Legal Definitions - in terrorem

Term: in terrorem
Definition: In terrorem means to threaten someone in order to scare them. It is often used as a warning to prevent someone from doing something. For example, a demand letter may be sent in terrorem to warn someone that they will be sued if they do not comply with certain demands. However, the person sending the letter may not actually intend to sue. The purpose of the letter is to scare the recipient into complying with the demands.
Example: The landlord sent a notice in terrorem to the tenant, warning them that they would be evicted if they did not pay their rent on time. The purpose of the notice was to scare the tenant into paying their rent on time, even though the landlord may not have actually intended to evict them.