Legal Dictionary - S

Service of process: The delivering of writs, summonses, and subpoenas by delivering them to the party named in the document.

Settlement: An agreement stipulated between the parties to reconcile a dispute.

Standing: The legal right to bring a lawsuit. As a general rule, only a person with something at stake has standing to bring a lawsuit.

Stare decisis: The legal doctrine providing that courts should adhere to the legal principles established by courts deciding similar cases in the past.

Statute: A legislative enactment; it may be a single act of a legislature or a body of acts which are collected and arranged for a session of a legislature.

Statute of frauds: A statutory requirement that certain contracts are in writing.

Statute of limitations: A statutory requirement establishing the period of time in which a lawsuit must be filed.

Subpoena: A legal document served upon a person to compel them to produce evidence in their possession or to appear at a deposition or proceeding.