The Aguilar-Spinelli test is a legal standard used in the United States to evaluate the validity of a search warrant based on information provided by an informant. It stems from two U.S. Supreme Court cases: Aguilar v.

707(b) action is defined in Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy code as a motion by the court, the United States trustee, the trustee, the administrator, or any party in interest to

A fortiori refers to an argument based on an even stronger previous argument. In Latin, the term literally means ‘from [the] stronger.’ 

The argument implies that if the first is true, the second is even more likely to be true.

A priori refers to an assertion based on prior knowledge or intuition. In Latin, the term literally means “from what is earlier.” An a priori determination is formed before investigation. For example, assuming that the road will be wet when it stops raining a minute before would be a priori reasoning.   

A priori is the opposite of a posteriori, or after-the-fact knowledge.

• Latin terms

A.K.A. is the abbreviation of “also known as.” It is often used to specify a party’s aliases or nicknames in a case.

[Last reviewed in November of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]

Ab initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fact existed from the start of a relevant time period. It is often used as part of the phrase “void ab initio,” meaning something - such as a marriage - was void from the beginning.

[Last reviewed in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]

ABA is an abbreviation for American Bar Association (ABA).

[Last reviewed in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]

Abandon refers to the act of abandonment. A party can “abandon” in multiple fields of law and abandoning generally, though not always, involves voluntarily giving up a right.

See abandonment for more information. 

[Last reviewed in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]

Abandoned property is personal property that was left by an owner who intentionally relinquishes all rights to its control.  Real property may not be abandoned (see also adverse possession).

• property law
• personal property

To abate means to eliminate or to nullify. 

This verb usually arises in the context of abatement.

[Last reviewed in October of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]