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revenue tariff A tariff enacted solely or primarily to raise revenue.

reversal 1. An appellate courts overturning of a lower courts decision. 2. Securities. A change in a securitys near-term market-price trend.

reverse To overturn (a judgment) on appeal. Sometimes, the verb is used without a direct object <We reverse>. The equivalent expression in British English is to allow the appeal.

reverse annuity mortgage See MORTGAGE.

reverse bear hug See BEAR HUG.

reverse bear hug A maneuver by which a takeover target responds to a bidder's offer by showing a will-ingness to negotiate but demanding a much higher price than that offered . This is usu. an antitakeover tactic.

reverse bonus See reverse contingentfee under CONTINGENT FEE.

reverse condemnation See inverse condemnation under CONDEMNATION.

reverse confusion See CONFUSION.

reverse confusion Confusion occurring when consumers are likely to believe mistakenly usu. through Widespread advertising and promotion by the infringing company that the trademark owner's products are actually those of the infringer . Reverse confusion often injures the owner's reputation and goodwill. In an action for reverse confusion, the trademark owner is typically the smaller company.

reverse consensus Intellectual property. In a dispute-settlement procedure under TRIPs, an agreement between the parties that a dispute should not be submitted to a World Trade Organization panel for adjudication. Before TRIPs, any party could delay formation of a WTO panel or adoption of its report by withholding consensus. Under TRIPs, each process is automatic unless all parties agree not to go forward.

reverse contingent fee See CONTINGENT FEE.

reverse discovery See reverse Jencks material under JENCKS MATERIAL.

reverse discovery See reverse Jencks material under JENCKS MATERIAL.

reverse discrimination Preferential treatment of minorities, usu. through affirmative-action programs, in a way that adversely affects members of a majority group. See AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

reverse discrimination See DISCRIMINATION.

reverse doctrine of equivalents The doctrine preventing infringement liability when the invention is substantially described by the claims of another's patent but performs the same or a similar function in a substantially different way.

reverse doctrine of equivalents See DOCTRINE OF EQUIVALENTS.

reverse Erie doctrine 1. The rule that a state court must apply federal law when state law is preempted by federal law or federal law prevails by an Erie-like balancing of the facts in situations not already regulated by Congress or the Constitution. 2. Maritime law. The principle that a state court hearing an admiralty or maritime case must apply federal admiralty law even if that law conflicts with the law of the state. Often shortened to reverse Erie. Also termed converse-Erie doctrine; inverse-Erie doctrine. Cf. ERIE DOCTRINE.

reverse FOIA suit (foy-a). A lawsuit by the owner of a trade secret or other information exempt from disclosure under a freedom-of-information act to prevent a governmental entity from making that information available to the public. See FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

reverse Jencks See reverse Jencks material under JENCKS MATERIAL.

reverse Jencks material Criminal procedure. A defense witnesss written or recorded pretrial statement that a prosecutor is entitled to have in preparing to crossexamine the witness. Reverse Jencks material may be obtained during pretrial discovery. Discoverable statements include a witnesss Signed or adopted written statement, and transcripts or recordings of the witnesss oral statements, including grand-jury testimony. United States v. Nobles, 422 U.S. 225, 231-34,95 S. Ct. 2160, 2166-68 (1975); Fed. R. Crim. P. 26.2. - Also termed reverse Jencks; reverse discovery; reciprocal discovery.

reverse mortgage See reverse annuity mortgage under MORTGAGE.

reverse palming off See PASSING OFF.

reverse passing off See PASSING OFF.

reverse passing off The act or an instance of falsely representing another product as one own in an attempt to deceive potential buyers. Also termed reverse palming off.

reverse spot zoning See ZONING.

reverse stock split See STOCK SPLIT.

reverse stock split A reduction in the number of a corporations shares by calling in all outstanding shares and reissuing fewer shares haVing greater value.

reverse subsidiary merger See reverse triangular merger under MERGER.

reverse transfer statute See TRANSFER STATUTE.

reverse triangular merger See MERGER.

reverse-confusion doctrine The rule that it is unfair competition if the defendants use of a title that is confusingly similar to the one used by the plaintiff leads the public to believe that the plaintiffs work is the same as the defendants, or that it is derived from or associated in some manner with the defendant. Under the conventional passing-off form of unfair competition, similarity of titles leads the public to believe that the defendants work is the same as the plaintiffs work, or is in some manner derived from the plaintiff. But in reverse confusion, the unfair competition results from the confusion created about the origin of the plaintiffs work.

reversecontingent fee A fee in which a defense lawyer's compensation depends in whole or in part on how much money the lawyer saves the client, given the client's potential liability so that the lower the settlement or judgment, the higher the lawyer's fee. For example, if a client might be liable for up to $2 million, and agrees to pay the lawyer 40% of the difference between $1 million and the amount of the settlement or judgment, then a settlement of $800,000 would result in a fee of$80,000 (40% of the $200,000 under the threshold amount of $1 million). Also termed negative contingentfee; defense contingent fee; reverse bonus.

