Glossary of Tort Law Terms

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Legal Glossaries Index

Valid Claim: A grievance that can be resolved by legal action.

Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.

Verdict: The formal decision issued by a jury on the issues of fact that were presented at trial.

Vested Right: An absolute right. When a retirement plan is fully vested, the employee has an absolute right to the entire amount of money in the account.

Vicarious Liability: When one person is liable for the negligent actions of another person, even though the first person was not directly responsible for the injury.

Voir Dire: The process by which judges and lawyers select a petit jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."