Ottawa County Legal Self-Help Center

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L

LAND CONTRACT
An agreement for the sale of land by a payment plan over time.
LANDLORD
The owner of real property (land/building) (also called the lessor) who rents it out to a tenant (also called the lessee).
LARCENY
A kind of theft; the taking and keeping someone else's property forever, or at least without planning on returning it.
LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK ("LEIN Network)
A computer database that law enforcement agencies use. It has information about driving records, car/truck registration, personal protection orders (PPO) outstanding arrest warrants, pretrial release conditions in criminal cases, and criminal convictions.
LAWSUIT
A legal dispute brought to a court. A "lawsuit" is also referred to as an "action," "case," "cause of action," or "cause."
LAWYER
An attorney.
LEASE
A contract or agreement to rent property for a specific time. It forms the relationship of landlord and tenant (or lessor and lessee).
LEGAL CUSTODY
A parent's right and responsibility to make decisions about a child's health, education, and care. There are two types of legal custody: joint legal custody, when both parents have the right to make major decisions and sole legal custody, when only one parent has the right to make major decisions.
LEGAL PARENT
A person who the law considers to be the parent of a child.
LEGAL SEPARATION
When spouses or domestic partners end their relationship, but stay legally married and get court orders on parenting and money issues.
LEGACY
The name of a gift of personal property left by will. It is now called a "devise" under Michigan's new law. See MCL 700.4(1).
LEGALLY INCAPACITATED PERSON ("LIP")
By law, an adult who, because of mental illness, mental disability, physical illness or disability, the ongoing use of drugs or alcohol, cannot understand, make, or communicate good decisions about his or her life. See MCL 700.8(2). The old name: legally incompetent person.
LEGATEE
A person who receives property under a will. This person is now called a "devisee" under Michigan law.
LESSEE
The person who rents property under a lease, also called the tenant.
LESSOR
The person who owns the property and rents it out under a lease to the lessee/tenant, also called the landlord.
LETTERS OF CONSERVATORSHIP
The court paper that states that the conservator may act for the benefit of the "conservatee" (the person who needs help with taking care of their money and preoprty. Also called "letters."
LIEN
A claim against property to secure a debt or other obligation used to make sure the money gets paid. If someone owes you money, a court may order a lien against their property. When the property is sold, the money from the sale is first used to pay off the debt; the owner/seller gets what is left after the debt is paid.
LIMITED CONSERVATORSHIP
A conservatorship for developmentally disabled adults.
LIMITED GUARDIAN
By law, a guardian for a minor or legally incapacitated person whose powers over the person have been limited by a court's order. See MCL 700.424a (minors), 700.444 (legally incapacitated persons).
LIS PENDENS
A notice filed with the County's register of deeds that warns people that there is a court case involving the land or real property, and that they may have to obey the judge's order about the property. See MCL 600.2701 et seq.
LITIGANT
A party to a lawsuit.
LITIGATION
The process of resolving a dispute in court; a court case.