attaintment

en-noun

attaintment (countable and uncountable, plural attaintments)

There is that prouokes me to speake against this law of attaintment, they say I am not indifferent.

1553, Hugh Latimer, “The fourth Sermon […]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, made vppon the lords Prayer […], published 1562, folio 63ᵛ:

For where the party may have an attaintment, there no damages shall be assessed by the Court, if the same be not found by the Jury; and therefore the Court would be advised of it: […]

1613, Cookes Case; republished as John Godbolt, W. Hughes, editors, Reports of […] Severall Courts of Record at Westminster […], 1652, page 207:

The same day brought him intelligence of his wife's desertion, and of his attaintment as a traitor; and, further, that this accusation had been chiefly brought about by the intrigues of his former partner.

1832, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Heath's Book of Beauty, 1833, Theresa, page 165:

So zealous was he for good morals, that he drew upon himself the imputation of a leaning to the heresy of the Jansenists […] Yet Olier’s catholicity was past attaintment, and in his horror of Jansenists he yielded to the Jesuits alone.

1867 June, “The Founders of Montreal”, in The Atlantic Monthly […], volume 19, number 116, page 724:

Again costly litigation followed, the Crown setting up a prior claim, […] the only legal claimant being Sir Francis Anderton, and he being attainted of high treason was debarred and legally incapable of holding the estates, or of claiming any right as heir by and through such attaintment.

1883, Thomas Hampson, Horwich: Its History, Legends, and Church, page 171:

(archaic, law) Attainder, attainture; conviction.


locus poenitentiae

From Latin, literally "place of repentance".

There was yet within him the means of repentance, could a locus penitentiæ^([sic]) have been supplied to him. He grieved bitterly over his own ill doings, and knew well what changes gentlehood would have demanded from him. Whether or no he had gone too far for all changes—whether the locus penitentiæ was for him still a possibility—that was between him and a higher power.

1860 January – 1861 April, Anthony Trollope, “The Philistines at the Parsonage”, in Framley Parsonage. […] (Collection of British Authors; 551), copyright edition, volume I, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published April 1861, →OCLC, page 250:

(law) The opportunity to withdraw from an ongoing process of committing oneself to an obligation, before such commitment is finalized; specifically, the opportunity to abstain from committing an intended crime before it is too late.


castle-guard

(UK, law, obsolete) A tax or imposition on a dwelling within a certain distance of a castle, for the purpose of maintaining watch and ward in it; castleward.


come to order

en-verb

come to order (third-person singular simple present comes to order, present participle coming to order, simple past came to order, past participle come to order)

comes to order (present singular third-person)
coming to order (participle present)
came to order (past)
come to order (participle past)

(intransitive, of a meeting, assembly, proceeding, legislature, court) To come to an orderly state allowing it to conduct its business.

assembly; proceeding; legislature; assembly; proceeding; legislature


gainage

From Old French gaignage (“pasturage, crop”), French gaignage (“pasturage”). See gain (verb).

(UK, law, obsolete) The horses, oxen, ploughs, wains or wagons and implements for carrying on tillage.


interversion

en-noun

interversion (countable and uncountable, plural interversions)

Interversion is effected by a conveyance from the owner of land to his tenant, who thereafter will hold in virtue of the extrinsic cause contemplated by the rule, and also when the land comes to the tenant by descent.

1862, The American Law Register - Volume 10, page 68:

Acts of interversion cannot take place against minors or other persons against whom prescription is not allowed to run.

1865, Code civil du Bas Canada, page 419:

In modern Dutch law the prohibition of interversion is still used to prevent a prescription period from running against an unsuspecting owner.

2000, Lars Peter Wunibald van Vliet, Transfer of Movables in German, French, English and Dutch Law:

(law) The process of changing a subsidiary title, such as that of a tenant, to one that is independently held.


improbative

en-adj

improbative (comparative more improbative, superlative most improbative)

more improbative (comparative)
most improbative (superlative)

an improbative writ

(law, archaic) Implying, or showing, improbation; disapproving.


affeerer

Formed in English as affeer + -er, after the Anglo-Norman afferour, affoerour. Compare affeeror.

They shal be amerced and their amercement shall be affeared by affearers there.

1615, John Manwood, Treatise of the Forest Laws:


eyre

From Middle English eire, from Old French erre (“journey, march, way”), from Latin iter, itineris (“a going, way”), from the root of ire (“to go”). Compare errant, itinerant, issue.

The fact that the Surrey veredicta are uncancelled, and indeed their very survival, can doubtless be explained by the suspension of the eyre in June 1294, when consideration of the crown pleas had barely begun;

1982, Public Record Office Handbooks, page 35:

None of the original veredicta survive for this eyre, but one of the best surviving examples, and the only one so far to be printed, comes from the Wiltshire eyre which began in the southern eyre circuit at Wilton on the same day as the 1281 Derbyshire eyre began at Derb, and which provides a valuable insight into the nature and contents of the lost Derbyshire veredicta.

2000, Aileen Hopkinson, editor, The Rolls of the 1281 Derbyshire Eyre, Derbyshire Record Society, →ISBN, page xvi:

(UK, law, historical) A journey taken by certain Medieval English itinerant judges (justices in eyre)


wardcorn

And that the aforesaid Abbess and convent and their successors, and all tenants, residents, and non-residents, and other residents aforesaid, […] be quit through our entire realm of England of all pannage, lestage, […] and of treasure to be drawn away, and of wardpeny, wardcorne, averpeny, hundredpeny, […] and of all such custom

1842, George Oliver, Ecclesiastical Antiquities in Devon, page 100:

and from a rent called wardcorn one quarter, three bushels of barley worth fifteen shillings per year, at the value of five pence the bushel.

1989, George Feairheller Deiser, Year Books of Richard II - Volume 12, page 68:

The additional payment of grain as ‘wardcorn’ is a local peculiarity, and refers to some ancient military responsibilty^([sic]) upon the vill[agers].

2002, Mark Bailey, The English manor, c.1200-c.1500, page 226:

(UK, law, obsolete) A payment of corn to be offered in commutation of military service.


broken windows theory

After article propounding the theory by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, “Broken Windows”, Atlantic Monthly (March 1982).

Clark disliked the general state of unshavenness, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly because he was a believer in the broken-windows theory of urban-crime management, the way the appearance of dereliction can pave the way for more serious crimes.

2014, Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven, Picador (2022), page 249:

(criminology) A criminological theory stating that signs of urban decay (e.g. broken windows, graffiti) signal that an area is not monitored, encouraging more destructive criminal behavior.


excambion

(law, Scotland, historical) exchange or barter, especially of lands.


disgavel

en-verb

disgavel (third-person singular simple present disgavels, present participle disgavelling, simple past and past participle disgavelled)

disgavels (present singular third-person)
disgavelling (participle present)
disgavelled (participle past)
disgavelled (past)

(UK, law, transitive) To deprive of that principal quality of gavelkind tenure by which lands descend equally among all the sons of the tenant


native title

en-noun

native title (usually uncountable, plural native titles)

(law) A legal doctrine that recognises Aboriginal people as rightful owners of land that has been colonised.

