Gale Encyclopedia Of American Law 3Rd Edition Volume 14 P22 pps

Riot: Ariotisadisturbanceofthepeacebyseveralpersons, assembled and acting with a common intent in executing a lawful or unlawful enterprise in a violent and turbulent manner. Riparian rights: The rights, which belong to landowners through whose property a natural watercourse runs, to the benefit of such stream for all purposes to which it can be applied. Ripeness: Ripeness is the mandate contained in Article III of the Constitution that requires an appellate court to consider whether a case has matured into a controversy worthy of adjudication before it can hear the case. Risk: The potential danger that threatens to harm or destroy an object, event, or person. Risk arbitrage: The purchase of stock in a corporation that appears to be the target of an imminent takeover in the hope of making large profits if the takeover occurs. Robbery: The taking of money or goods in the possession of another, from his or her perso n or immediate presence, by force or intimidation. Roe: A fictitious surname used for a n unknown or anonymous p erson or for a hypothetical person in an illustration. Roll: A record of the proceedings of a court or public office. Royalty: Compensation for the use of property, usually copyrighted works, patented inventions, or natural resources, expressed as a percentage of receipts from using the property or as a payment for each unit produced. Rubric of a statute: The title of a statute indicating the objective of the legislation a nd providing a means of interpreting the body of the act. Rule: An established standard, guide, or regulation governing conduct, procedure, or action. Rule against accumulations: A principle that prohibits adding income or interest earned by a trust back into the principal of the fund beyond the time allowed by the RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES. Rule against perpetuities: Under the COMMON LAW, the principle that no interest in property is valid unless it vests not later than 21 years, plus the period of gestation, after some life or lives in being which exist at the tim e of the creation of t he interest. Rule in Shel ley’scase: An English common-law doctrine that provided that a conveyance that attempts to give a person a life estate, with a remainder to that person’s heirs, will instead give both the life estate and the remainder to the person, thus giving that person the land in fee simple absolute (full ownership without restriction). Rule of 78: A method of computing refunds of unearned finance charges on early payment of a loan so that the refund is proportional to the monthly unpaid balance, also known colloquially as the “sum of the digits method. ” Rule of law: The rule of law is rule according to law; rule under law; or rule according to a higher law. Rules of war: A body o f customs, practices, usages, conventions, protocols, treaties, laws, and other norms that govern the commencement, conduct, and termination of hostilities between belligerent states or parties. Ruling: A judicial or administrative interpretation of a provision of a statute, order, regulation, or ordinance. The judicial determination of matters before the court such as the admissibility of GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS RULING 197 evidence or the granting of a motion, which is an application for an order. The outcome of a court’s decision. Run: To have legal validity in a prescribed territory; as in, the writ (a court order) runs throughout the county. To have applicability or legal effect during a prescribed period of time; as in, the STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS has run against the claim. To follow or accompany; to be attached to another thing in pursuing a prescribed course or direction; as in, the COVENANT (a written promise or restriction) runs with the land. Running wit h the l and: Passing with a transfer of the property. A provision in a deed by which the person to whom the land is transferred agrees to maintain a fence is an example of a COVENANT that runs wi th the land. S corporation: A type of corporation that is taxed under subchapter S of the INTERNAL REVENUE CODE (26 U.S.C .A . § 1 et seq.). Sabotage: The willful destruction or impairment of, or defective production of, war material or national defense material, or harm to war premises or war utilities. During a labor dispute, the willful and malicious destruction of an employer’s property or interference with his normal operations. Said: Mentioned earlier. Frequently used i n contracts and other legal documents, with the same force as aforesaid. Sailor: A sailor is a person who navigates ships or assists in the conduct, maintenance, or service of ships. Sales l aw: The law relating to the transfer of ownership of property from one person to another for value, w hich is codified in Article 2 of the UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE (UCC), a body of law governing mercantile transactions adopted in whole or in part by the states. Sales tax: A state or local-level tax on the retail sale of specified property or services. It is a percentage of the cost of such. Generally, the purchaser pays the tax but the seller collects it as an agent for the government. Various taxing jurisdictions allow exemptions for purchases o f specified items, including