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Liabiliy or liabilities?

English translation: liability

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:liabiliy or liabilities?
Selected answer:liability
Entered by: David Russi

15:53 Oct 30, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law (general)
English term or phrase: Liabiliy or liabilities?
Are the following sentences correct and acceptable in English legal writing?

Should liability be in its singular or plural form?

Which verb is more suitable, pursue, claim against, or prosecute? I think "prosecute" might be wrong, as only the judicial departments have the right to prosecute someone.

1. Party A shall have the right to pursue Party B for legal/civil/criminal liability.

2. Party A shall have the right to pursue Party B for legal liabilities.

3. Party A shall have the right to prosecute Party B for civil liability.

4. Party A shall have the right to claim against Party B for criminal liabilities.
dd dd
Local time: 17:28
liability
Explanation:
As for the other issue, I think here the appropriate verb is something along these lines:

sue
take legal action
initiate legal action
Selected response from:

David Russi
United States
Local time: 03:28
Grading comment
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2liability
David Russi
5use liabilities --plural form--
José J. Martínez


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
liabiliy or liabilities?
liability


Explanation:
As for the other issue, I think here the appropriate verb is something along these lines:

sue
take legal action
initiate legal action

David Russi
United States
Local time: 03:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 22
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the advice, David!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ioanna Daskalopoulou: The plural form is generally used in accounting texts
35 mins
  -> Thanks!
neutral  Ken Cox: Agree with the singular and with taking or initiating legal action, but would you say take action *for* liablity or *on the basis of* liablity? In my understanding, liability is the condition that provides the basis for taking legal action (if necessary).
1 hr
  -> Thanks!
agree  BdiL: I think that (like equality or such) liability should be deemed numberless (accounting for a range of crimes) and therefore is relevant in this legal context. In a budget: liabilities as opposed to assets (the "minus" vs the "plus"). Maurice
18 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
liabiliy or liabilities?
use liabilities --plural form--


Explanation:
You will always be on the safe side.

José J. Martínez
United States
Local time: 02:28
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the advice, Jose!

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