Fair Use: The use of a portion of copyrighted
material in a way that does not infringe the owner's
rights. The use of a portion of material for educational
purposes, literary criticism or news reporting is often
considered a fair use.
Fault Auto Insurance System: Refers to a
system in which the party that bears the blame (fault)
for an accident is liable for any damages.
Fiduciary Duty: An obligation to act in the
best interest of another party. For instance, a
corporation's board member has a fiduciary duty to the
shareholders, a trustee has a fiduciary duty to the
trust's beneficiaries, and an attorney has a fiduciary
duty to a client.
File: To place a paper in the official custody
of the clerk of court to enter into the files or records
of a case.
Fixtures: All things that are attached to
property, such as ceiling lights, awnings, window shades
and doorknobs. Fixtures are automatically included in a
sale, unless specifically mentioned in the contract as
going to the seller.
Foreseeability: A key issue in determining a
person's liability. If a defendant could not reasonably
have foreseen that someone might be hurt by his or her
actions, then there may be no liability.