原住民土地所有權

alkuperäiskansan omistus- ja hallintaoikeus


way-going

A way-going crop is a crop of grain to which tenants for years are sometimes entitled by custom, despite not ripening until after the termination of the lease.

(law) Of or relating to one who goes away.


imparl

en-verb

imparl (third-person singular simple present imparls, present participle imparling, simple past and past participle imparled)

imparls (present singular third-person)
imparling (participle present)
imparled (participle past)
imparled (past)

c. 1767, George Cooke, quoted in William Blackstone, The Oxford Edition of Blackstone - Commentaries on the Laws of England: Book II: Of the right of things, edited by Simon Stern, Oxford University Press (2016), →ISBN, page 368 (appendix).
And the aforesaid Francis thereupon craveth leave to imparl; and he hath it.

(law) To have time before pleading; to have delay for mutual adjustment.


couchant and levant

(law, obsolete) Rising up and lying down; said of animals, indicating that they have been long enough on land, not belonging to their owner, to lie down at night and rise up to feed by day.


ploughbote

(UK, law, historical) wood or timber allowed to a tenant for the repair of instruments of husbandry


member's bill

private member's bill
private member's bill


private member's bill

en-noun

private member's bill (plural private member's bills)

(law, British, Canada, Australia) A proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature who is not acting on behalf of the executive government.

私人條例草案

proposed law introduced by a member who is not acting on behalf of the executive


astriction

astriction (countable and uncountable, plural astrictions)

Payment of dry multures will even imply a title; being exclusive of any other supposition than astriction

1833, George Joseph Bell, Principles of the Law of Scotland:

(law, Scotland, historical) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the owner paying a toll. (The lands were said to be astricted to the mill.)


criminal conversation

It then charged the defendant, William Atkinſon, with having ſeduced the plaintiff's wife, and with having had criminal converſation with her.

1789, Adultery: The Trial of Mr. William Atkinson, Linen-Draper, of Cheapside for Criminal Conversation with Mrs. Conner, page 1:

Gentlemen of the Jury, This is an action for a compensation by damages, in consequence of a criminal conversation with the Plaintiff's wife, the circumstances of which are more serious and more painful than any I ever met with.

1809, The Trial of the Right Honorable Lord Paget, for Criminal Conversation with Lady Charlotte Wellesley, page 28:

The main object now was not necessarily to punish or even to prevent immorality, but to improve the law of divorce and to restrict private suits for ‘criminal conversation’.

2012, Faramerz Dabhoiwala, The Origins of Sex, Penguin, published 2013, page 77:

(law) Unlawful sexual intercourse with a married person; adultery; a common law tort arising from adultery, abolished in many jurisdictions.


crim. con.

And then he had good looks;—that point was carried
Nem. con. amongst the women, which I grieve
To say leads oft to crim. con. with the married—
A case which to the juries we may leave.

In fact, it was not unknown for husbands and wives to collude in the wife's adultery, either to collect a large crim. con. settlement or to secure a divorce.

1999, Kirsten Olsen, Daily Life in 18th Century England:

If she was unfaithful, a civil action for ‘crim con’ could be brought by her husband to assert his property rights over her and obtaion financial redress for infringement of them.

2012, Catherine Peters, “Feminist Fatale”, in Literary Review, section 403:

Criminal conversation
criminal conversation

(law, colloquial, now historical) Criminal conversation.


AAU

The standard allowance, an “assigned amount unit” (AAU), is equivalent to one metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions. […] In general, these credits can be purchased, sold, and otherwise transferred by private actors through international markets. Unlike AAUs, they are not allocated by a state but rather are generated through voluntary activities undertaken most commonly by private actors.

2014, John G Sprankling, “Rights in Airspace and Outer Space”, in The International Law of Property, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 174:

assigned amount unit
assigned amount unit#English

(law, climate change) Initialism of assigned amount unit.


signaletic

en-adj

signaletic (comparative more signaletic, superlative most signaletic)

more signaletic (comparative)
most signaletic (superlative)

The wording of the legislation was somewhat open-ended in that it authorized not only the Bertillon signaletic system, but also "any measurements, processes or operations sanctioned by the Governor in Council having the like object in view."

1996, Louis A. Knafla, Criminal Justice History: An International Annual:

(criminology, historical) Related to or involving the Bertillon system of anthropometry.


indictable offence

en-noun

indictable offence (plural indictable offences)

(law, British, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong) An offence which can only be tried on an indictment after a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is a prima facie case to answer or by a grand jury, in contrast to a summary offence.


socome

the Tenants by their Cuſtome, muſt grinde their Corne at no mill , but at the Lords Mill, belonging to the Mannor, and this is commonly called Socome

1588, Valentine Leigh, The moste profitable and commendable science of surveying:

(UK, law, obsolete) A custom of tenants to grind corn at the lord's mill.


breach of the peace

breach of the peace (plural breaches of the peace)

[T]he sheriff turned his eyes again. . . . "What have we here?" he cried; "two men boxing! Has there been a breach of the peace?"

1823, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 32, in The Pioneers:

Short of high treason, the gravest form of breach of the peace known to British law is riot.

1938 May 16, “Jamaica: Riot Act”, in Time:

Four men and a woman were arrested and charged with breaches of the peace after a series of scuffles in which protesters and police received minor injuries.

2003 October 24, Aban Contractor et al., “Why a world leader used the servants' entrance”, in Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 2012-10-06:

(law) The legal offense of engaging in public behavior which is violent, rowdy, or disruptive.


e-discovery

(computing, law) Discovery in civil litigation which deals with the exchange of information in electronic format.


scire facias

Scire facias against sheriff, who took more money of the vill for the expences of a knight to serve in parliamente than was assessed

1799, John Wentworth, A Complete System of Pleading:

(law) A judicial writ directing the sheriff to make the record known to a specified party, and requiring that defendant to show cause why the party bringing the writ should not be able to cite that record in his own interest, or why, in the case of letters patent and grants, the patent or grant should not be annulled and vacated.


public assistance

Suddenly thrown on the world, with a wife and four children, with but the wages of a week for his and their support, they had travelled thus far on the way to a neighboring parish, where he said he had a right to, and must seek, public assistance.

1820, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 15, in Precaution:

Bush has made public assistance—specifically welfare—a constant target of his campaign rhetoric.

1992 May 25, Thomas Sancton et al., “How to Get America Off the Dole”, in Time:

She also signed up for public assistance, and gets $356 a month and $388 in food stamps.