certain foods, services, and manufacturing equipment. If the purchaser and seller are in different states, a use tax usually applies. Salvage: The portion of goods or property that has been sav ed or remains after some type o f casualty, such as a fire. Same evidence test: A method used by courts to assess whether a criminal prosecution is barred by th e DOUBLE JEOPARDY CLAUSE of the FIFTH AMENDMENT to the U.S Constitution, which guarantees that no individual shall “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” Under this test, if the evidence required to support a conviction in one crime also would have supported a conviction in another, then do uble jeopardy exists. San Francisco Vigilance Committees of 1851 and 1856: The San Francisco Vigilance Committees of 1851 and 1856 were self-appointed law enforcement committees organized to maintain order in San Francisco, California, during the mid-nineteenth century. Sanction: To assent, concur, confirm, approve, or ratify. The part of a law that is designed to secure enforcement b y imposing a penalty for violation of the law or offering a reward for its S GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 198 RUN DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS observance. A punitive act taken by one nation against another nation that has violated a treaty or INTERNATIONAL LAW. Sanity: Reasonable understanding; sound mind; possessing mental faculties that are capable of distinguishing right from wrong so as to bear legal responsibility for one’sactions. Satisfaction: The discharge of an obligation by paying a party what is due—as on a mortgage, lien, or contract—or by paying what is awarded to a person by the judgment of a court or otherwise. An entry made on the record, by which a party in whose favor a judgment was rendered declares that she has been satisfied and paid. The fulfillment of a gift by will, whereby the testator—one who dies leav ing a will—makes an inter vivos gift, one which is made while the testator is a live to take effect while the testator is living, to the beneficiary with the intent that it be in lieu of the gift by will. In EQUITY, something given either in whole or in part as a substitute or equivalent for something else. Save: To except, reserve, or exempt; as where a statute saves vested—fixed—rights. To toll, or suspend the running or operation of; as, to save the STATUTE O F LI MIT AT IONS . Savings and loan as sociation : A savings and loan association is a financial institution owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its services. The primary purpose of the savings and loan association is making loans to its members, usually for the purchase of real estate or homes. Savings clause: In a statute, an exception of a special item out of the general things mentioned in the statute. A restriction in a repealing act, which is intended to save rights, while proceedings are p ending, from the obliteration that would result from an unrestricted repeal. The provision in a statute, sometimes referred to as the severability clause, that rescues the balance of the statute from a declaration of unconstitutionality if one or more parts are invalidated. With respect to existing rights, a saving clause enables the repealed law to continue in force. Scab: A pejorative term used colloquially in reference to a nonunion worker who takes the place of a union employee on strike or who w orks for wages and other conditions that are inferior to those guaranteed to a union member by virtue of the union contract; also known as a strikebreaker. School desegregation: The attempt to end the practice of separating children of different races into distinct public schools. Schools and school districts: A school district encompasses a specific geographical area with defined boundaries. In most areas, the head of the school district is called the superintendent. Each school district contains at least one school. Typically, a school district includes primary schools, also called grade schools, middle or junior high schools, and high schools. A school district’sboundariesmaybethesameastheboundariesofacity.Multipleschooldistrictsmay exist within larger cities, and in rural areas a school district may encompass several towns. Scienter: [Latin, Knowingly.] Guilty knowledge that is sufficient to charge a person with the consequences of his or her acts. Scientific evidence: Evidence presented i n court that is produced from scientific tests or studies. Scintilla: A glimmer; a spark; the slightest particle or trace. Scire facias: [Latin, Made known.] A judicial writ requiring a defendant to appear in court and prove why an existing judgment should not be executed against him or her. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS SCIRE FACIAS 199 Scope of employment: Activities of an employee that are in furtherance of duties that are owed to an employer and where the employer is, or could be, exercising some control, directly or indirectly, over the activities of the employee. Scorched-earth plan: A slang expression for a defensive tactic used by an unwilling corporate takeover target to make itself less attractive to a buyer. Seal: To close records by any type of fastening that must be b roken before access can be obtained. An impression upon wax, wafer, or some other substance capable of being impressed. Seal of the United States: The official die or signet, which has a r aised emblem and is used by federal officials on documents of importance. Sealed verdict: A d ecision reached by the jury when the court is not in session, which is placed in a closed envelope by the jurors, who then separate. Search and s eizure : A hunt by law enforcement officials for property or communications believed to be evidence of crime, and the act of taking possession of this property. In international law, the right of ships of war, as regulated by treaties, to examine a merchant vessel during war in order to determine whether t he ship or its cargo is liable to seizure. Search warrant: A search warrant is a court order authorizing the examination of a place for the purpose of discovering contraband, stolen property, or evidence of guilt to be used in the prosecution of a criminal action. Seasonable: Within a reasonable time; timely. Seat belts: A restraining device used to secure passengers in motorized vehicles. SEC: An abbreviation for the SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. Secession: The act of withdrawing from m embership in a group. Second look doctrine: In the law of future interests, a rule that provides that even though the validity of interests created by the exercise of a power of appointment is ordinarily measured from the date the power is created, not from its exercise, the facts existing on the date of its exercise can be considered in order to determine if the RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES has been violated. Secondary authority: Sources of information that describe or interpret the law, such as legal treatises, law review articles, and other scholarly legal writings, cited by lawyers to p ersuade a court to reach a particular decision in a case, but which the court is not obligated to follow. Secondary boycott: Agroup’s refusal to work for, purchase from, or handle the products of a business with which the group has no dispute. Secondary evidence: A reproduction of, or substitute for, an original document or item of proof that is offered to establish a particular issue in a legal action. Secondary meaning: A doctrine of trademark law that provides that protection is afforded to the user of an otherwise unprotectable mark when the mark, through advertising or other exposure, has come to signify that an item is produced or sponsored by that user. Section: The distinct and numbered subdivisions in legal codes, statutes, and textbooks. In the law of real property, a parcel of land equal in area to one square mile, or 640 acres. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 200 SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS Secure: To assure the payment of a debt or the performance of an obligation; to provide security. Secured creditor: A category of favored creditor who holds some special legal assurance of payment of a debt owed to him or her, such as a type of mortgage or lien, as the result of a specific agreement to that effect. The secured creditor, as distinguished from an unsecured creditor, holds an advantage known as a “security interest,” which it can assert in order to claim p ayment as needed. The collateral tends to be valued at an amount sufficient to cover the debt, should collection ultimately become necessary. Secured t ransactions: Secured transactions are business dealings that grant a creditor a right in property owned or held by a debtor to assure the payment of a debt or the performance of some obligation. Securities: Securities are evidence of a corporation’s debts or property. Security: Protection; assurance; indemnification. Security deposit: Money aside from the payment of rent that a landlord requires a tenant to pay to be kept separately in a fund for use should the tenant cause damage to the premises or otherwise violate terms of the lease. Sedition: A revolt or an incitement to revolt against established authority, usually in the form of treason or defamation against government. Seditious libel: Written or spoken words, pictures, signs, or other forms of communication that tend to defame, discredit, criticize, impugn, embarrass, challenge, or question the government, its policies, or its o fficials; speech that advocates the overthrow of the government by force or violence or that incites people to change the government by unlawful means. Seduction: The act by which a man or woman entices a man or woman to have unlawful sexual relations with him or her by means of persuasions, solicitations, promises, or bribes wi thout theuseofphysicalforceorviolence. Segregation: Segregation is the act or process of separating a race, class, or ethnic group from a society’s general population. Seizure: Forcible possession; a grasping, snatching, or putting in possession. Selective prosecution: Criminal prosecution based on an unjustifiable standard such as race, religion, or other arbitrary classifi cation. Selectman or selectwoman: A term for a municipal officer elected by a town in the New England states, often analogous to a city council member in a larger municipality. Self-dealing: The conduct of a trustee, an attorney, or other fiduciary that consists of taking advantage of his or her position in a transaction and acting for his or her own interests rather than for the interests of the beneficiaries of the trust or the interests of his or her clients. Self-defense: The protection of one’s person or property against some injury attempted by another. Self-determination: The political right of the majority to the exercise of p ower within the boundaries of a generally accepted political unit, area, or territory. Also the right of parties to a disagreement to set their own mutual course for resolution. