Legal Definitions - return

Definition: Return refers to the act of bringing back an instrument to the court that issued it. It can also refer to an official report of voting results or the yield or profit on an investment.

• A sheriff's return of citation to the court.
• A return of nulla bona, which is a court officer's endorsement on an instrument brought back to the court, reporting what the officer did or found.
• Filing a tax return before April 15.
• Election returns, which are official reports of voting results.
• The return on an investment, which is the profit or yield earned.

These examples illustrate the different meanings of the term "return." The first two examples refer to the legal context of returning an instrument to the court. The third example refers to filing a tax return, which is a document that reports income and taxes owed to the government. The fourth example refers to election returns, which are official reports of voting results. The fifth example refers to the return on an investment, which is the profit or yield earned.