This list includes 100 Legal terms that start with R, from “RICO” to “Rules of evidence”. These entries cover common, exam-relevant, and practice-oriented terms used in statutes, court opinions, and legal research.
Legal terms that start with R are concise labels for legal concepts, remedies, and procedures you encounter in law. Many entries, like “RICO”, have shaped major litigation and public policy debates.
Below you’ll find the table with Term, Definition, Etymology, Jurisdiction, Example, and Source.
Term: The legal word or phrase; you can scan this column to find entries quickly and match terminology you’re studying.
Definition: A concise, one- or two-sentence legal explanation that helps you understand usage and core meaning in context.
Etymology: A brief note on linguistic origin or root, giving historical context that clarifies the term’s development.
Jurisdiction: Indicates where the term is commonly used, so you know whether it applies in your legal system.
Example: A short citation or practical instance showing the term in use, helping you apply or recognize it.
Source: Notes the primary reference or authority for the definition, guiding your further reading when you need verification.
Legal terms that start with R
| Term | Area of law | Meaning (15 words max) | Etymology (15 words max) | Description (max 50 words) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remedy | Civil, equitable, procedure | Court-ordered relief for a legal wrong or breach. | Latin remedium, Old French, medieval usage. | Legal means to enforce a right or redress a wrong, including damages, injunctions, specific performance (Black’s). Jurisdictional forms vary (US, UK). |
| Res judicata | Civil procedure | Claim preclusion preventing relitigation of a decided claim. | Latin “res judicata” — “thing adjudicated”, longstanding. | Doctrine barring parties from relitigating matters decided by a valid final judgment (Black’s). Widely applied in common-law jurisdictions (US, UK, CA). |
| Res ipsa loquitur | Tort, evidence | Negligence inferred from accident’s nature without direct evidence. | Latin “the thing speaks for itself”; old common law. | Permits jury inference of negligence when event ordinarily does not occur without negligence (Black’s). Usage varies by jurisdiction (US, UK). |
| Res | Property, civil | A thing or object; property subject to rights or claims. | Latin “res” meaning “thing”; classical usage. | Generic legal term for property or subject matter of litigation (Black’s). Common in property, trusts, and procedural contexts. |
| Real property | Property | Land and anything permanently attached to it. | Latin realis “relating to things”; medieval law. | Legal term for land interests as distinct from personal property; includes buildings and fixtures (Black’s). Jurisdictional rules for transfer and ownership vary. |
| Real covenant | Property | A covenant concerning land that binds successors in title. | English common-law origin; “real” from Latin realis. | A covenant running with the land imposing obligations or restrictions on successors (Black’s). Common in property law (US, UK). |
| Restrictive covenant | Property, employment | Contractual promise limiting land use or employment competition. | Restrictive + covenant (Old French/Latin roots). | Agreements restricting use of land or activity (e.g., noncompete clauses); enforceability varies by jurisdiction (Black’s). |
| Restraint of trade | Competition, contract | Agreement or act that limits free commerce or competition. | English legal phrase from common law era. | Doctrine addressing agreements that unreasonably restrict commerce; subject to antitrust or common-law analysis (Black’s, US/UK). |
| Rescission | Contract, equity | Cancellation of a contract returning parties to prior positions. | Latin rescindere “to cut back”; medieval law. | Equitable or statutory remedy undoing contracts for mistake, misrepresentation, or illegality (Black’s). Statutes may grant specific rescission rights (US, UK). |
| Reformation | Contract, equity | Court correction of a written instrument to reflect true agreement. | Latin reformare “to form again”. | Equitable remedy rewriting an instrument to reflect parties’ intent when document mistakes occur (Black’s). Used in contract law (US, UK). |
| Release | Contract, tort | Agreement where claimant relinquishes legal claims or rights. | Old French relesser; medieval use. | Contractual waiver by which a claimant gives up rights to sue or enforce claims (Black’s). Enforceability depends on scope and public policy. |
| Replevin | Property, civil procedure | Action to recover specific wrongfully taken personal property. | Middle English/Anglo-French replevyn; early common law. | Procedural remedy to regain possession of goods and possibly recover damages (Black’s). Statutory procedures vary (US, UK). |
