Legal Definitions - good cause

Definition: A legally sufficient reason.

Example: In employment-termination cases, an employee may claim breach of the terms of an employment contract providing that discharge will be only for just cause. Just cause is a creature of contract. By operation of law, an employment contract for a definite term may not be terminated without cause before the expiration of the term, unless the contract provides otherwise.

Explanation: Good cause is a term used to describe a legally acceptable reason for taking a particular action. In the example given, an employee may only be terminated for just cause if the employment contract specifies this. This means that the employer must have a legally sufficient reason for terminating the employee, such as poor performance or misconduct. Without good cause, the termination would be considered wrongful and the employee may have grounds for legal action.