reverse-engineering Intellectual property. The process of discovering how an invention works by inspecting and studying it, esp. by taking it apart in order to learn how it works and how to copy it and improve it. Reverse engineering is a proper means of discovering trade secrets, according to the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, and is a defense against a suit for misappropriation oftrade secrets. But it is not a defense in a suit for patent infringement. - reverse-engineer, vb.

reversible error An error that affects a party's substantive rights or the case's outcome, and thus is grounds for reversal if the party properly objected at trial. - Also termed harmful error; prejudicial error; fatal error.

reversible error See ERROR (2).

reversio (ri-var-shee-oh). [Law Latin]. The returning ofland to the grantor.

reversion 1. The interest that is left after subtracting what the transferor has parted with from what the transferor originally had; specif., a future interest in land arising by operation oflaw whenever an estate owner grants to another a particular estate, such as a life estate or a term of years, but does not dispose of the entire interest. A reversion occurs automatically upon termination of the prior estate, as when a life tenant dies. Also termed reversionary estate; estate in reversion; equitable reversion. 2. Loosely, REMAINDER. Cf. POSSIBILITY OF REVERTER; REMAINDER. reversionary, adj. - revert, vb.

reversionary estate See REVERSION.

reversionary estate See REVERSION.

reversionary interest A future interest left in the transferor or successor in interest. See REVERSION.

reversionary interest See INTEREST (2).

reversionary lease See LEASE.

reversioner 1. One who possesses the reversion to an estate; the grantor or heir in reversion. 2. Broadly, one who has a lawful interest in land but not the present possession of it.

reversor A debtor who secures a debt bv pledging property to a creditor and retaining a right of reversion.

reverter See POSSIBILITY OF REVERTER.

reverter guarantee Real estate. A mortgage clause protecting the mortgagee against a loss occasioned by the occurrence of a terminating event under a possibility of reverter. See POSSIBILITY OF REVERTER.

revest vb. To vest again or anew <revesting of title in the former owner>.

review 1. Consideration, inspection, or reexamination of a subject or thing. 2. Plenary power to direct and instruct an agent or subordinate, including the right to remand, modify, or vacate any action by the agent or subordinate, or to act directly in place of the agent or subordinate <Subject to the Assemblys review, the Council enjoys the same powers of review and delegation as the Assembly.>. review, vb.

review hearing After a finding of child abuse or neglect, a hearing to assess the progress in the case plan. See CASE PLAN.

review hearing See HEARING.

reviewable issue See appealable decision under DECISION.

revised statutes See STATUTE.

revised statutes Laws that have been collected, arranged, and reenacted as a whole by a legislative body. - Abbr. Rev. Stat.; R.S. See CODE (1). Cf. compiled statutes.

revision 1. A reexamination or careful review for correction or improvement. 2. Parliamentary law. A general and thorough rewriting of a governing document, in which the entire document is open to amendment <bylaws revision>. 3. Military law. The reconvening of a general or special court-martial to revise its action or to correct the record because of an improper or inconsistent action concerning the findings or the sentence. A revision can occur only if it will not materially prejudice the accused. 4. An altered version of a work.

revival 1. Restoration to current use or operation; esp., the act of restoring the validity or legal force of an expired contract, an abandoned patent, or a dormant judgment. Also termed (for a dormant judgment) revival ofjudgment. Cf. RENEWAL (2). 2. Wills & estates. The reestablishment of the validity of a revoked will by revoking the will that invalidated the original will or in some other way manifesting the testators intent to be bound by the earlier will. Cf. REPUBLICATION (2). 3. Patents. Renewal of a patent prosecution that has been deemed abandoned because the applicant did not respond to an office action within the statutory period. The applicant can petition for revival on the basis of unavoidable or unintentional delay. 37 CFR § 1.137.

revival statute See STATUTE.

revival statute A law that provides for the renewal of actions, of wills, and of the legal effect of documents. A revival statute cannot resurrect a time-barred criminal prosecution. Stegner v. California, 539 U.S. 607, 123 S.Ct. 2446 (2003).

revivor A proceeding to revive an action ended because of either the death ofone of the parties or some other circumstance.

Revlon duty Delaware law. The obligation of a companys board of directors, upon deciding to sell the company or when the sale of the company becomes inevitable, to act reasonably in seeking out and accepting a transaction that offers the best value to shareholders. This duty was first applied in Revlon v. MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., 506 A.2d 173, 181-82 (Del. 1986).

revocable (rev-a-ka-bal), adj. Capable of being canceled or withdrawn <a revocable transfer>.

revocable guaranty A guaranty that the guarantor may terminate without any other party's consent.

revocable guaranty See GUARANTY.

revocable letter of credit See LETTER OF CREDIT.

revocable trust See TRUST.

revocation (rev-a-kay-shan). 1. An annulment, cancellation, or reversal, usu. of an act or power. 2. Contracts. Withdrawal of an offer by the offeror. Cf. REPUDIATION (2); RESCISSION; REJECTION (1). 3. Wills & estates. Invalidation of a will by the testator, either by destroying the will or by executing a new one. A will, or parts of a will, may be revoked by operation of law. For example, most states have a statute providing for the revocation, upon divorce, of all provisions relating to the testators former spouse. - revoke, vb.

