word or phrase; you can scan it to find entries quickly and confirm spelling.
Definition: A concise legal meaning in one or two sentences, helping you grasp the term’s practical use.
Etymology: Brief origin info shows linguistic roots and historical context, which aids understanding of legal concepts.
Jurisdiction: Notes where a term is mainly used so you know whether it applies to your legal system.
Notes: Additional details, common variants, or important caveats that help you interpret and apply the term.
Legal terms that start with P
| Term | Part of Speech | Jurisdiction/Usage | Etymology/Origin | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Old French, plaintif (medieval) | The party who initiates a civil suit by filing a complaint seeking relief from a court. |
| Precedent | noun | Common law (US, UK, Commonwealth) | Latin, praecedere (classical) | A prior judicial decision that guides future cases with similar facts or legal issues under stare decisis. |
| Preemption | noun | US federal law | Latin, praeemptionem (classical) | Doctrine where federal law overrides or displaces conflicting state law under the Supremacy Clause. |
| Prima facie | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “at first appearance” | A case showing sufficient evidence on its face to establish a fact or sustain a claim unless rebutted. |
| Probable cause | phrase | Common law (US) | Legal Latin/English (early modern) | Reasonable grounds required for police to make an arrest, obtain a warrant, or search property. |
| Probation | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, probatio / probare (classical) | Court-ordered supervision of an offender instead of or following imprisonment, often with conditions. |
| Probate | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, probare (classical) | Judicial process for proving a will’s validity and administering a deceased person’s estate. |
| Property | noun | Common law / Civil law | Latin, proprietas (classical) | Legal rights in things, including ownership, use, and transfer of real and personal property. |
| Possession | noun | Common law / Civil law | Latin, possessio (classical) | Physical control or occupancy of property, often relevant to ownership and criminal offenses. |
| Power of attorney | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Law French/Latin (medieval) | A legal instrument authorizing one person to act on another’s behalf in specified matters. |
| Perjury | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, periurium (classical) | Criminal offense of knowingly making false statements under oath in judicial or official proceedings. |
| Patent | noun | Common law / International | Old French, patent (medieval) | Government-granted right giving an inventor exclusive rights to make, use, or sell an invention for a limited time. |
| Partnership | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Old French, partenaire (medieval) | Business relationship where two or more persons carry on a trade with shared profits, duties, and liabilities. |
| Parol evidence rule | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | French, parol “word” (medieval) | Rule excluding extrinsic evidence that contradicts or varies a fully integrated written agreement. |
| Plea | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Old French, plaider (medieval) | Formal statement by a defendant in criminal court admitting guilt, denying it, or asserting other defenses. |
| Plea bargain | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Agreement in criminal cases where defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge or receives a reduced sentence. |
| Petit jury | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Old French, petit “small” (medieval) | Trial jury that hears evidence and renders a verdict in civil or criminal trials. |
| Per curiam | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “by the court” | Short court opinion issued collectively without a named author, often for unanimous decisions. |
| Parens patriae | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “parent of the nation” | Doctrine allowing the state to act as guardian for those unable to care for themselves, like minors or incapacitated persons. |
| Public policy | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (17th century) | Legal principle limiting enforcement of private contracts or actions that contradict societal interests or morals. |
| Public nuisance | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin/Old French (medieval) | Conduct that unreasonably interferes with rights common to the public, remedied by authorities or private suit in some systems. |
| Private nuisance | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin/Old French (medieval) | Interference with an individual’s use or enjoyment of land, typically actionable in tort law. |
| Punitive damages | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, punire (classical) | Monetary awards intended to punish defendant and deter similar conduct, above compensatory damages. |