| Repossession | Secured transactions, property | Recovery of collateral by a secured party after default. | Latin re- + posse “to seize”; modern usage. | Taking back pledged property under security agreement or statute (Black’s). Regulated by default rules and consumer protection laws (US, CA). |
| Remedy in equity | Equitable remedies | Non-monetary relief like injunctions or specific performance. | Equity from Latin aequitas; English courts of equity. | Courts grant equitable remedies when legal damages are inadequate; subject to discretionary principles (Black’s). |
| Remedies | Civil law, procedure | Collective term for means to enforce rights or redress wrongs. | Latin remedium; Old French origin. | Includes legal (damages) and equitable (injunction, specific performance) remedies; selection depends on cause and jurisdiction (Black’s). |
| Remand | Appellate procedure | Send a case back to a lower court for further action. | Old French remander “to send back”. | Appellate court order returning case for additional proceedings or to carry out instructions (Black’s). Common in US and UK appellate practice. |
| Remittitur | Civil procedure | Judicial reduction of a jury’s excessive damages award. | Latin remittere “to send back”; US practice. | Federal and state courts may order remittitur rather than grant a new trial to correct excessive awards (US). |
| Remission | Criminal, administrative | Reduction or cancellation of punishment, penalty, or debt. | Latin remissio “sending back, release”. | Executive or court-ordered reduction or forgiveness of penalty or debt (Black’s). Used in sentencing and fines contexts. |
| Receivership | Corporate, bankruptcy, equity | Court-ordered management of property by a receiver. | From “receive”; English chancery practice. | Appointment of neutral officer to preserve and manage assets pending litigation or insolvency (Black’s). Used in insolvency and enforcement (US, UK). |
| Receiver | Corporate, bankruptcy | Court-appointed person who manages and protects assets. | As above; agent of the court. | Takes custodial control of property under court order; duties and powers defined by appointment order (Black’s). |
| Recusal | Judicial ethics, procedure | Judge or official’s withdrawal due to bias or conflict. | Latin recusare “to refuse”; legal use. | Disqualification of judge or decisionmaker for bias, interest, or appearance thereof (Black’s). Standards vary by jurisdiction (US, UK). |
| Record | Procedure, evidence | Official written account or transcript of proceedings. | Latin recordari “to recall”; medieval use. | Formal documentation of court proceedings, judgments, filings, and evidence (Black’s). Essential for appeals and enforcement. |
| Rebuttal | Evidence, trial practice | Evidence given to contradict opponent’s evidence. | Old French rebuter “to drive back”. | Opportunity to present evidence disputing opponent’s proofs; follows direct and cross-examination phases (Black’s). |
| Rebuttable presumption | Evidence | Assumed fact that can be disproved with contrary evidence. | English common-law phrase; “presumption” Latin praesumptio. | Presumption that shifts burden of production but not ultimate persuasion; disappears when rebutted (Black’s). |
| Reciprocity | International law, procedure | Mutual recognition or enforcement between jurisdictions. | Latin reciprocus “returning the same way”. | Legal principle where one jurisdiction extends privileges or enforcement in return for similar treatment (e.g., enforcement of foreign judgments). |
| Recusal motion | Procedure, judicial ethics | Formal request asking a judge to disqualify themselves. | English legal compound term. | Motion filed asserting grounds for judge’s disqualification; court applies statutory or case law criteria (US, UK). |
| Reconveyance | Property, real estate | Transfer of title back to a prior owner, often after loan payoff. | English legal compound; convey + re-. | Deed or act returning title to borrower upon satisfaction of mortgage or deed of trust (Black’s). |
| Record title | Property | Title appearing in public records as evidence of ownership. | English phrase; “record” + “title”. | Legal ownership as shown by recorded documents; may be challenged by equitable or title issues (Black’s). |
| Recourse | Finance, bankruptcy | Right to seek payment from guarantor or prior obligor. | Latin recours “a running back”. | Right of creditor to pursue another party for unpaid obligation; distinguish limited vs full recourse (Black’s). |
| Recusal guidelines | Judicial ethics | Standards governing when officials must disqualify themselves. | English phrase; compound noun. | Statutory or court rules defining conflicts of interest and disqualification procedures for judges (US, UK). |
| Recharacterization | Tax, bankruptcy | Treating a transaction as a different legal form for tax or insolvency. | English legal use; re- + characterize. | Court or agency treats substance over form to tax or distribute assets differently (e.g., bankruptcy recharacterization of debt/equity). |
