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friv·o·lous /'fri-və-ləs/ adj: lacking in any arguable basis or merit in either law or fact◇ In an attempt to discourage frivolous lawsuits, Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires the signature of an attorney or party on any pleading, motion, or other paper to certify that to the signer's knowledge it is grounded in fact and warranted by law or otherwise brought in good faith and not for an improper purpose. A court is authorized to impose sanctions for violation of the rule.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
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I
adjective
childish, flighty, flimsy, flippant, giddy, immaterial, inanis, insignificant, levis, light, light-minded, meaningless, minor, nugax, of little weight, of no account, paltry, petty, senseless, shallow, silly, slight, superficial, trifling, trivial, unimportant, unserious, unworthy of serious notice, worthless
associated concepts: frivolous answer, frivolous appeal, frivolous cause of action, frivolous claims, frivolous pleading
II
index
capricious, inconsequential, irresolute, irresponsible, jocular, nonessential, nugatory, petty, superficial, trivial, undependable, untrustworthy
Burton's Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006
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adj.Unimportant; not serious; lacking in substance; presenting no legitimate legal question.
The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008.
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In a legal context, a lawsuit, motion, or appeal that lacks any basis and is intended to harass, delay, or embarrass the opposition. This can result in a successful claim by the other party for the costs of defense, including attorney's fees. Judges are reluctant to find an action frivolous, based on the desire not to discourage people from using the courts to resolve disputes.Category: Small Claims Court & Lawsuits
Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. Gerald N. Hill, Kathleen Thompson Hill. 2009.
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adj. Of a claim or assertion in litigation, that it lacks merit or substance; often a pejorative term, implying bad faith or negligence by the pleading party.
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
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Of minimal importance; legally worthless.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
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Of minimal importance; legally worthless.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.
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adj.referring to a legal move in a lawsuit clearly intended merely to harass, delay or embarrass the opposition. Frivolous acts can include filing the lawsuit itself, a baseless motion for a legal ruling, an answer of a defendant to a complaint which does not deny, contest, prove or controvert anything, or an appeal which contains not a single arguable basis (by any stretch of the imagination) for the appeal. A frivolous lawsuit, motion or appeal can result in a successful claim by the other party for payment by the frivolous suer of their attorneys' fees for defending the case. Judges are reluctant to find an action frivolous, based on the desire not to discourage people from using the courts to resolve disputes.
Law dictionary. EdwART. 2013.
