for cause

See also: forcause

English

Alternative forms

• with cause

Prepositional phrase

for cause

1. (law, ethics) For a legitimate, specific reason; with justification.
   • 1889, John Davison Lawson, Rights, Remedies, and Practice, at Law, in Equity, and Under the Codes, volume 2, Bancroft Whitney, page 1556:

     Section 863. Removal of Guardian for Cause.—The court of chancery may remove all guardians, whether appointed by probate tribunals or by the court itself, or by testament, or by the legislature, whenever the guardian abuses his trust, or the interests of the ward require it.

   • c. 1917, Mark Twain, Concerning Tobacco:

     A common bee will sting and kill another common bee, for cause, but when it is necessary to kill the queen other ways are employed.

   • 1995 April 10, John Greenwald et al., “Sex, Lies and W. R. Grace”, in Time:

     As a result, Grace said, its directors decided "to request Mr. Bolduc's resignation, but not to seek his termination for cause."

   • 2009 October 28, “Incompetence is cause for firing”, in Financial Post, Canada, retrieved 19 October 2010:

     The court noted this August, that an employee can be fired for cause based on incompetence, if he or she consistently fails to meet reasonable standards.

Usage notes

• Often used in the context of termination of an employment contract.

References

• “for cause”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.