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Simple English definitions for legal terms

moral obligation

Read a random definition: GRAT

A quick definition of moral obligation:

Moral obligation refers to a duty that a person feels they should do based on their own conscience, rather than because of a law or contract. It is a sense of responsibility to do what is right, even if there is no legal requirement to do so. For example, if someone helps a neighbor in need, they may feel a moral obligation to do so, even if there is no legal obligation. Moral obligations are not legally enforceable, but they are important for individuals to act ethically and with integrity.

A more thorough explanation:

A moral obligation is a duty that a person feels they must do based on their conscience, but it is not legally enforceable. It can be any action that a person feels is right or wrong, whether it is based on social relations, kindness, or morality.

  • If you see someone drop their wallet, you may feel a moral obligation to return it to them, even if there is no legal requirement to do so.
  • A person may feel a moral obligation to donate money to a charity that helps people in need, even if they are not legally required to do so.
  • A company may feel a moral obligation to reduce their carbon footprint and take steps to protect the environment, even if there are no laws requiring them to do so.

These examples illustrate how a moral obligation is based on a person's own sense of what is right or wrong, rather than a legal requirement. It is a personal responsibility that a person feels they must fulfill, even if there are no consequences for not doing so.

moral necessity | moral person

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BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
19:57
Congrats on Harvard, jb2028. Any reason you applied to A&M but not Texas at Austin? Seems odd.
jb2028
19:58
@BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool: Family connection, they gave me a CAS waiver so it was free
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
20:00
Ah, gotcha.
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
20:04
Question for the chat about judicial internships (not externships). My understanding is that judicial internships (as opposed to externships) during the summer are unpaid. How, then, do people who get them pay living expenses during the summer? Do they just make loans stretch for 12 months when they're only meant for 9? I heard that some people supplement the internship with, e.g., a research assistant position with a law professor. But would such a person both do the internship and the RA position at the same time? And if so, is that too much work or feasible?
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
20:04
I don't know what the workload is really like for judicial internships and RA positions.
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
20:05
Also curious what other things people might do to supplement an unpaid judicial internship over the summer with something paid.
jb2028
20:20
@BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool: Many schools will provide some type of stipend for unpaid summer roles with a public interest employer (defined broadly, often includes any gov or judicial job)
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
20:35
Right, I thought so. At BU, though, it appears that what's called BU's public interest project grant is not available to supplement judicial internships. And I think its public service summer funding is also limited. Oh well.
jb2028
21:13
@BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool: FWIW they allude to some type of funding ("BU Law has implemented separate funding sources for judicial interns") in this packet https://www.bu.edu/law/files/2023/11/Public-Service-Summer-Funding-Applicant-Packet-2024.pdf
jb2028
21:13
Although they don't give details, and as you note they don't guarantee funding to everyone (which is in line with other $ they offer, e.g. the LRAP)
TruthTheX
21:14
Anyone know how hard it is to do pro bono work as a 1L for judges or fed gov in general in the D.C. market
TruthTheX
21:14
Idk much about pro bono opportunities period but thinking I wanna try to get some work experience as soon as humanly possible
TruthTheX
21:14
When I begin law school I mean
jb2028
21:15
Lines up with BU's limited endowment: $81K per student a few years ago, i.e., enough to support a payout of about $3,250 per student per year at a 4% payout rate https://leiterlawschool.typepad.com/leiter/2022/05/per-student-value-of-law-school-endowments-2021.html
jb2028
21:17
Seems like they're trying to compete with other schools on program headlines (we fund X, Y, and Z and we have an LRAP) but the endowment can't really support that, so they have all these programs but don't guarantee funding. Would not rely on that if you have alternatives.
BankruptcyAndRestructuringLawIsCool
21:19
Thanks for those links. I'll give the public service summer funding information packet, in particular, a careful read. But yeah, your takeaway seems right.
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
22:33
i could really use some fried chicken right now
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
22:34
kfc or popeyes
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
22:34
or korean with gochujang
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
22:35
i might order some gochujang sauce on amazon and cook some air fried chicken breast filets, they’re really good
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
22:35
just letting you guys know :)
Mohammed
0:14
Where I can find the definition of the false-endowment?
jb2028
11:14
@Mohammed: False-endowment?
reelamsyar
12:05
guys, im making a public speaking with the topic of personal choice in nuisance. Can you give me what to talk about
babybunny
12:47
what does this mean? you get to pick a topic but it has to be about nuisances?
TruthTheX
13:16
Yeah I also don’t know what this means ngl
Obtainingdreams
14:58
Do you think you can use being on the Harvard Wl to ask for more money? Like say you'll withdraw if they give you more?
jb2028
16:14
@Obtainingdreams: Unlikely
jb2028
16:19
If 1 in 10 Harvard waitlistees in their class of 2027 get into HLS (average A % off the HLS waitlist), the school is better served by offering that student more $ than offering the other 9 in 10 more $ than they have to and the one that gets into HLS less than they need to
NaughtyTeenyWeenyPebble
16:32
what do you guys think about the HLS WL? DO you think they're gonna give out a decent amount of A's still?
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