Also known as:extensores · extend · extended · scope · writ of extent
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
The degree or measure to which a legal rule, duty, obligation, or interest reaches or applies in a given situation. This measure determines the boundaries of liability, authority, or protection under the governing standard.
Sources & Authorities
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Conspiracy Agreement Scope
Ethan Evans and Emma Erickson agreed to block a public roadway to pressure a company into changing its hiring policy. The agreement targeted an objective the law viewed as contrary to public welfare even though no crime was planned. A court held the pair liable for conspiracy because the unlawful objective fell within the doctrine's reach.
Federal Judicial Power Reach
Ella Emerson filed suit in federal district court alleging that a state statute violated a federal treaty. The court accepted jurisdiction because the claim arose under federal authority listed in the constitutional grant. The case therefore fell inside the full scope of Article III judicial power.
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Cases
Statutes
Federal Rules
Uniform Acts
Model Codes
Common Law
Eric Espinoza requested production of every email sent by Eclipse Manufacturing over five years. The court narrowed the request after finding that much of the material lay outside the permitted scope of relevance and proportionality. Only the portion tied directly to the pleaded claims was allowed to proceed.
Agent Statement Admissibility
Edith Eberhardt's warehouse supervisor told a customer that a shipment would arrive on a certain date. The statement concerned a task the supervisor performed daily as part of her job. The court admitted the statement against the company because it was made within the ongoing employment relationship.
Client Counseling Duty
Elliot Edmonds asked his lawyer whether to accept a settlement offer that included a confidentiality clause. The lawyer described the clause's practical effects on future claims and tax consequences. The explanation supplied the information needed for Elliot to decide whether to sign.
Fiduciary Obligation Boundary
Empire Logistics directed its purchasing agent to negotiate supply contracts on its behalf. While handling those negotiations the agent accepted a secret kickback from a vendor. A court ruled the agent breached fiduciary duties because the misconduct occurred inside the authorized agency relationship.
Common questions
Frequently Asked
3
How does a court determine the extent of a lawyer's disclosure duty to a client?+
The lawyer must supply enough information for the client to make informed decisions about the representation. This includes explaining settlement terms, risks, and alternatives that bear on the client's choice. The standard is measured by what a reasonable lawyer would provide under the circumstances.
Supporting sources
Does the extent of an agent's fiduciary duty change if the principal gives only general instructions?+
The duty still attaches to every matter that falls inside the scope of the agency relationship. General instructions do not shrink the fiduciary obligation. They merely define the outer boundary of authorized conduct. Acts outside that boundary fall beyond the duty.
Supporting sources
When does a conspiracy's reach extend to noncriminal but unlawful objectives?+
The agreement need only target an objective the law regards as contrary to public welfare. No separate intent to commit a listed crime is required. Courts therefore apply conspiracy liability whenever the shared goal itself violates established legal norms.
Supporting sources
5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803)Property
…the whole judicial power in one supreme court and such inferior courts as Congress shall ordain and establish. This power is extended to all cases arising under the laws of the United States and consequently may be exercised over the present case because the right claimed is given by a law of the United States. In the…