Legal Definitions - declination

Definition: Declination refers to a deviation from the proper course, an act of refusal, or a document filed by a fiduciary who chooses not to serve. It can also refer to a plea to the court's jurisdiction by reason of the judge's personal interest in the lawsuit.

• When a soldier disobeys orders, they are guilty of declination of duty.
• If someone offers you a gift and you say no, that is an example of declination of a gift.
• When a trustee decides not to serve, they file a document called a declination.
• In some cases, a judge may have a personal interest in a lawsuit, and a declination can be filed to request a different judge.

These examples illustrate how declination can refer to different types of deviations or refusals. It can be a failure to fulfill a duty, a rejection of a gift or offer, or a decision not to serve as a fiduciary. In the legal context, it can also refer to a plea to avoid a conflict of interest.