| Pecuniary | adjective | Common law / Civil law | Latin, pecunia “money” (classical) | Relating to or measured in money; often used to describe damages or losses. |
| Privity | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, privatus / Old French (medieval) | Legal relationship between parties that allows them to enforce contractual rights or duties against each other. |
| Probative | adjective | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, probare (classical) | Having the quality or tendency to prove a fact; relevant and useful as evidence. |
| Procedural due process | phrase | US constitutional law | English (20th century) | Constitutional guarantee that the government must follow fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. |
| Procedural law | noun | General (common/civil law) | Latin/English (medieval/modern) | Rules governing the process and methods for enforcing substantive rights in courts. |
| Pro se | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “for oneself” | Acting as one’s own legal representative without counsel in a legal proceeding. |
| Pro bono | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “for good” | Legal services provided voluntarily and free of charge to those unable to pay. |
| Promissory estoppel | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English / Old French (19th century doctrine) | Equitable doctrine preventing a promisor from reneging when the promisee reasonably relied to their detriment. |
| Promissory note | noun | Common law / Commercial law | Latin/Old French (medieval) | Written, signed promise to pay a specified sum to a payee at a stated time or on demand. |
| Promise | noun | Common law / Civil law | Latin, promissum (classical) | Commitment by one person to another, foundational to contract formation when consideration and intent exist. |
| Property law | phrase | General (common/civil law) | Latin, proprietas (classical) | Area of law governing ownership, use, transfer, and rights in real and personal property. |
| Public international law | phrase | International | Latin/English (modern) | Body of rules governing relations among sovereign states and international organizations. |
| Patent infringement | phrase | Common law / International | Old French/Latin roots (medieval/classical) | Unauthorized making, using, or selling of a patented invention, actionable in civil court. |
| Parole | noun | Common law (US, UK) | French, parole “word” (medieval) | Conditional release of a prisoner before sentence completion, subject to supervision and conditions. |
| Per stirpes | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “by the roots” | Method of distributing an estate so descendants take by branch if an ancestor predeceased the decedent. |
| Per capita | phrase | Common law / Civil law | Latin, “by heads” | Distribution method allocating shares equally to surviving individuals rather than by family branches. |
| Per diem | phrase | Common law / Administrative | Latin, “per day” | Daily allowance often paid for expenses like travel; used in contracts and statutes. |
| Per se | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “by itself” | Legal rule treating certain facts as inherently unlawful or sufficient without further proof. |
| Petit larceny | noun | US common law (some states) | Old French, petit “small” | Historically minor theft offense distinguished from grand larceny; still used in some jurisdictions. |
| Pleading | noun | Common law (US, UK) | Old French, plaider (medieval) | Formal written statements by parties stating claims or defenses in litigation. |
| Preponderance of the evidence | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Civil standard of proof meaning more likely than not (greater than 50% likelihood). |
| Prescription | noun | Civil law / Common law | Latin, praescriptio (classical) | Time limit for bringing claims (statute of limitations) or acquisition of rights by long use. |
| Presumption | noun | Common law / Civil law | Latin, praesumptio (classical) | Legal inference that a fact is true unless disproved by evidence. |
| Pretrial | adjective | Common law (US, UK) | English (modern) | Events, motions, or conferences held before a full trial to manage or resolve issues. |
| With prejudice | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English/Latin (modern) | Dismissal that bars refiling the same claim; contrasts with dismissal “without prejudice.” |
| Prejudgment interest | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Interest awarded on damages from the time loss was incurred until judgment, compensating delay. |
| Preliminary injunction | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (modern) | Temporary court order to maintain status quo pending trial on the merits. |
| Pendente lite | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, “pending the litigation” | Temporary measures (e.g., support or custody) ordered while a case is ongoing. |
| Patentability | noun | Common law / International | Latin/Old French roots (classical/medieval) | Criteria that determine whether an invention qualifies for patent protection, like novelty and non-obviousness. |
