Endorsement: Writing on a document. With a bill of exchange, an endorsement is a signature on the back of the bill by which the person to whom the note is payable transfers the right of payment to the bearer or to a specific person. An endorsement may restrict payment to one person only, and prohibit any further endorsements.

Endorsement of claim: Concise summary of the facts supporting a legal claim.

Endowment: Transfer of money or property (usually as a gift) to a charitable organisation for a specific purpose, such as research or a scholarship.

Equity: The law of equity developed to temper the rigid interpretation given by medieval English judges to the common law. For hundreds of years, there were separate courts in Ireland for common law and equity (known as courts of Chancery). Where decisions conflicted, equity prevailed. In 1877, the two systems were merged. The principles of equity, based on fairness, include “equity will not suffer a wrong to be without a remedy” and “equity looks on the intent, rather than the form”.

Estoppel: Rule of evidence which prevents a person from relying on facts when, by deed, word or action, he has led another person to act to his detriment on those facts. Estoppel is a defence, not a cause of action. Anyone who wishes to rely on the defence of estoppel to defend an action must plead it.

Evidence: Testimony of witnesses at a trial, or the production of documents or other materials to prove or disprove a set of facts. Evidence may be direct or circumstantial (that is evidence from which a fact may be presumed). The best evidence available – such as original, rather than copy, documents – must generally be presented to a court.

Ex aequo et bono: (Latin: in justice and fairness) Most legal cases are decided on the strict rule of law. But, where a case is decided ex aequo et bono, the judge may make a decision based on what is just and fair in the circumstances.

Ex parte: (Latin: on the part of) Court application made without notice to the other side. One party is therefore neither present nor represented.

Ex post facto: (Latin: after the fact) Ex post facto legislation retrospectively makes acts illegal which were committed before the law was passed.

Ex turpi causa non oritur actio: (Latin: No action arises from an illegal cause) A person may not sue for damage arising out of an illegal activity. A person may not sue on an illegal contract, because it is void from the time of its creation.