Revocable

What revocable means

In short, revocable is a term you will meet in court papers, rules and legal research. The definition above gives its usual meaning in American civil practice. However, the exact meaning can depend on the rule, statute or court decision that uses it. So it helps to read the term in context.

Where revocable comes up

The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.

Read the source: Revocable trust.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if revocable appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read revocable in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

You can read the current federal court rules online for free.

Related legal terms

• Restitution: restoring to a person what was lost, or requiring someone to give up a benefit obtained at another's expense.
• Restraining order: a court order that tells a person to do, or more often not to do, something.
• Retail installment contract: a contract in which a buyer purchases goods — most often a motor vehicle — and agrees to pay the price plus a finance charge in installments over time, while the seller, or a finance company or bank it assigns the contract to, keeps a security interest in the goods until they are paid for.
• Reversible error: a mistake in the trial court serious enough to affect the outcome or a party's substantial rights, so an appellate court may reverse or vacate the decision.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.