Garnishment: The seizing of a person's property, credit or salary, on the basis of a law which allows it, and for the purposes of paying off a debt. See the complete Legal Definition of Garnishment

Gavel: A wooden mallet used by a judge to bring proceedings to a start or to an end or to command attention in his or her court. See the complete Legal Definition of Gavel

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): Multilateral international treaty first created in 1947 and frequently amended (most recently in 1994) to which 125 countries subscribe. See the complete Legal Definition of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

General Counsel: The senior lawyer of a corporation. See the complete Legal Definition of General Counsel

Gift Over: To provide for the gift of property to a second recipient if a certain event occurs, such as the death of the first recipient. See the complete Legal Definition of Gift Over

Goodwill: An intangible business asset which includes a cultivated reputation and consequential attraction and confidence of repeat customers and connections. See the complete Legal Definition of Goodwill

Grand Jury: An American criminal justice procedure whereby, in each court district, a group of 16-23 citizens hold an inquiry on criminal complaints brought by the prosecutor and decide if a trial is warranted, in which case an indictment is issued. See the complete Legal Definition of Grand Jury

Gross Negligence: An action or an omission in reckless disregard of the consequences to the safety or property of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Gross Negligence

Guarantor: A person who pledges payment or performance of a contract of another, but separately, as part of an independently contract with the obligee of the original contract. See the complete Legal Definition of Guarantor

Guardian: An individual who, by legal appointment or by the effect of a written law, is given custody of both the property and the person of one who is unable to manage their own affairs, such as a child or mentally-disabled person. See the complete Legal Definition of Guardian

Guardian Ad Litem: A guardian appointed to direct litigation on behalf and in the interests of a person otherwise incapable of managing their affairs. See the complete Legal Definition of Guardian Ad Litem

Genocide: Systematic killing of persons because of their ethnicity. See the complete Legal Definition of Genocide

Guarantee or Guaranty: A back-up debtor who steps in if the primary debtor defaults. See the complete Legal Definition of Guarantee or Guaranty

Guillotine: A machine designed to inflict capital punishment by dropping a blade onto the neck, thus quickly severing of the head from the body. See the complete Legal Definition of Guillotine

Gift: A transfer of property with nothing given in return. See the complete Legal Definition of Gift

Gerrymander: The intentional setting of electoral boundaries taking into account traditional voting patterns, so as to attempt to influence the taking of an elected office. See the complete Legal Definition of Gerrymander

Golden Rule: A rule of statutory or legal document interpretation which allows a shift from the ordinary sense of as word(s) if the overall content of the document demands it. See the complete Legal Definition of Golden Rule

Government: Organization of law-making and law enforcement; the form and institutions by which law and order are developed and maintained in a society. See the complete Legal Definition of Government

Grossly Unfair: Manifestly unfair; clearly more than merely unfair; disproportionately unfair. See the complete Legal Definition of Grossly Unfair

General Deterrence: A sentencing objective which aims to discourage persons other than the offender, from committing a similar offence. See the complete Legal Definition of General Deterrence

General Average: A principle of maritime law where in the event of emergency, if cargo is jettisoned or expenses incurred, the loss is shared proportionately by all parties with a financial interest in the voyage. See the complete Legal Definition of General Average

General Partner: The individual in a limited liability partnership business structure, who oversees the management of the business, and who is personally exposed to the debts of the business. See the complete Legal Definition of General Partner

God: Supreme being. See the complete Legal Definition of God

Goods: A chattel which is, generally, subject to sale. See the complete Legal Definition of Goods

Grievance: A claim by a union or a unionized employee that a collective bargaining agreement has been breached. See the complete Legal Definition of Grievance

Grievance Arbitration: The resolution of a dispute as to an alleged violation of a term of a collective bargaining agreement, by arbitration. See the complete Legal Definition of Grievance Arbitration

Guardianship: The office or duty of one who legally has the care and management of the person, or the estate, or both, of a child. See the complete Legal Definition of Guardianship

Gravamen: The material part or essence of a charge, grievance or complaint. See the complete Legal Definition of Gravamen

Grand-Father Clause: A provisions in law or a contract which exempts persons already engaging in the activity which the law or contract prohibits, from adverse results from the law or contract. See the complete Legal Definition of Grand-Father Clause

Ghostwriting: When a lawyer is hired to draft an official court document on behalf of a self-represented litigant. See the complete Legal Definition of Ghostwriting

Ghost Surgery: When surgery is performed by an unauthorized substitute surgeon. See the complete Legal Definition of Ghost Surgery

Guardian of the Estate: A person who is appointed to manage the property and financial affairs of an incapable individual. See the complete Legal Definition of Guardian of the Estate

Guardian of the Person: A person appointed to manage the health and well-being of another. See the complete Legal Definition of Guardian of the Person

Global Deterioration Scale: A psychiatric tool charting stages of dementia. See the complete Legal Definition of Global Deterioration Scale