revocation hearing Criminal procedure. A hearing held to determine whether a parolee should be returned to prison for violating the terms of parole.

revocation hearing See HEARING

revocatory action (rev-a-ka-tor-ee or ri-vok-a-tor-ee). Civil law. An action brought by a creditor to annul a contract that has been entered into by the debtor and that will increase the debtors insolvency. La. Civ. Code art. 2036.

revocatur (ree-voh-kay-tar). [Latin]. It is recalled. In former English practice, this was used as a notation on a judgment that was set aside because of a factual error (as opposed to being reversed because of legal error).

revolution An overthrow of a government, usu. resulting in fundamental political change; a successful rebellion. revolutionary, adj. & n. - revolt, vb.

revolver loan See LOAN.

revolving charge account See revolVing credit under CREDIT (4).

revolving charge account See revolving credit under CREDIT (4).

revolving credit A consumer-credit arrangement that allows the borrower to buy goods or secure loans on a continuing basis as long as the outstanding balance does not exceed a specified limit. - Also termed open credit; revolving charge account. Cf. revolver loan under LOAN. 5. LETTER OF CREDIT <the bank issued a credit in favor of the exporter>. 6. A deduction from an amount due; an accounting entry reflecting an addition to revenue or net worth <confirm that the credit was properly applied to my account>. Cf. DEBIT. 7. TAX CREDIT <the $500 credit reduced their income-tax liability by $500>.

revolving credit See CREDIT (4).

revolving fund See FUND (1).

revolving letter of credit See LETTER OF CREDIT.

revolving loan See LOAN.

revolving performance bond See PERFORMANCE BOND.

revolvingfund A fund whose moneys are continually expended and then replenished, such as a petty-cash fund.

revolvingperformance bond A performance bond that is in effect on a continuing basis for the duration of the contract, usu. plus an additional number of days (often 45).

reward 1. Something of value, usu. money, given in return for some service or achievement, such as recovering property or providing information that leads to the capture of a criminal. Cf. BOUNTY (1). 2. SALVAGE (3). reward, vb.

rewritten specification See substitute specification under SPECIFICATION (3).

rex (reks). (usu. cap.) 1. A king. 2. lhe official title of a king. 3. The prosecution side (as representatives of the king) in criminal proceedings in a monarchy. - Abbr. R. Cf. REGINA.

rezone To change the zoning boundaries or restrictions of (an area) <rezone the neighborhood>. See ZONING.

RFA abbr. REQUEST FOR ADMISSION.

RFI abbr. REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS.

RFP abbr. 1. REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION. 2. See REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.

rhadamanthine (rad-a-man-thin), adj. (often cap.) (Of a judge) rigorous and inflexible <the judges rhadamanthine interpretation of procedural requirements makes it essential to study the local rules before appearing in court>.

Rhodian law (roh-dee-an). As legend would have it, the earliest known system or code of maritime law, supposedly dating from 900 B.C. and adopted intact by the Romans. Rhodian law was purportedly developed by the people of the island Rhodes, located in the Aegean Sea and now belonging to Greece. The ancient inhabitants of Rhodes are said to have controlled the seas because of their commercial prosperity and naval superiority. Despite the uncertainties about its history, Rhodian law has often been cited as a source of admiralty and maritime law. A strong tradition says that a maritime code was promulgated by the Island of Rhodes, in the Eastern Mediterra nean, at the height of its power; the ridiculously early date of 900 S.C has even been assigned to this suppositious code ~a date accepted uncritically by some legal scholars. I right, n. (bef. 12c) 1. That which is proper under law, But even the existence of such a code has been pretty well cast in doubt, and we know next to nothing of its contents, if it existed. It is interesting to note, however, that the rootprinciple of the highly distinctive maritime•law system of general average ... is clearly stated in Justinians Digest, and that the Rhodian law is invoked as authority." Grant Gilmore & Charles l. BlackJr., The Law of Admiralty § 1-2, at 3~4 (2d ed. 1975).

RHS abbr. RURAL HOUSING SERVICE.

ribbon-matching rule See MIRROR-IMAGE RULE.

Richard Roe A fictitious name for a male party to a legal proceeding, used because the partys true identity is unknown or because his real name is being withheld; esp., the second of two such parties. Cf. JOHN DOE.

RICO (ree-koh). abbr. RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS ACT.

RICO person Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, any individual or entity capable of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property and posing a continuous threat of engaging in the acts of racketeering.

rider An attachment to some document, such as a legislative bill or an insurance policy, that amends or supplements the document. A rider to a legislative bill often addresses subject matter unrelated to the main purpose of the bill.

rien culp (ryan kalp). [Law French "not guilty"]. A plea of not guilty.

rien dit (ryan dee). [Law French "says nothing"]. A plea of nihil dicit. See NIHIL DICIT.