The opposite of passive . Wc say active debts, or debts due to us; passive debts arc those wc owe. ACTON BURNELL, statute of, vide dc Mercatoribus ; Cruise, Dig. tit. 14, s. 0. ACTOR, practice , 1. A plaintiff* or complainant. 2. He on whom the bur- den of proof lies.…
Active in U.S. law
Wc say active debts, or debts due to
us; passive debts arc those wc owe.
ACTON BURNELL, statute of, vide
dc Mercatoribus ; Cruise, Dig. tit. 14,
s. 0.
ACTOR, practice , 1. A plaintiff* or
complainant. 2. He on whom the bur-
den of proof lies. In actions of reple-
vin both parties are said to bo actors.
The proctor or advocate in the courts
of the civil law, was called actor.
The practical impact of Active
Active appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
Active — procedural details
In practice, Active is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Bouvier's Law Dictionary (1856) , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.