At LJW Legal, our lawyers are committed to making the law more straightforward and available to everyone. This is why we’ve created the Law Definitions resource center. A collection of common legal terms defined in simple, everyday language, with real-life examples. Whether you’re trying to learn more about the legal process of your case or trying to understand legal charges imposed on you, this guide is designed to help you find clear, in-depth definitions of legal terminology.
Legal terms can be confusing. If you’ve come across a word you don’t understand, our Law Definitions guide will help you understand it better. If you’re still confused about a term, let us know, our team of lawyers will be happy to schedule a complimentary consultation to go over all of your questions.
Extortion
The Webster dictionary defines extortion as the act or practice of coercing money or other property. However, under Florida law, extortion encapsulates much more than that. If a person maliciously threatens to accuse another person of a crime, expose secrets affecting others, or injure a person, these are all examples of extortion.
Embezzlement
A form of white-collar crime, embezzlement occurs when a person or entity misappropriates assets entrusted to them. In essence, this means that while the embezzler has permission to handle the money, they don’t have the authority to take it for themselves. Although embezzlement is sometimes referred to as fraud, under Florida law, embezzlement is looked at as theft.