| Recidivism | Criminal law | Tendency of a convicted person to reoffend. | Latin recidivus “falling back”; modern penal term. | Used in sentencing and parole to denote prior convictions and risk of repeat offending (US, UK). |
| Recusal affidavit | Procedure, judicial ethics | Sworn statement supporting a judge-disqualification claim. | English phrase; affidavit Latin origin. | Documentary evidence filed to establish grounds for disqualification; evaluated under jurisdictional rules. |
| Reformation | Trusts, wills | (Also) correction of instrument terms to reflect true intent. | Latin reformare; equitable origin. | Courts may reform wills or trusts where mistakes prevent reflecting testator’s intent (Black’s). Jurisdictions vary. |
| Register | Property, records | Official list where legal instruments are recorded. | Latin registrare; medieval administrative term. | Public registry where deeds, patents, or corporate filings are recorded; affects priority and notice (statutes vary). |
| Registration | Administrative, property, IP | Act of recording or giving official notice of rights. | From register; Latin registrare. | Statutory process to record ownership or rights (e.g., land registry, trademarks) creating legal effects and notice (statute references vary). |
| Registration of deeds | Property | Recording conveyances in public land registry for notice. | English phrase; statutory practice. | Public filing of deeds to establish notice, priority, and sometimes title guarantee (statutory regimes differ by jurisdiction). |
| Regulation | Administrative law | Rule issued by executive agencies implementing statutes. | Latin regulare “to direct”; modern administrative law. | Binding agency norm with force of law under enabling statute; subject to judicial review (US APA, EU law). |
| Regulatory taking | Property, constitutional | Government regulation so burdensome it requires compensation. | English compound term; takings jurisprudence. | When regulation deprives landowner of economically viable use, it may be a compensable taking under constitutional law (US Fifth Amendment cases). |
| Regulatory compliance | Administrative, corporate | Adherence to statutory and regulatory requirements. | English phrase; compliance from Latin complere. | Corporate and individual obligation to follow laws and regulations; central to governance and enforcement. |
| Rehire rights | Employment | Legal entitlement to rehiring under specific statutes or contracts. | English phrase; statutory origins in some jurisdictions. | Rights created by statute or contract (e.g., union recall rights) obliging employers to rehire eligible workers. |
| Relief | Civil procedure, equity | Broad term for remedies or court-ordered aid. | Latin relevare “to raise”; legal usage centuries old. | Courts grant relief (damages, injunctions, declaratory judgments) to address legal wrongs; term used across jurisdictions (Black’s). |
| Relief in rem | Admiralty, property | Court action directed against a thing rather than person. | Latin “in rem” meaning “against the thing”. | Proceedings targeting property (e.g., maritime liens) allowing property seizure and adjudication of rights (Black’s). |
| Relief in personam | Civil procedure | Action directed against a person to obtain obligations. | Latin “in personam” meaning “against the person”. | Personal judgments ordering payment or conduct by a specific individual (Black’s). |
| Remainder | Property | Future interest given to a third party after prior estate ends. | Old French remaindre; common-law term. | Nonpossessory future interest that becomes possessory on natural termination of preceding estate (Black’s). |
| Reversion | Property | Future interest returning to grantor after an estate ends. | Latin reverti “to turn back”. | Interest retained by a grantor that becomes possessory upon termination of a prior estate (Black’s). |
| Rent | Property, contract | Payment for temporary use of property or services. | Old French rente; medieval fiscal term. | Periodic payment under lease or tenancy; legal rights and landlord obligations governed by statute and contract. |
| Renter | Property, landlord-tenant | Person who leases property for use in exchange for rent. | English common word with legal tenancy meaning. | Tenant or lessee with rights and duties defined by lease and landlord-tenant law (statutory protections vary). |
| Retainer | Legal practice | Fee paid to secure attorney’s services and availability. | Latin retenere “to hold back”. | Advance payment or agreement engaging counsel; may be refundable or applied to fees (professional rules govern). |
| Return of service | Procedure | Document confirming legal papers were properly served. | English phrase; service process originated in common law. | Filed proof that parties received process, necessary to establish jurisdiction and proceed in litigation (procedural rules). |
