Legal Definitions - rescue

Definition: The act of saving or freeing someone from danger or captivity. It can also refer to the unlawful freeing of a person from arrest or imprisonment, or the retaking of goods that have been lawfully distrained.

Examples:

• Firefighters rescued the family from the burning building.
• The police conducted a rescue mission to save the hostages.
• The kidnappers were arrested for the unlawful rescue of their accomplice.
• The farmer conducted a rescue of his cattle that were being taken away by the authorities.

The examples illustrate the different contexts in which the term "rescue" can be used. In the first two examples, rescue refers to saving people from danger or captivity, which is the most common usage of the term. The third example shows how rescue can also refer to the unlawful freeing of a person from arrest or imprisonment. The fourth example illustrates how rescue can also refer to the retaking of goods that have been lawfully distrained.