Legal Definitions - Severance

Definition: Severance in a legal context means:

• Concerning civil procedure, the separation by the court of multiple claims to try each in a separate action, as in severance of actions or severance of claims.
• Concerning criminal procedure, the separation of criminal charges or defendants for trial.
• Concerning labor law, a severance pay.

For example, if a plaintiff files a lawsuit with multiple claims, the court may decide to sever the claims and try each one separately. This can happen if the claims are unrelated or if trying them together would be too complicated.

In criminal cases, severance may occur if there are multiple defendants or charges. The court may decide to separate the defendants or charges to ensure a fair trial for each individual.

Finally, in labor law, severance pay refers to the compensation an employee receives when they are laid off or terminated from their job. This pay is meant to help the employee transition to a new job or cover their expenses until they find new employment.

Overall, severance refers to the separation or division of legal claims, charges, or compensation in various legal contexts.