The act of fixing.
What is fixation?
• The state of being fixed or fixated.
• The act of uniting chemically with a solid substance or in a solid form; reduction to a non-volatile condition; -- said of volatile elements.
• The act or process of ceasing to be fluid and becoming firm.
• In metals, a state of resistance to evaporation or volatilization by heat.
• A state of mind involving obsession with a particular person, idea, or thing. A sexual fetish or turn-on.
• A sexual fetish or turn-on.
• Recording a creative work in a medium of expression for more than a transitory duration, thereby satisfying the "fixation" requirement for the purposes of copyright law.
• The change in a gene pool from a situation where there exists at least two variants of a particular gene (allele) to a situation where only one of the alleles remains.
• preservation of biological tissues from decay due to autolysis or putrefaction.
• process by which an injury is rendered immobile.
• Maintaining of the gaze on a single location (either momentarily or prolongedly).
Why fixation matters
fixation 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.
How fixation works in practice
In practice, fixation 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 Wiktionary , 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.