Assess Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Assess.

Assess (verb)

  1. To determine the value, significance, or extent of something, typically for taxation or legal purposes. For example, this can refer to evaluating a property's value for tax purposes (e.g., "assess the taxable income") or determining the extent of damage following an incident (e.g., "assess the damages caused by an accident").

  2. To calculate or estimate the price or value of an object, right, liability, etc. based on its characteristics and the prevailing conditions. This is typically done in instances such as legal settlements, tax calculations, or financial evaluations.