Answers to Your Most Common Legal Questions

In Civil Law, an “answer” is the first formal response given by the defense to a complaint filed with the court by the plaintiff.

In the U.S., “intervention” is a Civil Law procedure where someone not currently part of a case can join the case to make sure their interests get fairly represented.

In Civil Law, negligence refers to any failure to exercise reasonable care in one’s actions, resulting in injury or damage to another person or party.

In law, “damages” refers to the sum of money or other payments required to restore justice and make things right or whole again when a harm has been done.

In trucking, the “cab” or “cabin” is the driver compartment of the truck or tractor. The cab of the truck is the area of the vehicle where the driver sits. It comes from the word cabriolet.

GVWR means Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and refers to the maximum allowable weight a vehicle has been engineered by manufacturers to safely carry.

A commercial driver’s license (CDL) allows a tested and approved driver to operate certain types of motor vehicles including 18-wheeler trucks, tour buses, school buses, tanker vehicles and vehicles transporting hazardous materials.

A contingency fee is a payment to an attorney for legal representation and services that depends on money damages being recovered. It's the popular “No win, No fee” model.

A deadhead truck has a trailer attached but carries no freight. Deadheading means driving a cargo carrying truck (semi-truck) pulling an empty trailer.

In Civil Law, a “complaint” is the very first formal action taken to officially begin a lawsuit. This written document contains the allegations against the defense, the specific laws violated, the facts that led to the dispute, and any demands made by the plaintiff to restore justice.

In trucking, a “reefer” is a refrigerated trailer that gets attached to a semi-truck in order to transport perishables and other temperature-sensitive goods.

In U.S. Law, “subpoena” from the Latin term meaning “under penalty,” is a written document and command from the courts requiring a person to take a certain action like appearing as a witness or handing over a piece of evidence.

In law, an affidavit is a written statement of facts by someone who has sworn to tell the truth, signed in the presence of a notary public or other legal authority, and can be used as evidence in the courts.

A bobtail truck does not have a trailer attached. Bobtailing, by definition, means driving a cargo-carrying truck (semi-truck) without a trailer. Bobtailing often happens when a contracted truck driver is first sent out from dispatch to their pick up site.

The definition of “discovery” in law is the exchange of legal information and known facts of a case.

The generic trademark name for a compression release engine brake, a Jake Brake is most commonly used in large diesel engines on semi-trucks.

In Civil Law, Settlement refers to the legal agreement adopted by opposing parties before or during court proceedings, spelling out the negotiated terms and obligations that all will accept to officially end a dispute. Most civil cases are decided not by trial, but by settlement.