2012 February 2, John Otis, “The Neediest Cases: Long After Southern Storm, Still Looking for New Home”, in New York Times, retrieved 2012-10-14:

(law, public policy) Payment made to disadvantaged persons by government in order to alleviate the burdens of poverty, unemployment, disability, old age, etc.


set-off

(law) A counterclaim; a cross debt or demand; a distinct claim filed or set up by the defendant against the plaintiff's demand.


abjure the realm

en-verb

abjure the realm (third-person singular simple present abjures the realm, present participle abjuring the realm, simple past and past participle abjured the realm)

abjures the realm (present singular third-person)
abjuring the realm (participle present)
abjured the realm (participle past)
abjured the realm (past)

(chiefly historical, England law) To swear to leave the realm as soon as possible and not return without the permission of the sovereign.


residual power

(law) Power that is retained by the government after other powers were distributed to other authorities in the course of elections or by the process of delegation.


wardrobing

(law, business) A form of return fraud where an item is purchased, used, and then returned to the store for a refund.


escalator clause

en-noun

escalator clause (plural escalator clauses)

(law) A clause in a lease or contract that guarantees a change in the agreement price once a particular factor beyond control of either party affecting the value has been determined.


endorsable

(law, of a driving offence) Leading to endorsement of one's driving licence with penalty points.


scotale

(UK, law, obsolete) The keeping of an alehouse by an officer of a forest, and drawing people to spend their money for liquor for fear of his displeasure.


expert witness

expert witness (plural expert witnesses)

October 23 2012, Nicolas Bourcier in Guardian Weekly, Brazil comes to terms with its slave trading past
In a sensational decision this April the 10 supreme court judges unanimously ruled in favour of positive discrimination in higher education, declaring that the racial quotas in Brazilian universities were constitutional and redressed the "social debt of slavery". Dozens of expert witnesses were heard and the ruling was televised live.

(law) A witness that has expertise in a certain field.


ael

Richard de C. brought a writ of Ael against the Prior of Plumtone, and demanded so much &c. ; and counted that William his grandfather was seised &c. ; that from William it descended to William ; and from William to Richard the present demandant.

1864, “Reports of Cases in Trinity Term, 32 Edw. I.”, in Alfred J. Horwood, editor, Year Books of the Reign of King Edward the First. Years XXXII–XXXIII, London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, page 256:

(law, common law, historical) grandfather; forefather, ancestor


neighboring rights

(law) The rights on a work not related to its author's copyright.


meeting of the minds

meeting of the minds (plural meetings of the minds)

consensus ad idem
consensus ad idem#English

(law) Synonym of consensus ad idem (“agreement about the terms and subject matter of a contract between all involved parties”)


chaffwax

(UK, law, historical) A chancery officer who fitted wax for sealing writs and other documents.


right to work

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-right to work.wav

1948, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 23.1), United Nations
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

(public policy, law, ethics) The human right (the right of an individual) to have gainful employment.

工作權

the fundamental human right to have employment

(US, public policy, law) The prohibition of union security agreements or closed shops; the prohibition of the requirement that those who take on work in a unionised shop join the union or pay it for representing them.


right of publicity

right of publicity (plural rights of publicity)

(law) The right of an individual to control the commercial use of his or her name, image, likeness, or other identifying characteristics.


false light

false light (countable and uncountable, plural false lights)

Dickinson’s lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court seeks unspecified damages on defamation, false light and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims.

2015 May 20, “Model Janice Dickinson Sues Bill Cosby For Defamation”, in CBS Los Angeles, retrieved 2015-05-22:

(law, uncountable) A cause of action arising under the common law where a person is portrayed in a way which, while not technically false, is misleading and likely to cause embarrassment to that person.


body cavity search

body cavity search (plural body cavity searches)

(law) A search performed by law enforcement on a criminal suspect to insure that the suspect is not hiding anything in a body cavity.


statutory authority

statutory authority (plural statutory authorities)

(Australia, New Zealand, UK, law) A body set up by law which is authorised to enforce legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state.

法定機構

(US, law) Legislation authorizing the existence and activity of a government agency.

(US, law) The powers assigned to a government agency by legislation.


FCPA

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
w:Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

(law) Initialism of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.


culeus

From Latin culeus (“large leather sack, punishment of drowning within a sack, unit of bulk liquid measure”), from Ancient Greek κολεός (koleós, “sheath”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”). Doublet of cullion and cojones.

bor

(historical, law) A Roman punishment—chiefly for parricide—involving blindfolding, beating, confinement to a leather sack, and drowning in a river or sea.


capital murder

en-noun

capital murder (countable and uncountable, plural capital murders)

(law) The crime of murder of a particular quality.


Free Exercise Clause

The free-exercise clause tells us that that religion is especially favored and the establishment clause tells us that it is especially feared (the state should avoid entanglement with that stuff).

2011 October 17, Stanley Fish, “Is Religion Above the Law?”, in The New York Times:

(US, law) A clause in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, stating Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.


cosinage

cosinage (countable and uncountable, plural cosinages)

/ˈkʌzɪnɪd͡ʒ/

if the abatement happened upon the death of any collateral relation , other than those before-mentioned , the writ is called a writ of cosinage

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(law, historical or obsolete) A writ to recover possession of an estate in lands, when a stranger has entered, after the death of the grandfather's grandfather, or other distant collateral relation.


doctrine of necessity

duress of circumstances

principle of preservation of greater utilitarian value

1995, Bryan A. Garner, necessity, entry in A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, page 583,
The doctrine of necessity might lead a court to approve a doctor′s decision to perform an illegal, third-trimester abortion in order to save the mother′s life.

It is therefore clear that neither the English court nor Cardozo considered the ethics of the doctrine of necessity. They rejected the doctrine because, in effect, they denied that a state of necessity could ever exist.

2005, Jerome Hall, General Principles Of Criminal Law, page 434:

(law) A principle whereby a normally criminal act is justified by the necessity of preserving something of greater utilitarian value than that lost or sacrificed; not to be confused with self-defence.

So Their Lordships, conceding that the Governor General′s actions were unconstitutional, reasoned that those actions might nonetheless be validated on the doctrine of necessity.

2008, Simeon C. R. McIntosh, Kelsen in the “Grenada Court”: Essays on Revolutionary Legality, page 27:

(politics, law) The principle that, in a situation of emergency or exigent circumstance, a state may legitimately act in ways that would normally be illegal.

According to the doctrine of necessity, civilization cannot exist without the rule of law. Therefore, the courts cannot tolerate a legal vacuum. The doctrine of necessity holds that the laws of an illegal government must be deemed to be effective to the extent that they do not violate the constitution.

1989, Ian Greene, The Charter of Rights, page 197:

(politics, law) The principle that the laws, of governance in action, should be deemed valid insofar as they do not contradict the constitution. Validated on the basis that maintenance of government is of greater utilitarian value than maintenance of the law.


hostageship

hostageship (countable and uncountable, plural hostageships)

English, Norman and French tradition seem all to point to an ancient and extremely rigorous form of suretyship or hostageship which would have rendered the surety liable to suffer the punishment that was hanging over the head of the released prisoner.