| Returnable | Procedure, litigation | Describes a document or writ required to be returned to a court. | English adjective used in court practice. | Often used for writs or summons with specified return dates; usage governed by court rules. |
| Right to counsel | Criminal procedure | Accused’s right to a lawyer during critical stages of prosecution. | English constitutional doctrine; US Sixth Amendment. | Constitutional guarantee (US Sixth Amendment) and similar rights in other systems ensuring legal representation (US, UK interpretations differ). |
| Right to silence | Criminal, constitutional | Accused’s right not to incriminate oneself by speaking. | English common-law and constitutional protection. | Varies by jurisdiction: strong protections in some (UK, US miranda warnings) and different applications elsewhere. |
| Right of appeal | Appellate procedure | Right to seek review of a lower court’s decision. | English legal phrase; longstanding common-law right. | Statutory or constitutional provisions permitting appeal subject to procedural rules and jurisdictional limits. |
| Right of first refusal | Contract, property | Preemptive contractual right to match third-party offer. | English commercial term; equity origins. | Holder may purchase or lease on same terms as third-party offer; enforceability depends on contract specificity. |
| Right to publicity | IP, privacy | Control commercial use of name, image, or persona. | Modern US doctrine; “publicity” legalized late 20th century. | State-law protection preventing unauthorized commercial exploitation of identity; scope varies widely (US states). |
| Right to privacy | Constitutional, tort | Protection against unwarranted public or private intrusion. | Modern legal concept from privacy torts and constitutional law. | Recognized via statutes and case law (e.g., US Fourth Amendment, privacy torts); scope varies by jurisdiction. |
| Riparian rights | Property, water law | Water rights tied to ownership of adjoining land along watercourses. | Latin riparius “of the riverbank”. | Common-law doctrine granting landowners reasonable use of adjacent water subject to others’ rights (US, UK, CA variations). |
| Robbery | Criminal law | Taking property from person by force or threat. | Old English robban; medieval crime statute history. | Specific felony defined by statutes; elements include theft plus force or intimidation (criminal codes, Black’s). |
| Rape | Criminal law | Unlawful sexual penetration without consent. | Old English/Latin roots; crime defined historically. | Elements and statutory definitions vary by jurisdiction; modern statutes focus on consent (criminal codes). |
| Racketeering | Criminal law | Engaging in organized illegal enterprises or schemes. | From “racket” (illegal enterprise); 20th-century usage. | Often prosecuted under RICO statutes for patterns of criminal activity constituting organized crime (Black’s; US statutes). |
| RICO | Criminal, corporate | US federal law combating organized crime and corrupt enterprises. | Acronym: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (1970). | Federal statute (18 U.S.C. § 1961 et seq.) creating civil and criminal remedies for enterprise-based racketeering (US). |
| Ride-along? (skip) | … | … | … | … |
| Riparian | Property, water law | Pertaining to riverbank owners and their associated rights. | Latin riparius “of the riverbank”. | Describes rights, obligations, and doctrines relating to riverside landholders (Black’s). |
| Rule of law | Constitutional, public law | Principle government and officials are bound by law. | English political-legal phrase; Enlightenment-era usage. | Foundational doctrine requiring legal predictability, equality before law, and constraint of arbitrary power (constitutional theory). |
| Rule Against Perpetuities | Property | Common-law rule limiting vesting of future interests beyond lives plus 21 years. | English common-law rule from 17th century. | Prevents remote vesting of interests; many jurisdictions have modified or abolished it (Black’s; statutory reforms). |
| Rule in Shelley’s Case | Property | Common-law rule affecting inheritance and classifying beneficiaries’ interests. | English common-law doctrine from 16th–17th centuries. | Historic rule converting certain contingent remainders into estates in fee; many jurisdictions have abolished or limited it. |
| Rule of lenity | Criminal law | Ambiguity in criminal law resolved in favor of defendant. | English legal maxim; Latin lenitas “mildness”. | Courts construe ambiguous criminal statutes narrowly to avoid unexpected penalties (US and common-law courts). |
| Rulemaking | Administrative law | Process by which agencies create binding rules and regulations. | English modern administrative term. | Includes notice-and-comment procedures, publication, and statutory delegation (US APA, EU directives). |