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS SELF-DETERMINATION 201 Self-executing: Anything (e.g., a document or legislation) that is effective immediately and without the need of intervening court action, ancillary legislation, or other type of implementing action. Self-executing treaty: A compact between two nations that is effective immediately without the need for ancillary legislation. Self-help: Redressing or preventing wrongs by one’sownaction WITHOUT RECOURSE to legal proceedings. Self-incrimination: Giving testimony in a trial or other legal proceeding that could subject one to criminal prosecution. Senate : The Senate is the upper chamber, or smaller branch, of th e U.S. Congress. The word also refers to the upper chamber of the legislature of most of the states. Senior citizens: Elderly persons, usually more than 60 or 65 years of age. Senior interest: A right that takes effect prior to others or has preference over others. Seniority: Precedence or preference in position over others similarly situated. As used, for example, with reference to job seniority, the worker with the most years of service is first promoted within a range of jobs subject to seniority and is the last laid off, proceeding so down the line to the youngest in point of service. The term may also refer to the priority of a lien or encumbrance. Sentencing: The post-conviction stage of the criminal justice process, in which the defendant is brought before the court f or the imposi tion of a penalty. Separate but equal: The doctrine first enunciated by the U.S. Supreme Court in PLESSY V. FERGUSON, 163 U.S. 537, 16 S. Ct. 1138, 41 L. Ed. 256 (1896), to the effect that establishing different facilities for blacks and whites was valid under the EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE of the FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT as long as they were equal. Separate maintenance: A decree or judgment, after a specifically filed action, that requires one spouse to provide financially for the other while they are living apart, under the terms of a separation agreement. The spouses remain legally married and thus not yet eligible for remarriage. The rules vary from state to state, and some states, such as Michigan, provide for this type of action in lieu of a separation action. Separation: Aterminationof COHABITATION of HUSBAND AND WIFE either by mutual agreement or, in the cas e o f ju dicial separati on, under the decree of a court. Separation of powers: The division of state and federal government into three independent branches. Sequestratio n: In the context of trials, the isolation of a jury from the public, or the separation of witnesses to ensure the integrity of testimony. I n other legal contexts the seizure o f property or the freezing of assets by court order. Seriatim: [Latin, Severally; separately; individually; one by one.] Serjeant at law: In English LEGAL HISTORY, an elite order of attorneys who had the exclu sive privilege of arguing before the Court of Common Pleas and also supplied the judges for both Common Pleas and the Court of the King’s Bench. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 202 SELF-EXECUTING DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS Service: The delivery of a legal document that notifies the recipient of the commencement of a legal action or proceeding in which he or she is involved. Service mark: A TRADEMARK that is used in connection with services. Service of process: Delivery of a writ, summons, or other legal papers to the person required to respond to them. Servitude: The state of a person who voluntarily undertakes the role of being a servant to another or who is involuntarily forced to be a servant to another; in property law, a charge or b urden resting upon one estate for the benefit or advantage of another. Session: The sitting of a court, legislature, council, or commission for the transaction of its proper business. Set-off: A demand made by the defendant against the plaintiff that is based on some transaction or occurrence other than the one that gave the plaintiff grounds to sue. Set aside: To cancel, annul, or revoke a judgment or order. Set down: Tolistacaseinacourtcalendarordocketfortrial or hearing during a particular term. Setback: A distance from a curb, property line, or structure within which building is prohibited. Settle: To agree, to approve, to arrange, to ascertain, to liquidate, or to reach an agreement. Settlement: The a ct of adjusting or determining the dealingsordisputesbetweenpersonswithout pursuing the matter through a trial. Settlement statement: A breakdown of costs involved in a real estate sale. Settlor: One who establishes a trust—a right of property, r eal or personal—held and administered by a trustee—often chosen by the settlor—for the benefit of another. Severable: That which is capable of being separated from other things to which it is joined and maintaining nonetheless a complete and independent existence. Several: Separate; individual; independent. Severalty ownership: Sole proprietorship of property; individu al dominion. Severance: The act of dividing, or the state of being divided. Sex discrimination: Discrimination on the basis of gender. Sex offenses: A class of sexual conduct prohibited by the law. Sexual abuse: Illegal sex acts performed against a minor by a parent, guardian, relative, or acquaintance. Sexual harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment. Sham: False; without substance. