A waiver or release is the intentional and voluntary act of relinquishing something, such as a known right to sue a person, educational institution, or organization for an injury. The term waiver is sometimes used to refer a document that is signed before any damages actually occur. A release is sometimes used to refer a document that is executed after an injury has occurred.
A waiver can be an effective way for a person, educational institution, or organization to inform students, parents, event participants, and family members of the risks involved in various activities and to shield the person, educational institution, or organization from liability. The best releases explain the risks of a particular activity or program in detail. So, even if all aspects of a release are not upheld in court, you can show that the releasing party was informed about the specific risks and should be responsible for his or her own conduct.
Courts to not always uphold waivers and releases. Courts vary in their approach to releases depending on the particular facts of each case, the releases effect on other statutes and laws, and the courts views of the benefits of releases as a matter of public policy.
