Legal Definitions - prior

Definition: Prior is an adjective that means something that comes before something else in time or order. It can also mean something that takes precedence over something else. As a noun in criminal law slang, it refers to a previous conviction.

1. The prior agreement between the two companies stated that they would share profits equally.

2. The bank has a prior lien on the property, which means they have the first right to the property if the borrower defaults on the loan.

3. The judge enhanced the defendant's sentence because he had two priors, meaning he had two previous convictions.

The first example illustrates the use of prior as an adjective to describe something that comes before something else in time or order. The second example shows how prior can be used to describe something that takes precedence over something else. The third example demonstrates the use of prior as a noun in criminal law slang to refer to a previous conviction.