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS SHAM 203 Share: A portion or part of something that may be divided into components, such as a sum of money. A unit of stock that represents ownership in a corporation. Shelter: A tax shelter refers to any method used by an individual or entity to reduce taxable income and thus reduce the amount of taxes paid to a state or federal government. Shepardizing : A term used i n the legal profession to describe the process o f using a citator to discover the history of a case or statute to determine whether it is still good law. Shepard’s® Citations: A set of volumes published primarily for use by judges when they are in the process of writing judicial decisions and by lawyers when they are preparing briefs, or memoranda of law, that contain a record of the status of cases or statutes. Sheriff : Usually the chief peace officer of a county. Sheriff ’s deed: A document giving ownership rights in property to a buyer at a sheriff’ssale (a sale held by a sheriff to pay a court judgment against the owner of the property). A deed givenatasheriff’s sale in foreclo sure of a mortgage. The giving of said deed begins a STATUTORY REDEMPTION period. Shield laws: Statutes affording a privilege to journalists to not disclose in legal proceedings confidential information o r sources of information obtained in their professional capacities. They restrict or prohibit the use of certain evidence in sexual offense cases, such as evidence regarding the lack of chastity of the victim. Shifting the burden of proof: The process of transferring the obligation to affirmatively p rove a fact in controversy or an issue brought during a lawsuit from one party in a legal controversy to the other party. Shipping law: Shipping law covers the area of maritime law that i s concerned with ships and the individuals employed in or around them, as well as the shipment of goods by merchant vessels. Shock-the-conscience test: A d etermination of whether a state agent’s actions fall outside the standards of civilized decency. Shop-book rule: A doctrine that allows the admission into evidence of books that consist of original entries made in the normal course of a business, which are introduced to the court from proper custody upon general authentication. Shop steward: A LABOR UNION official elected to represent members in a plant or particular department. The shop steward’s duties include collection of dues, recruitment of new members, and initial negotiations for settlement of grievances. Shoplifting: Theft of merchandise from a store or business establishment. Short cause : A legal matter that will not take up a significant amount of the time of the court and may be entered on the list of short causes upon application of one of the p arties, where it will be dealt with more expediently than it would be in its r egular order. Short sal e: A method of gaining profit from an anticipated decline in the price of an asset. Show cause: An order by a court that requires a party to appear and to provide reasons why a particular thing should not be performed or allowed and mandates such party to meet the PRIMA FAC IE case set forth in the complaint or AFFIDAVIT of the applicant. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 204 SHARE DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS Show cause order: A court order, made upon the motion of an applicant, that requires a party to appear and provide reasons why the court should not perform or not allow a particular action and mandates this party to meet the PRIMA FACIE case set forth in the complaint or AFFIDAVIT of the applicant. Show-up: The live presentation of a criminal suspect to a victim or witness of a crime. Sic: Latin, In such manner; so; thus. Sight draft: A COMMERCIAL PAPER that is payable upon presentment. Signature: Amarkorsignmadebyanindividualonaninstrumentordocumenttosignify knowledge, approval, acceptance, or obligation. Simple: Unmixed; not aggravated or compoun ded. Simultaneous death: Loss of life by two or more individuals concurrently or pursuant to circumstances that render it impossible to ascertain who predeceased whom. Sine die: [Latin, Without day.] Without day; without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing. Sine qua non: [Latin, Without which not.] A description of a requisite or condition that is indispensable. Single name paper: Atypeof COMMERCIAL PAPER, such as a check or promissory note that has only one original signer or more than one maker signing for the exact same purpose. Single name partnership: A business arrangement whereby two or more individuals, the partners, unite their skill, capital, and work in exchange for a proportional allocation of the profits and losses incurred but who engage in business under one name rather than the