| Rule nisi | Procedure, equity | A conditional court order requiring a return unless cause shown. | Latin “unless”; historic judicial order. | Order that becomes final unless a party objects; used historically in equitable practice (still used in some jurisdictions). |
| Rule (court rule) | Procedure | Specific procedural or evidentiary regulation promulgated by courts or legislatures. | English legal use; rule from Latin regula. | Formalized rules governing practice (e.g., Rules of Civil Procedure); binding on practitioners and courts. |
| Rules of evidence | Evidence, procedure | Legal standards determining admissibility of proof at trial. | English legal phrase; common-law and statutory sources. | Statutory or common-law rules (e.g., Federal Rules of Evidence) controlling what juries may consider. |
| Remand with instructions | Appellate procedure | Appellate return of case with directions for further action. | English appellate practice phrase. | Commonly issued when appellate court finds error and directs proceedings on remand (US, UK practice). |
| Restatement | Torts, contracts, law | Scholarly statement of common-law principles by American Law Institute. | English institutional term; ALI product. | Authoritative secondary sources synthesizing common law (e.g., Restatement (Second) of Contracts); persuasive in US courts. |
| Restitution | Tort, contract, equity | Return or compensation for unjust enrichment or loss. | Latin restituere “to restore”. | Remedy requiring return of gains obtained unjustly or restoration of losses; available in contract and tort contexts (Black’s). |
| Restorative justice | Criminal, alternative dispute resolution | Approach emphasizing repair and reconciliation rather than punishment. | English modern justice reform term. | Processes involving victims, offenders, and community to address harm and agree on restitution or rehabilitation. |
| Restraining order | Civil procedure, family law | Court order prohibiting specified actions, often for protection. | English phrase; injunctive origin. | Temporary injunction protecting plaintiff from harassment or harm (e.g., domestic violence protective orders) (statutory frameworks vary). |
| Retaliation | Employment, civil rights | Adverse action for asserting legal rights or complaints. | English employment-law term. | Unlawful employer action taken because employee engaged in protected activity (e.g., discrimination complaints); statutory protection exists (US, CA). |
| Returnable warrant | Criminal procedure | Warrant that must be returned to court with execution report. | English criminal procedure phrase. | Documents evidencing execution of arrest/search warrants and compliance with procedural requirements. |
| Replevin bond | Procedure, property | Security posted to pursue replevin action and cover potential damages. | English procedural term. | Bond required in some jurisdictions to protect defendant if claim fails, ensuring damages for wrongful seizure (statute/rules). |
| Reprimand | Professional discipline, employment | Formal censure of misconduct by authority or regulator. | Latin reprimere “to check”; professional usage. | Disciplinary sanction imposing public or private censure on professionals (bar, regulators) without suspension. |
| Revocation | Contract, administrative law | Withdrawal or cancellation of an offer, license, or authority. | Latin revocare “to call back”. | Act of rescinding permission, offer, or power; may be statutory (licenses) or contractual (offers). |
| Reversionary interest | Property | Interest that becomes possessory when a temporary estate ends. | From “reversion”; common-law property term. | Nonpossessory interest retained by grantor, becoming possessory on natural termination of lesser estate (Black’s). |
| Replevin action | Property, civil procedure | Specific suit to recover wrongfully detained personal property. | As “replevin”; historic court action. | Remedy focusing on return of goods plus damages; procedure governed by statute or common law. |
| Recapture tax | Tax law | Tax triggered when previously deferred benefit is regained or sold. | English tax term; recapture = take back. | Common in depreciation/tax credits when sale or change causes tax consequences reversing prior benefits (tax codes). |
| Recharacterize | Bankruptcy, tax | Court reclassifies transaction’s legal nature for legal effect. | English verb; common-law application. | Substance-over-form doctrine allowing courts to treat transactions according to economic realities for insolvency or tax outcomes. |
| Reinstatement | Employment, administrative law | Restoring a person to prior position or status. | English administrative term. | Remedy for wrongful termination or administrative action returning employee or licensee to former role with possible back pay. |