1898, Sir Frederick Pollock, Frederic William Maitland, The history of English law before the time of Edward I, 2nd edition, volume 2, The University Press:

(law, historical) A condition of being held as surety for a pledge, as to appear before a magistrate for trial after release from gaol.


feasance

From Anglo-Norman fesance, from Old French faisance (“action, deed, enactment”), from faisant, present participle of faire.

der

(law) the performing of an act, especially out of one's duty.


crimen falsi

(law) A crime involving a falsehood, such as forgery, perjury, or counterfeiting.


doli incapax

Learned borrowing from Latin doli incapax (“incapable of wrongdoing”)

lbor

(law) The principle that a child cannot be held legally responsible for their actions, and so cannot be convicted of a criminal offence.


compear

en-verb

compear (third-person singular simple present compears, present participle compearing, simple past and past participle compeared)

compears (present singular third-person)
compearing (participle present)
compeared (participle past)
compeared (past)

(law, Scotland) To appear before a judge in court personally or by attorney.


post-obit

They were following pretty rapidly, upon the same terms, post obits, payable upon the death of Mrs. Wharton

1827, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery:

[…] he had raised money on post-obits, and encumbered the family estate […]

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:

(law) A bond in which the obligor, in consideration of having received a certain sum of money, binds himself to pay a larger sum, on unusual interest, on the death of some specified individual from whom he has expectations.


post-fine

(UK, law, obsolete) A duty paid to the king by the cognizee in a fine of lands, when the same was fully passed; the king's silver.


chance-medley

en-noun

chance-medley (countable and uncountable, plural chance-medleys)

From Old French chance medlée, literally "mingled chance", with postpositive adjective (often confused because of the fact that medley is also a noun).

Manſlaughter, otherwiſe called Chancemedley, is when two do fight together upon the ſudden, and by meer Chance, without any Malice precedent, and one of them doth kill the other; this alſo is Felony of Death.

1618, Michael Dalton, chapter CXLVI, in The Country Justice, Savoy: Henry Lintot, published 1746, page 333:

(law, historical) The killing of another in self-defence upon a sudden and unpremeditated encounter.


postliminium

postliminium (countable and uncountable, plural postliminia)

Latin postliminium, after + a threshold.

Postliminium […]is a right recognized by the law of nations , and contributes essentially to mitigate the calamities of war

1826, James Kent, Commentaries on American Law:

(law) The right by virtue of which persons and things taken by an enemy in war are restored to their former state when coming again under the power of the nation to which they belonged.


common of shack

It's no good exception to a Witness that he hath common per cause of Vicinage in the Lands in question, because its but an excuse of Trespass, and no interest[…]The same of common of Shacke

(UK, law) The right of persons occupying lands lying together in the same common field to turn out their cattle to range in it after harvest.


base court

(law) An inferior court of law, not a court of record.


court of record

court of record (plural courts of record)

(law) A trial court in which a clerk or reporter takes down a record of proceedings, which is preserved at least long enough for all appeals to be exhausted, or for some further period of time provided by law.


counter-roll

From counter- + roll; compare control and comptroller.

It consists in making a counter roll, […]or transcript of the annual or Great Roll of the Pipe of the preceding year

1830, George Price, A Treatise on the law of the Exchequer:

(UK, law, obsolete) A duplicate roll (record or account) kept by an officer as a check upon another officer's roll.


besaiel

From Middle French besaieul, besayel, from Old French beseel, from Latin bis (“twice”) + aviolus, diminutive of avus (“grandfather”).

In a Writ of Besayle he shall not have the View.

1598, John Kitchin, Le court leete et court baron:

(law, obsolete) A kind of writ which formerly lay where a great-grandfather died seized of lands in fee simple, and on the day of his death a stranger abated or entered and kept the heir out.


antilegislative

en-adj

antilegislative (comparative more antilegislative, superlative most antilegislative)

more antilegislative (comparative)
most antilegislative (superlative)


antilegislation

antilegislation (comparative more antilegislation, superlative most antilegislation)

more antilegislation (comparative)
most antilegislation (superlative)


antiassignment

(law) Preventing the assignment (of a right, obligation, etc.) from one party to another.


legal advice

(law) The giving of a formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law, usually received from a solicitor, barrister or lawyer, ordinarily for a fee.


spear penny

From spear + penny, a calque translation of the Welsh ceiniog baladr, from ceiniog (“penny”) + paladr (“shaft"; "spear”).

(historical, law) A fine under medieval Welsh law levied on related male landowners when the immediate kin of a murderer proved incapable of paying galanas


piepowder

From the following:
* Late Middle English pe-poudre, pipouder (“(noun) itinerant; travelling merchant, peddler; court of piepowders; (adverb) summarily”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman pepoudrous, pié poudrous (“having dusty feet; an itinerant”) [and other forms] (compare Middle French pyé pouldreux (“travelling merchant”) (Poitou) (modern French pied poudreux (“one who cannot pay”) (obsolete))), from pé, pié (“foot”) + poudrous, poudrus (“dusty”); pié is derived from Old French pié (“foot”) (modern French pied), from Latin pedem, the accusative singular of pēs (“foot”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ped- (“to step; to walk; to stumble; to fall”); while poudrous, poudrus (modern French poudreux (“dusty”)) is from Old French poudre (“dust; powder”) (from Latin pulverem, the accusative singular of pulvis (“dust; powder”), from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“dust; flour”)) + -ous (a variant of -us (suffix forming adjectives)); and
* Late Middle English pe-poudrus, pypoudrus (“for itinerants or travelling merchants”, adjective), from pe-poudre (see above).
cognates
* Late Latin pede pulvericatus, pede-pulverosus, pes pulverizatus (“itinerant; travelling merchant”)

nb...

pepouderous, pepoudres, pepoudrous, pepowder, pipoudre, pipoudrous, pipowder, pypowder

der

(British, law, historical) In full court of piepowders (also court of piepowder) or piepowder court: an ancient court in England held in conjunction with a fair or a market to administer summary justice over occurrences therein such as disputes between merchants and acts of theft and violence; they were presided over by the mayor and bailiffs of the borough, or by the steward if the fair or market was held by a lord.


committal hearing

en-noun

committal hearing (plural committal hearings)

The extent of HM Custom's intensified anti-gay and -lesbian campaign became increasingly apparent throughout the committal hearings as officials sought to convince Stipendiary Magistrate Burke that there was sufficient evidence to bring the case to court at the Old Bailey.

1985 August 3, Ed Cohen, “Gay's the Word, Crown Clash at Hearings”, in Gay Community News, page 1:

(law) A court case used to determine if a person must stand trial.


righthood

From Middle English *righthod, righthed, equivalent to right + -hood.

'Righthood' is achieved only when sufficient duties or powers are conferred on others that the claim can realistically be realized.

