{"id":361285,"date":"2013-01-28T16:34:14","date_gmt":"2013-01-28T21:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/dictionary\/definition\/free.html"},"modified":"2025-09-19T04:37:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:37:25","slug":"free","status":"publish","type":"dictionary","link":"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/free.html","title":{"rendered":"Free"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

term:<\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n\n
\n

adj<\/p><\/dt>\n

1 a<\/b> :<\/b> having the legal and political rights of a citizen [representatives\u2026shall be determined by adding to the whole number of persons “U.S. Constitution<\/i> art. I”]
\nb<\/b> :<\/b> enjoying civil and political liberty [a people]
\nc<\/b> :<\/b> enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination [these united colonies are, and of right ought to be and independent States “Declaration of Independence<\/i>“]
\nd<\/b> :<\/b> not subject to the control or domination of another
\n2<\/b> :<\/b> made or done as a matter of choice and right
\n:<\/b> not compelled or restricted [no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof “U.S. Constitution<\/i> amend. I”] [a and voluntary confession]
\n3<\/b> :<\/b> relieved from or lacking a burden (as a lien or other encumbrance on title) [a buyer in ordinary course of business\u2026takes of a security interest created by his seller “Uniform Commercial Code<\/i>“]
\n4<\/b> :<\/b> not bound, confined, or detained by force [ on bail]
\n5 a<\/b> :<\/b> having no trade restrictions
\nb<\/b> :<\/b> not subject to government regulation
\nc<\/b> of foreign exchange<\/i>
\n:<\/b> not subject to restriction or official control
\n6<\/b> :<\/b> not costing or charging anything
\n free\u00b7ly adv<\/i>
\n<\/i><\/b>
\n
\nfor free<\/b>
\n:<\/b> without charge
\n<\/b>
\nvt freed<\/b>
\nfree\u00b7ing<\/b>
\n1<\/b> :<\/b> to cause to be free
\n2<\/b> :<\/b> to relieve or rid of what constrains, confines, restricts, or burdens<\/p>\n

n\u00a01<\/b>\u00a0:<\/b>\u00a0a plea of a criminal defendant who does not intend to contest the charges
\n2<\/b>\u00a0:<\/b>\u00a0a verdict of a jury that believes the defendant committed the crime charged compare\u00a0nolo contendere<\/a>,\u00a0not guilty<\/a>,\u00a0not guilty by reason of insanity<\/a><\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

Source: Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law \u00a91996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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