Thirteenth Amendment

What thirteenth amendment means

Put simply, thirteenth amendment definition is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where thirteenth amendment definition 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: Involuntary servitude, Peonage.

How to research the term

First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses thirteenth amendment definition in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.

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

Related legal terms

• Temporary restraining order: a short-term emergency order to prevent immediate and irreparable harm before a hearing can be held.
• Tender: an unconditional offer to pay or perform what is owed, made with the present ability to do it.
• Tenth Amendment: the final article of the Bill of Rights: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." The Supreme Court relies on it in holding that Congress may not commandeer state legislatures or officers (New York v.
• Testamentary trust: a trust created by a will. It takes effect only after the will-maker dies and the will is admitted to probate, so it does not avoid probate.

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.