1992, Philip Alston, Stephen Parker (LL.B.), John A. Seymour, Children, Rights, and the Law - Page 227

(law) The state of being a right, or being recognised as a right.


on the books

The ban on interracial marriages remained on the books for nearly a century after its passage.

2004 October 29, Peter Wong, “Interracial-marriage ban used in Measure 36 comparisons”, in Statesman Journal, volume 152, number 214, Salem, OR, page 2A:

Britain already has heroin on the books as a medication.

2009 September 28, Gaëlle Faure, “Why Doctors Are Giving Heroin to Heroin Addicts”, in Time:

While a majority of states — 33 — still have the death penalty on the books, that number has also been on the decline.

2012 December 20, Ethan Bronner, “Use of Death Sentences Continues to Fall in U.S.”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-03-20:

There are a lot of battlements to breach before a national Human Rights Act is on the books. Nonetheless, there is movement at the station and a relatively unnoticed but important step is in the hands of a multi-party, joint parliamentary committee looking at combatting slavery.

2017 November 17, Richard Ackland, “Erasing modern slavery is a slow process, but it catches on in Australia”, in The Guardian:

Recorded or registered, especially in an official or definitive manner.

(law) Officially recorded in the lawbooks; having the force of enacted law.


Magna Charta

en-proper noun

Magna Charta (countable and uncountable, plural Magna Chartas or Magnae Chartae)

Magna Chartas (plural)
Magnae Chartae (plural)

/ˌmæɡnə ˈkɑːtə/

/ˌmæɡnə ˈkɑːɹtə/

My Lord Coke ſayes, It had not its name of GREAT CHARTER, from the Greatneſs of it in Quantity; for there were ſeveral Voluminous Charters, longer than this: But it was ſo called, in reſpect of the Great Importance, and Weightyneſs of the Matter; as Charta de Foresta, is called, Magna Charta de Foresta, for the ſame Cauſe; and both of them are called, Magnæ Chartæ Libertatum Angliæ; i.e. The Great Charters of the Liberties of England; and upon great Reaſon too, Quia liberos faciunt, becauſe they make us Free.

[1680, Edward Cooke, transl., Magna Charta, Made in the Ninth Year of K. Henry the Third, and Confirmed by K. Edward the First, in the Twenty-Eighth Year of His Reign. With Some Short, but Necessary Observations From The L. Chief Just. Coke’s Comments upon It. […], London: Printed by the Assignees of Richard and Edward Atkins, Esquires, for Thomas Simmons, […], →OCLC, preface, pages ii–iii:

MAGNA CHARTA. The GREAT CHARTER, Made in the Ninth Year of King Henry the Third, and Confirmed by King Edward the Firſt in the Five and twentieth Year of his Reign.

1762, Danby Pickering, The Statutes at Large, from Magna Charta to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761. […], volume I (from Magna Charta to the 14th Year of K. Edward III. inclusive), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Printed by Joseph Bentham, printer to the University; for Charles Bathurst, […], →OCLC, page 1:

In witch-trials the conflict was officially defined as between the accused and God, or between the accused and the Catholic (later Protestant) church, as God's earthly representative. There was no attempt to make this an even match. The distribution of power between accuser and accused mirrored the relations between king and serf—one had all the power and the other none of it. Once again, we encounter the theme of domination and submission. Significantly, only in England—where, beginning in the thirteenth century with the granting of the Magna Charta, there gradually developed an appreciation of the rights and dignities of those less powerful than the king—was the fury of witch hunting mitigated by legal safe-guards and social sensibilities.

1974, Thomas S[tephen] Szasz, chapter 11, in The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, →ISBN, page 192:

(law, historical) Alternative spelling of Magna Carta

Merriam–Webster's Dictionary of English Usage


bind over

en-verb

bind over (third-person singular simple present binds over, present participle binding over, simple past and past participle bound over)

binds over (present singular third-person)
binding over (participle present)
bound over (participle past)
bound over (past)

In Middlesex, instead of being tried by jury, hundreds of suspected adulterers were instead bound over by magistrates – in other words, forced to end their alleged relationships, find respectable citizens to post bail for their good behviour, and appear in court to answer for their future conduct.

2012, Faramerz Dabhoiwala, The Origins of Sex, Penguin, published 2013, page 48:

(law) To compel someone to do, or abstain from, a particular act.


multiplepoinding

Mr. Wildgoose, Mr. Peebles's eighth agent, recommended a Multiplepoinding to bring all parties concerned into the field.

The multiplepoinding makes the fund litigious, to the effect of preventing the common debtor, to whom the fund originally belonged, from granting any voluntary conveyances of it while the action is in dependance.

1826, George Joseph Bell, Commentaries on the laws of Scotland, and on the principles of mercantile jurisprudence, Volume 2, page 299:

For tax purposes, and for them alone, the English law of charity is to be regarded as part of the law of Scotland. Lord Jauncey's decision in the action of multiplepoinding proceeded on the general law of Scotland as regards charities, and, as the Glasgow Police Athletic case shows, the decision under the corresponding English common law rules would have been different.

2007, Gary Watt, Todd and Watt's Cases and Materials on Equity and Trusts, →ISBN, page 223:

(Scotand, law) A legal action taken when there are several claimants to the same fund or property.


REA

(US, law) Initialism of request for an equitable adjustment. In contracting with government entities in the United States, used to indicate that compensation is sought for unexpected costs arising in the fulfillment of a contract.


WOSB

(US, law) Initialism of women-owned small business, a category of businesses in the law of government contracting in the United States.


unsurvived

He died unsurvived by issue.

(law) Not survived; not outlived by children.


equitable tolling

(law) A legal doctrine under which the failure of one party to meet a deadline may be excused because they were prevented from so doing by circumstances outside their control.


comprint

comprint (third-person singular simple present comprints, present participle comprinting, simple past and past participle comprinted)

comprints (present singular third-person)
comprinting (participle present)
comprinted (participle past)
comprinted (past)

After the wars, the University Printers did, for some time, continue to comprint privileged books at Oxford, as well as those at London, but soon after came to their former agreement, but for lower payments.

1781, John Gutch, Collectanea Curiosa, page 280:

Aug. 24 [1671, letter of] Dr. Thomas Yates to Sir Leoline Jenkyns. [...] My endeavour is to place our power of printing here on the same foot that the late King's great charter doth; that is, upon our prescription and usage, which if we can, then we have a right before all patents of restraint and reservation of the sole printing of some books, and then we shall not be restrained by the patents granted to the King's printers, the Stationers, and others, but shall be at liberty to comprint with them all their books, which is all we shall desire, for we are resolved to print better and with more care than those that now print, and to sell cheaper, which is the proper and best use we can make of such a privilege.

1895, Mary Anne Everett Green, Francis Henry Blackburne Daniell, Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of Charles II, Volume 11, page 445:

Proclaiming himself the trade's equivalent to Luther, he [Elizabethan printer John Wolfe] and a band of colleagues began systematically to comprint patented books.