| Replevy | Procedure | To take back goods by posting requisite bond; verb form of replevin. | Anglo-French replevier; medieval law. | Process initiating replevin by seizure of goods subject to posting bond and subsequent litigation (historical and modern practice). |
| Rescue doctrine | Tort | Rule allowing negligent rescuer to recover for injuries while rescuing. | English common-law doctrine; rescue theme. | Permits liability for harm to person who attempts to rescue someone endangered by defendant’s negligence (Black’s). |
| Respondent | Procedure, appellate | Party against whom a petition or appeal is filed. | Latin respondere “to answer”. | Party defending a decision in appellate or petition proceedings; contrasts with appellant or petitioner (procedural use). |
| Respondeat superior | Employment, tort | Doctrine holding employer liable for employee’s torts within scope of employment. | Latin “let the master answer”; classic doctrine. | Employer vicariously liable for employees’ wrongful acts committed in course of employment (Black’s). |
| Restitutionary damages | Equity, contract | Damages measured by defendant’s gain rather than plaintiff’s loss. | English legal term rooted in equity. | Award intended to strip unjust enrichment rather than compensate loss; used in unjust enrichment and contract cases. |
| Restrictive endorsement | Commercial law | Endorsement limiting negotiability or transfer of an instrument. | English commercial phrase. | Endorsement on negotiable instrument restricting further negotiation (e.g., “for deposit only”); governed by negotiable instruments law. |
| Replevin writ | Procedure | Court order authorizing recovery of specific personal property. | Historic procedural writ name. | Issued to recover wrongfully taken goods; modern statutes often replace writ with statutory remedies. |
| Regulatory framework | Administrative law | Structured set of rules and agencies governing regulated activity. | English policy term. | Comprehensive statutes, rules, and enforcement bodies that collectively regulate sectors (banking, environment, securities). |
| Rent control | Property, housing law | Statutory limits on rent increases and tenant protections. | English statutory housing policy term. | Laws capping rent increases and regulating evictions; present in various jurisdictions with differing scopes. |
| Restoration of rights | Criminal, civil | Reinstating rights lost after conviction or sanction. | English legal phrase; statutory processes exist. | May include voting, firearm, or professional license rights restored by pardon, sentence completion, or administrative act. |
| Relator | Qui tam, procedure | Private party who brings suit on behalf of government in whistleblower action. | Latin relatus “one who brings back”. | In whistleblower suits (e.g., False Claims Act), relator sues on government’s behalf and may receive a portion of recovery (statute-based). |
| Reexamination | Patent, IP law | Administrative review of patent validity by patent office. | English administrative term. | Post-grant proceeding allowing patent office to reevaluate a patent’s claims for validity under statutory procedures (US PTO processes). |
| Replevin bond amount | Procedure | Specified security sum posted when initiating replevin action. | English procedural phrase. | Set by statute or court to protect defendant against wrongful seizure; varies by jurisdiction and case value. |
Descriptions
Remedy
Res judicata
Res ipsa loquitur
Res
Real property
Real covenant
Restrictive covenant
Restraint of trade
Rescission
Reformation
Release
Replevin
Repossession
Remedy in equity
Remedies
Remand
Remittitur
Remission
Receivership
Receiver
Recusal
Record
Rebuttal
Rebuttable presumption
Reciprocity
Recusal motion
Reconveyance
Record title
Recourse
Recusal guidelines
Recharacterization
Recidivism
Recusal affidavit
Reformation
Register
Registration
Registration of deeds
Regulation
Regulatory taking
Regulatory compliance
Rehire rights
Relief
Relief in rem
Relief in personam
Remainder
Reversion
Rent
Renter
Retainer
Return of service
Returnable
Right to counsel
Right to silence
Right of appeal
Right of first refusal
Right to publicity
Right to privacy
Riparian rights
Robbery
Rape
Racketeering
RICO
Ride-along? (skip)
Riparian
Rule of law
Rule Against Perpetuities
Rule in Shelley’s Case
Rule of lenity
Rulemaking
Rule nisi
Rule (court rule)
Rules of evidence
Remand with instructions
Restatement
Restitution
Restorative justice
Restraining order
Retaliation
Returnable warrant
Replevin bond
Reprimand
Revocation
Reversionary interest
Replevin action
Recapture tax
Recharacterize
Reinstatement
Replevy
Rescue doctrine
Respondent
Respondeat superior
Restitutionary damages
Restrictive endorsement
Replevin writ
Regulatory framework
Rent control
Restoration of rights
Relator
Reexamination
Replevin bond amount