Reasonable Care: the amount of care expected of an ordinarily prudent person under the same or similar circumstances

Rebuttal: evidence disproving other evidence previously given

Reckless Disregard: behavior or demeanor which evidences a lack of concern for consequences

Remand: to send back

Remittitur: (lat.) to reduce, generally in law it describes a reduction of the jury's verdict made by the judge

Removal: the right of a defendant in a civil lawsuit to have a case moved from state court to a federal court within 30 days of the service of the complaint if jurisdiction also exists in the federal court

Rescission: the cancellation of a contract

Res Ipsa Loquitur: (lat.) the thing speaks for itself. In a negligence lawsuit, the plaintiff generally has the burden to prove that the defendant was negligent. The doctrine of res ipsa loquitur is a rule of evidence which has the effect of requiring the defendant to prove that he was not negligent in certain circumstances

Res Judicata: (lat.) the thing has been decided

Respondeat Superior: (lat.) let the superior reply. A legal principle whereby the master is responsible for the acts or omissions of his/her servant

Restitution: to make good the loss for injury or damage

Reversible Error: error in a trial which is significantly sufficient to cause the entire trial to be reversed or a new trial to be granted by a reviewing appellate court

Risk of Non-Persuasion: see BURDEN OF PROOF

Routine Vacatur: a procedure where a defendant settles an unfavorable determination which occurred in the trial court while the case is on appeal and has the appellate court vacate the determination below