2009, Adrian Johns, The Nature of the Book: Print and Knowledge in the Making, page 256:

And in 1685, the Bishop of Oxford, John Fell, similarly noted that authors granted copyrights to booksellers. Writing to John Bellinger, one of the Wardens of the Company, the Bishop stated that the University of Oxford would not 'comprint the Books that the Company have in their Patents, or belong by way of Coppyright from the Authors of Books'.

2017, Jose Bellido, Landmark Cases in Intellectual Property Law, page 52:

(UK, law, obsolete) To reprint without permission a work belonging to another.


heads of the bill

Mr. Monck Mason then a young barrister, on a motion that the heads of the bill should be committed, displayed great talents, liberality and thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles of political economy, in a luminous speech.

1813, Mathew O'Conor, The History of the Irish Catholics from the Settlement in 1691: With a View of the State of Ireland from the Invasion by Henry II, to the Revolution:

(Ireland, law) Early draft of a bill usually agreed at cabinet but not yet published.


hold court

hold court (third-person singular simple present holds court, present participle holding court, simple past and past participle held court)

holds court (present singular third-person)
holding court (participle present)
held court (participle past)
held court (past)

Bean held court in an outhouse, the prisoner seated on a bale of flint hides. Bean was not only judge but prosecutor, as well as counsel for the defense.

1906, Andy Adams, “Rangering”, in Cattle Brands: A Collection of Western Camp-Fire Stories:

California's Acting Secretary of State . . . asked the judge in the case not to hold court on Election Day, Nov. 8, and the day before.

1994 August 14, Michael Janofsky, “Simpson Trial's Allure Puts State Politicians on the Spot”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-05-30:

(law, of a judge or equivalent official) To convene or preside over a trial or other legal proceeding in a court of law.


soulscot

en-noun

soulscot (countable and uncountable, plural soulscots)

From Middle English saulesoth, *soulescot, from sāwolsċeatt (“an ecclesiastical due, to be paid for every deceased person to the clergy of the church to which he belonged, in consideration of the services performed by them in his behalf”), equivalent to soul + scot.

O, by my soulscot, I do love to tell My stories with the haste I often count, At drowsy night, my Paternoster belt.

1839, J. F. Pennie, Britain's Historical Drama:

He will pay his brotherhood yearly, and soulscot on the death of a brother or sister, except for reason of poverty; […]

1955, J. W. F. Hill, Tudor & Stuart Lincoln, page 32:

The vagaries of the records bar any firm calculation of membership figures – especially as receipts include money for 'soulscot', presumably made on behalf of the dead.

2007, R. N. Swanson, Indulgences in Late Medieval England:

[…] churchscot, a render paid annually in grain; lightscot, candles or oil for lighting church lamps; plough-alms, assessed at a penny per plough; and soulscot, a payment in return for burial in a church graveyard.

2010, Joyce Tally Lionarons, The Homiletic Writings of Archbishop Wulfstan:

(ecclesiastical law, historical) A funeral payment, formerly made at the grave, usually to the parish priest in whose church service for the departed had been said; a mortuary.


parallel citation

parallel citation (plural parallel citations)

(law) In legal writing, a portion of a citation indicating an additional publication of the document cited.


legislative session

legislative session (plural legislative sessions)

(law) The period of time in which a group of legislators elected together in a general election are able to enact legislation; usually one year if general elections are conducted annually, or two years if general elections are conducted biennially.


session laws

(law) The published set of all laws passed during a specific legislative session, including those that will not be incorporated into the statutes of the jurisdiction.


Cl. Ct.

(law) Claims Court, as used in case citation.


Det.

(law, law enforcement) Abbreviation of detective.


Nat'l

(on a traffic sign) Yellowstone Nat'l Park


Telecomm.

(law) Abbreviation of telecommunication.


N.

Borrowed from Latin N., or an abbreviation of name.

Which in the first place, we offer up to Thee for Thy holy Catholic Church, that it may please Thee to grant her peace, to protect, unite and govern her throughout the world, together with Thy servant N. our Pope, N. our Bishop, and all true believers and professors of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith.
Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy servants and handmaids N. and N. (the priest calls to mind the living he wants to pray for) and for all here present, whose faith and devotion are known to Thee, for whom we offer, or who offer up to Thee this sacrifice of praise for themselves and all those dear to them, for the redemption of their souls, the hope of their safety and salvation : who now pay their vows to Thee, the eternal, living and true God.

1945, The Saint Andrew Daily Missal, page 972:

℣. The continuation (or beginning) of the holy Gospel according to N.
℟. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

1962, Roman Catholic Sunday Missal Booklet, Angelus Press, page 15:

(Christianity, liturgical, law) placeholder for a particular name to be specified


aff'd mem.

(law) Abbreviation of affirmed by a memorandum opinion.


memorandum opinion

memorandum opinion (plural memorandum opinions)

(law, US) A judicial opinion that does not create precedent.


B.I.A.

Board of Immigration Appeals
w:Board of Immigration Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Board of Immigration Appeals.


B.C.A.

Board of Contract Appeals
w:Board of Contract Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Board of Contract Appeals.


C.M.A.

Court of Military Appeals
w:Court of Military Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Court of Military Appeals.


C.C.P.A.

Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
w:Court of Customs and Patent Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Court of Customs and Patent Appeals.


P.U.C.

Public Utilities Commission
w:Public Utilities Commission

(law) Abbreviation of Public Utilities Commission.


ASBCA

w:Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.


H.R.

House of Representatives
House of Representatives#English

(law) Abbreviation of House of Representatives.


Ant. & Barb.

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda#English

(law) Abbreviation of Antigua and Barbuda.


H.D.

House of Delegates
House of Delegates#English

(law) Abbreviation of House of Delegates.


Bosn. & Herz.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina#English

(law) Abbreviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.


Geor.

(law) Abbreviation of Georgia. (The country; the U.S. state is Ga.).


Dom. Rep.

Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic#English

(law) Abbreviation of Dominican Republic.


Cent. Afr. Rep.

Central African Republic
Central African Republic#English

(law) Abbreviation of Central African Republic.


J.P.M.L.

w:Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation

(law) Abbreviation of Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.


Falk. Is.

Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands#English


Eq. Guinea

Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea#English

(law) Abbreviation of Equatorial Guinea.


C.M.R.

Court of Military Review
w:Court of Military Review

(law) Abbreviation of Court of Military Review.


B.T.A.

Board of Tax Appeals
w:Board of Tax Appeals

(law) Abbreviation of Board of Tax Appeals.


subdiv.

(law) Abbreviation of subdivision. (referring to a publication)


B.P.A.I.

w:Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences

(law) Abbreviation of Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.


N.S.W.

(law) Abbreviation of New South Wales. (Alternative form of NSW).


app.

(law) Abbreviation of appendix (text added to the end of a book or an article).


N. Mar. I.

Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands#English

(law) Abbreviation of Northern Mariana Islands.


Magis.

Mag.

when referring to the title of an individual officeholder


Pitcairn Is.

Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands#English


N. Ir.

Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland#English


Papua N.G.

Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea#English


St. Kitts & Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis#English

(law) Abbreviation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.


St. Vincent

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines#English

(law) Abbreviation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.


Trin. & Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago#English

(law) Abbreviation of Trinidad and Tobago.


Turks & Caicos Is.

Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands#English

(law) Abbreviation of Turks and Caicos Islands.


Nfld.

Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador#English

(law) Abbreviation of Newfoundland and Labrador.


U.A.E.

United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates#English

(law) Abbreviation of United Arab Emirates.


supp.

(law, marketing) Abbreviation of supplement.


P.E.I.

Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island#English

(law) Abbreviation of Prince Edward Island.


N.W.T.

Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories#English

(law) Abbreviation of Northwest Territories.


Cust.

(law) Abbreviation of customs. (government department or agency authorized to collect the taxes imposed on imported goods)


Vict.

(law) Abbreviation of Victoria. (state of Australia)


N. Terr.

Northern Territory
Northern Territory#English

(law) Abbreviation of Northern Territory.


Austl. Cap. Terr.

Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory#English

(law) Abbreviation of Australian Capital Territory.


W. Aust.

Western Australia
Western Australia#English

(law) Abbreviation of Western Australia.


A.L.J.

administrative law judge
w:administrative law judge

(law) Abbreviation of administrative law judge.


Att'y Gen.

attorney general
attorney general#English


M.R.

Master of the Rolls
w:Master of the Rolls

(law) Abbreviation of Master of the Rolls.


V.C.

(law) Abbreviation of vi coactus (“forced by force”).


JJ.

(law, postnominal) Alternative form of JJ (“abbreviation of judges or justices”); plural of J.


J.

(law, postnominal) Alternative form of J (“abbreviation of judge or justice”).


character witness

character witness (plural character witnesses)

(law) A witness called to provide evidence with respect to the reputation, conduct or moral standing of a party.


community property

(law) Property acquired during a marriage, excluding gifts and inheritances, that is owned jointly by both spouses and is divided upon divorce, annulment or death (in the United States: marital property as divided equally in California and some other states, as opposed to equitable distribution, the practice in most states).


anticonversion

en-adj

anticonversion (comparative more anticonversion, superlative most anticonversion)

more anticonversion (comparative)
most anticonversion (superlative)

anticonversion laws in India

(law, religion) Opposing or preventing conversion from one religion to another.

anticonversão

opposing or preventing religious conversion


material witness

en-noun

material witness (plural material witnesses)

(law) A person with information alleged to be material concerning a criminal proceeding, and who therefore may be detained to insure their participation in such a proceeding.


data controller

data controller (plural data controllers)

(UK, law) A nominated person who determines the purposes for which and the manner in which any personal data is to be processed. (under the Data Protection Act)


AUSA

assistant United States attorney
assistant United States attorney

(US, law) initialism of assistant United States attorney

assistant United States district attorney


EADA

executive assistant district attorney#English

(US, law) Initialism of executive assistant district attorney.


law firm

(law) A business formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law.


suspensively

en-adv

suspensively (comparative more suspensively, superlative most suspensively)

more suspensively (comparative)
most suspensively (superlative)


co-decision

(law) A procedure, in the European Union, that requires consensus to be reached between the Council and the Parliament for legislation to be adopted


nomophylactic

en-adj

nomophylactic (comparative more nomophylactic, superlative most nomophylactic)

more nomophylactic (comparative)
most nomophylactic (superlative)

(law) That upholds or protects the law, especially its uniform interpretation


stop-and-search

Adding to the department's problems is a long-running controversy over a stop-and-search policy that includes random searches of young black men.

1990 January 18, Constance L. Hays, “3 Cases Raise Questions on Boston Police Methods”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-08-20:

The high court renewed its decision to throw out evidence in a 1992 Montgomery County traffic stop-and-search case that uncovered a small amount of marijuana and a methamphetamine pill.

1997 November 13, Rob Modic, “Motorist Must Know "Free to Go"”, in Dayton Daily News, USA, retrieved 2013-08-20:

Both parties support ‘stop and search’ – also known as ‘sus’ laws. Under these laws, the police can stop anyone under ‘reasonable’ suspicion that they could commit a crime.

2008, Simon Assaf, “London mayor elections: Ken and Boris launch a war on young people”, in Socialist Worker, UK, retrieved 2013-08-20:

A U.S. judge has ruled the New York Police Department has violated the rights of tens of thousands of people by intentionally discriminating against racial minorities with its controversial "stop-and-search" policy.

2013 August 12, “US Court says NYPD ‘Stop-and-Search’ Violates Rights”, in Voice of America, retrieved 2013-08-20:

(law, law enforcement) Of or pertaining to laws or policing practices, found in some jurisdictions, which permit a law enforcement officer to temporarily detain and search a member of the public based on the officer's suspicions.


prime suspect

The police had found the getaway car in the field. The rain had washed most of the yellow paint off the Mini to reveal the Union Jack underneath. There was no doubt that the car was Queenie. This led the police to their prime suspect, the car’s owner, Gilbert Goodie.

2017, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Bad Dad, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:

(law) A person who is considered by the law enforcement agency investigating a crime to be the most likely suspect.


share and share alike

"And your father and mine have purchased all this land in company, you say—share and share alike, as the lawyers call it."

1845, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 4, in Satanstoe:

[O]n his decease, the principal to be equally divided between Peggotty, little Emily, and me, or the survivor or survivors of us, share and share alike.

1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 31, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:

[T]he husband, ordered by the court to divide his property share and share alike, sawed the family piano in half, together with the tables, chairs, pictures, rugs and draperies, and loading these on a truck had the halves carted to the new home of his wife.

2000 September 27, “In Our Pages 75 Years Ago”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-09-04:

(law) Equal rights to or equal portions of profits, assets, bequests, or other valuable items legally owed to investors, partners, beneficiaries, or other named associates. If one beneficiary is unable to benefit (for instance, if they have died), their share is divided among the others.


J.P.

Mr. John Smith, J.P.

Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace

(law, abbreviation) Abbreviation of Justice of the Peace, usually used after the name of a person who holds this office.


Bl. Com.

As well the existence of private customs must be shewn, as that the thing in dispute is within the custom alledged. 1 Bl. Com. 76.

1787, Charles Durnford, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Court of Kings' Bench, Parts 5-7, page 469:

A manor could not legally exist without a court baron.⁽¹⁾
⁽¹⁾ 2 Bl. Com. 90. 3 Bl. Com. 33. 4 Bl. Com. 273.

1838, Thomas Sergeant, View of Land Laws of Pennsylvania, page 195:

Fealty. Belongs to copyhold, as to all feudal tenures, except estates at will. (1 Th. Co. Lit. 675 ; 2 Bl. Com. 97.) 2e.

