Case — in plain language
a legal dispute brought before a court, or the court's written decision about that dispute
From a fixed, curated glossary of 7,257 legal terms. Not legal advice. How it's made: plainlanguage.us/trust
Plain language
a legal dispute brought before a court, or the court's written decision about that dispute
- lawsuit
- legal proceeding
- court case
- judicial decision
What to watch for
- The word 'case' has an everyday meaning (a container or an instance) that is completely different from the legal meaning. Always clarify which meaning applies.
- In legal documents, 'case' can refer to either the lawsuit itself or the court's written decision. The plain-language version must specify which is meant.
- 'As the case may be' and 'in each case' are idiomatic legal phrases meaning 'depending on the situation.' Translating them literally as 'as the case may be' confuses non-lawyers.
- Non-lawyers often think 'having a case' means having a strong argument, but legally it just means having a valid legal dispute worth bringing to court.
Two Meanings, One Word. "Case" has two main legal meanings that are easy to confuse. It can mean the lawsuit itself (the dispute being fought in court) or the court's written decision (what the judge ruled). The plain-language translation should always clarify which meaning is intended.
Idiomatic Phrases in Legal Writing. Phrases like "in each case," "as the case may be," and "in which case" are common in legal documents but don't refer to lawsuits at all. They simply mean "in each situation," "depending on what happens," or "if that happens." These should be translated as straightforward conditional language.
Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.
- "'I have a case' means I have a strong argument." (Legally, it means you have a valid legal dispute worth taking to court.)
- "'Case law' refers to laws passed by legislatures." (No — it refers to written decisions by judges.)
- "A case is always about someone doing something wrong." (No — cases can involve contracts, property rights, family matters, or any legal question.)
Legal definition
A legal dispute that goes to court, or the court's written decision about that dispute. When people say they have a case, they mean they have a legal problem that might need a judge or jury to decide. When lawyers talk about "the case," they usually mean the whole lawsuit including all the facts, arguments, and evidence. A court's decision in a case becomes part of the public record and can be cited in future similar disputes.
Meanings by context
everyday English: This everyday meaning has nothing to do with the legal meaning.
contracts and legal documents: Depending on which situation applies.
Examples
Legal: In each case, the parties shall have thirty days to respond to the motion.
Plain: In each situation, the parties have thirty days to respond to the motion.
Legal: The court's decision in this case establishes precedent for similar disputes.
Plain: The judge's ruling in this lawsuit will be used as an example for deciding similar cases in the future.
Legal: As the case may be, the buyer or seller shall be responsible for closing costs.
Plain: Depending on which situation applies, either the buyer or seller will pay the closing costs.
Where you'll see it
- court filings
- legal correspondence
- news reporting
- appellate briefs
- settlement negotiations
Related terms
- action
- suit
- controversy
- precedent
- docket
Word details
- Pronunciation
- kayse
- Part of speech
- noun
- Origin
- Latin — from 'casus' — fall, accident, event
- Domains
- civil procedure, criminal law, evidence law, appellate practice
- Frequency
- very common
- Formality
- moderate
Have a whole document? Paste it at plainlanguage.us — every legal term explained at once. Free, no signup.
Need this as JSON? The Developer API returns definition cards with exact offsets — $0.0025/operation. → /docs