Form Law and Legal Definition
Form is the external shape or structure of something, as distinguished from its substance or matter. For example, courts are generally less concerned about defects in form than defects in substance.
It also refers to an established behavior or procedure, generally, according to a custom or rule. For example, the prosecutor followed the established form in her closing argument
The term form can be used for a model or a sample. For example, attorneys often draft pleadings by using a form instead of starting from scratch. Generally, the customary methods of drafting legal documents are with fixed words, phrases, and sentences.
Form is also a legal document with blank spaces to be filled in by the drafter. For example, the divorce lawyer used printed forms that a secretary could fill in.
Legal Definition list
Related Legal Terms
- 1040 Form
- Absent Uniformed Services Voter
- Access to Classified Information (Military)
- Adequate Information
- ADV Form
- Against the Form of the Statute
- Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998
- Amendment of Information
- American Federation of Information Processing Societies
- American Standard Code for Information Interchange