names of all the partners. Sit: To hold court or perform an act that is judicial in nature; to hold a session, such as of a court, GRAND JURY,orlegislativebody. Situs: [Latin, Situation; location.] The place where a particular event occurs or where particular property is situated. It is relevant to issues of jurisdiction and local prope rty tax as well as choice of law and venue. S.J.D.: An abbreviation for doctor of judicial science, a d egree awarded to highly qualified individuals who have successfully completed a pr escribed course of legal doctorate study after having earned J.D. and LL.M. degrees. Slating: The procedure by which law enforcement officials record on the blotter i nformation about an individual’s arrest and charges, together with identification and facts about his or her background. Slavery: A civil relationship in which one person has absolute power over the life, fortune, and liberty of another. Slip decision: A copy of a judgment by the U.S. Supreme Court or other tribunal that is printed and distributed almost immediately subsequent to the time that it is handed down by the court. Slip law: A copy of a bill that is passed by a state legislature and endorsed by the governor, or passed by Congress and signed by the president, and is p rinted and distributed almost immediately. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS SLIP LAW 205 Small bu siness : A type of enterprise that is independently owned and operated, has few employees, does a small amount of business, and is not predominant in its area of operation. A sole proprietor-owned small business features the smallest number of regulations compared to other types of businesses, but the owner is p ersonally liable for the legal and financial issues that might come about, as opposed to corporations, where personal assets have some protections in place. Small claims cour t: The small claims court is a special court, sometimes called conciliation court, that provides expeditious, informal, and inexpensive adjudication of small claims. Smart money: Vindictive, punitive, or exemplary damages given by way of punishment and example, in cases of gross misconduct of a defendant. Smuggling: Smuggling is the criminal offense of bringing i nto, or removing from, a country thoseitemsthatareprohibitedoruponwhichcustomsorexcisedutieshavenotbeenpaid. Social security: A federal program designed to provide benefits to employees and their dependants through income for retirement, disability, and other purposes. The social security program is funded through a federal tax levied on employers and employees equally. Socialism: An economic and social theory that seeks to m axim ize wealth and opportunity for all people through public ownership and control of industries and social services. Sodomy: Anal or oral intercourse between human beings, or any sexual relations between a human being and an animal, the act of which may be punishable as a criminal offense. Software: Intangible PERSONAL PROPERTY consisting of mathematical codes, programs, routines, and other functions that controls the functioning and operation of a computer’shardware. Sole proprietorship: A form of business in which one person owns all the assets of the business, in contrast to others, such as a partnership or a corporation. Solicitation: U rgent request, plea, or entreaty; enticing, asking. The criminal offense of urging someone to commit an unlawful act. Solicitor: The title of the chief law officer of a government body or department, such as a city, town, or MUNICIPAL CORPORATION. Solicitor general: An officer of the U.S. Department of Justice who represents the federal government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Solvency: The ability of an individual to pay his or her debts as they mature in the normal and ordinary course of business, or the financial condition o f owning property of sufficient value to discharge all of one’sdebts. Son of Sam laws: Laws that enable a state to use the proceeds that a criminal earns from recounting his or her crime in a book, m ovie, television show, or other depiction. The laws are named after David Berkowitz, a New York City serial killer who left a note signed “Son of Sam” atthesceneofoneofhiscrimes. Sovereign immunity: The l egal protection that prevents a sovereign state or person from being sued without consent. Sovereignty: The supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power by which an independent state is governed and from which all specific political powers are derived; the intentional GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 206 SMALL BUSINESS DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS . ratify. The part of a law that is designed to secure enforcement b y imposing a penalty for violation of the law or offering a reward for its S GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 198. textbooks. In the law of real property, a parcel of land equal in area to one square mile, or 640 acres. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION 200 SCOPE OF EMPLOYMENT DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS Secure:. against him or her. GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAW, 3RD E DITION DICTIONARY OF LEGAL TERMS SCIRE FACIAS 199 Scope of employment: Activities of an employee that are in furtherance of duties that