legally
Within the rules
Legally means in accordance with the law or from a legal perspective.
Something legally required is mandated by law; something legally permitted is allowed by it.
The word often distinguishes formal legal status from practical reality: Legally, they're still married, but they haven't spoken in years.
It can also mark the threshold of lawfulness: She's legally an adult now.
Enacted written rule
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- codifiedMade into systematic rules
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
ordinance · permissible · lawful · licit · admissible · governance · bylaw · decree
Granted leave to proceed
- licensedGranted official permission
- certifiedOfficially declared valid
- sanctionedFormally approved or penalized
- approvedOfficially accepted or permitted
endorsed · validated · empowered · commissioned · entitled · warranted · chartered · ratified
Judicial proceedings chamber
- verdictOfficial court decision
- judgeOne who decides
- juryLegal decision-making body
- trialJudicial examination of claims
sentencing · adjudication · litigation · prosecution · defendant · plaintiff · attorney · testimony
Enforceable written agreement
- agreementShared position between parties
- enforceableAble to be upheld
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- validLegally or logically sound
deed · covenant · stipulation · clause · terms · conditions · witness · signature
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- amendmentChange to official text
- entitlementsLegally guaranteed benefits
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
civil · inalienable · equality · citizenship · protection · due process · discrimination · advocacy
statute
Enacted written rule
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- codifiedMade into systematic rules
legislation · ordinance · permissible · lawful · licit · admissible · governance · bylaw · decree · code
permitted
Granted leave to proceed
- licensedGranted official permission
- certifiedOfficially declared valid
- sanctionedFormally approved or penalized
approved · endorsed · validated · empowered · commissioned · entitled · warranted · chartered · ratified · granted
courtroom
Judicial proceedings chamber
trial · sentencing · adjudication · litigation · prosecution · defendant · plaintiff · attorney · testimony · ruling
contract
Enforceable written agreement
- agreementShared position between parties
- enforceableAble to be upheld
- obligationRequired task or commitment
valid · deed · covenant · stipulation · clause · terms · conditions · witness · signature · notarized
constitution
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- amendmentChange to official text
- entitlementsLegally guaranteed benefits
- freedomAbsence of constraint
liberty · civil · inalienable · equality · citizenship · protection · due process · discrimination · advocacy · representation
- legitimacyvalidity, lawfulness, lawful, licit, rightfulness
legallyillegally
Contrary to law
unlawfully · illicitly · lawlessly · criminally · against the law
legallycorruptly
In a venal manner
wrongfully · immorally · unethically · dishonorably · underhandedly
legallyunauthorized
Not officially permitted
illegitimately · unsanctioned · improperly · unofficially · clandestinely
- legal separationFormal marital split, not dissolution
- legal ageStatutory adulthood threshold
- legal precedentsPrior rulings guiding courts
- legal padRuled yellow stationery sheets
- legal actionFormal court proceeding
- legal nameOfficial designation on records
legal, illegal, legalize, legalized, illegally, legality, legalization, illegality, legalizing