| Pro rata | phrase | Common law / Commercial | Latin, “in proportion” | Allocation of rights, liabilities, or payments proportionally among entitled parties. |
| Provisional remedy | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (modern) | Temporary court-ordered relief (e.g., attachment, injunction) to protect rights before final judgment. |
| Writ of prohibition | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin, prohibere (classical) | Judicial writ commanding a lower court to stop acting beyond its jurisdiction. |
| Proprietary estoppel | phrase | Common law (UK, Commonwealth) | English (doctrine) | Equitable doctrine preventing a landowner from denying rights when another relied on assurances to their detriment. |
| Public defender | noun | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Attorney employed or appointed by the state to represent indigent criminal defendants. |
| Public trust doctrine | phrase | Common law / Civil law influences | Latin/English (ancient/modern) | Principle that certain natural resources are preserved for public use and government must protect them. |
| Purchase-money mortgage | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (modern) | Mortgage taken to finance purchase of property, often giving lender priority over other creditors. |
| Peace bond | noun | Common law (Canada, UK) | English (modern) | Court order requiring an individual to keep the peace and report to authorities, often with surety conditions. |
| Penal code | noun | Civil law / Common law countries | Latin, poena “punishment” (classical) | Statutory compilation of criminal offenses and penalties within a jurisdiction. |
| Peonage | noun | US common law / historical | Spanish, peón (colonial) | System of forced labor or debt servitude, now illegal and condemned by human-rights law. |
| Power of appointment | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (trusts/wills usage) | Grant in a will or trust allowing a beneficiary to designate who receives certain property. |
| Power of sale | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | English (mortgage practice) | Clause allowing a mortgagee to sell property to satisfy debt without court foreclosure. |
| Paternity | noun | Common law / Family law | Latin, pater “father” (classical) | Legal recognition of who is a child’s father, affecting custody, support, and inheritance rights. |
| Postconviction relief | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Legal procedures (e.g., appeals, habeas corpus) for challenging a criminal conviction after judgment. |
| Prenuptial agreement | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin prae + nuptialis (medieval/modern) | Contract made before marriage setting out property and support arrangements in case of divorce. |
| Postnuptial agreement | phrase | Common law (US, UK) | Latin post + nuptialis (modern) | Agreement made after marriage adjusting financial rights and obligations between spouses. |
| Proprietor | noun | Common law / Commercial | Latin, proprietas (classical) | Person or entity owning or having legal title to property or a business. |
| Probable cause affidavit | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Sworn statement presenting facts supporting a neutral magistrate’s finding of probable cause for a warrant. |
| Pretrial diversion | phrase | Common law (US) | English (modern) | Program redirecting certain defendants away from prosecution in exchange for conditions like counseling. |
| Public domain | noun | Common law / Intellectual property | Latin/Old French (medieval) | Works or property not protected by intellectual-property law and free for public use. |
| Private equity | noun | Commercial law / Finance | English (modern) | Investment in nonpublic companies, subject to contract, securities, and corporate regulations. |
| Patent prosecution | phrase | Common law / International | English (modern) | Administrative process of obtaining patent rights from patent offices on behalf of an applicant. |
Descriptions
Plaintiff
Precedent
Preemption
Prima facie
Probable cause
Probation
Probate
Property
Possession
Power of attorney
Perjury
Patent
Partnership
Parol evidence rule
Plea
Plea bargain
Petit jury
Per curiam
Parens patriae
Public policy
Public nuisance
Private nuisance
Punitive damages
Pecuniary
Privity
Probative
Procedural due process
Procedural law
Pro se
Pro bono
Promissory estoppel
Promissory note
Promise
Property law
Public international law
Patent infringement
Parole
Per stirpes
Per capita
Per diem
Per se
Petit larceny
Pleading
Preponderance of the evidence
Prescription
Presumption
Pretrial
With prejudice
Prejudgment interest
Preliminary injunction
Pendente lite
Patentability
Pro rata
Provisional remedy
Writ of prohibition
Proprietary estoppel
Public defender
Public trust doctrine
Purchase-money mortgage
Peace bond
Penal code
Peonage
Power of appointment
Power of sale
Paternity
Postconviction relief
Prenuptial agreement
Postnuptial agreement
Proprietor
Probable cause affidavit
Pretrial diversion
Public domain
Private equity
Patent prosecution