1877, John Barbee Minor, Institutes of Common and Statute Law, volume 2, page 70:

Feudum antiquum ; an ancient feud or fief ; a fief descended to the vassal from his ancestors. 2 Bl. Com. 212, 221.

1987, Alexander M. Burrill, A Law Dictionary and Glossary, page 620:

He saw necessity as amounting to a 'defect of the will' which renders one incapable of committing a crime, 4 Bl. Com. 27.

2011, Eimear Spain, The Role of Emotions in Criminal Law Defences, page 117:

(law) Abbreviation of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England.

Commentaries on the Laws of England
William Blackstone


Carib.

For criticism of the decision see R. Bacchus, "The Development of the Law of Wrongful Dismissal in the Commonwealth Caribbean" [1991] 1 Carib. L.R. 13.

1992, Journal of Individual Employment Rights: IER, volume 1, page 175:

'Fundamental Rights and Democratic Governance in the Commonwealth Caribbean.' (1996) 6 Carib. L. Rev.1 (1996).

1997, Simeon C. R. McIntosh, Fundamental Rights and Democratic Governance: Essays in Caribbean Jurisprudence, page 330:

Winston Anderson, 'Treaty making in Caribbean law and practice: The question of parliamentary participation" (1998) 8 Carib. LR 75.

1998, Caribbean Law Bulletin, volume 3, page 159:

Glomeropitcairnia Mez. Bromeliaceae (2). 2 Carib. R: FN 14(1977)1388.

2008, D. J. Mabberley, Mabberley's Plant-Book: A Portable Dictionary of Plants, Their Classification and Uses, page 362:

Chapman, V. J. 1962. Respiration in mangrove seedlings. Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf and Carib. 12:137-167.

2012, Robert J. Mold, Ecology of Halophytes, page 389:

(law, sciences) Abbreviation of Caribbean.


arrha

(law, historical) Money or some other valuable item given to evidence a contract; a pledge or earnest.

arrhes

money or valuables given to evidence a contract


judicial review

en-noun

judicial review (plural judicial reviews)

Since it appears that judicial review is here to stay, some who remain troubled by it urge that at the very least the enterprise of judges deciding constitutional questions should be limited to discovering the intent of the Framers.

1987 January 2, Irving R. Kaufman, “Opinion: No Way to Interpret the Constitution”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-10-24:

(law, uncountable) The doctrine, implemented in varying ways in differing jurisdictions, that authorities within the judicial branch of government may examine and make rulings on the legal validity of decisions and actions of the legislative and executive branches of government and, in some jurisdictions, of others within the judicial branch itself.

[T]he senate committee on interstate commerce adjourned until next Thursday without having taken a vote on the bill or considered an amendment for a judicial review of the orders of the interstate commerce commission.

1906 February 17, “Senate Shied at Rate Vote”, in Lewiston Morning Tribune, Idaho, USA, retrieved 2013-10-24, page 1:

After one of Britain's most politically sensitive judicial reviews, a three-judge court today upheld the convictions of six men for the murder of 21 people in the bombing of a Birmingham pub in 1974.

1988 January 29, Steve Lohr, “British Back Guilt of 6, Upsetting Irish”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-10-24:

"The Obama Administration continues to shield Bush-era torturers from accountability in civil proceedings by blocking judicial review of their illegal behavior," said Steven Watt, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union.

2010 November 18, Nick Assinder, “Gitmo Inmates Settlement: Why Britain Decided to Pay”, in Time, retrieved 2013-10-24:

(law, countable) A judicial process undertaken under this doctrine.


arraignable

[…] if a Parliament be triable and arraignable before the King himselfe: Then hath the King an unlimited declarative power of Law above all Courts, in his own breast;

1642, anonymous author, Reasons Why This Kingdome Ought to Adhere to the Parliament, London, page 11:

[…] however I may be arraignable for any Error in my Judgment, I am perfectly free from aught of Sinister in my Intention with regard to the present Matter.

1755, anonymous author, Serious Reflections on the Manifold Dangers Attending the Use of Copper Vessels, London: M. Cooper, page 32:

1881, T. W. Rolleston, letter dated 29 January, 1881, in Whitman and Rolleston: A Correspondence, Dublin: Browne and Nolan, 1952, p. 22,
Their words may not have been arraignable by law, (though in many cases they were so) but they were such as their hearers could give but one interpretation to.

A number of Cook County vice cops scattered through the room with notebooks and tape machines, sucking up every arraignable word.

1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld, New York: Scribner, Part 5, Chapter 5, p. 583:

(law) For which a person is liable to be arraigned.


statutory law

(law, countable) A law enacted by a legislative body.

(law, uncountable) The complete corpus of laws enacted by legislation and currently in effect within a jurisdiction.

säädösoikeus

complete corpus of legislatively-enacted laws

statute law

the complete corpus of laws enacted by legislation and current in effect within a jurisdiction


law of the land

Besides it must be remembered that precedents in some cases will not excuse a judge, even where they are according to the undoubted law of the land.

1724, The Drapier's Letters, Jonathan Swift, Appendix 4:

Hackney-coaches are part and parcel of the law of the land; they were settled by the Legislature; plated and numbered by the wisdom of Parliament.

1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “chapter-7”, in Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC:

He confessed that neither he nor any citizen had a right to consult his own feelings or conscience in a case where a law of the land had been violated before his own eyes.

1873, Mark Twain, Charles Dudley Warner, chapter 29, in The Gilded Age:

I am on the side of the established authorities. I am in the cast-iron position of the man who falls into line with the law of the land.

1915, E. Phillips Oppenheim, chapter 14, in An Amiable Charlatan:

"I'm dressed as a woman, but I am still technically a man. I believe that to comply with the law of the land I ought to continue to use the Gents', but in order not to look out place I intend to use the Ladies' from now on. I trust none of you will grass on me..."

2004, David Nobbs, Sex and Other Changes, page 95:

"A lot of other people don’t like it. But what’s law is law and you abide by the law of the land."

2013 September 24, Manny Fernandez, “In Corner of Arkansas, Frustration but No Panic Over Possible Shutdown”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-11-17:

So why not rob these red cloaks? Serves em right for letting their guard down. Isn’t that the unwritten law of the land? If someone gets one up on you, you deserve it for letting them?

2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:

(law) A particular law or the complete set of laws currently in effect within a jurisdiction, especially with emphasis on the official and authoritative nature of such law.


Tainan City

Calque from Chinese 臺南市 (literally “Tainan city”), the formal name of Tainan

Chungshe is one of eleven villages in Liuchia township, Tainan county (see Maps 2 and 3). It lies about 30 kilometers northeast of Tainan city.

1972, Burton Pasternak, Kinship & Community in Two Chinese Villages, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 10:


Penglai City

A translation of Mandarin Chinese 蓬莱市 (pénglái).

(law) Synonym of Penglai, a city in China.


residuary legatee

residuary legatee (plural residuary legatees)

(law) The person to whom the residue of personal estate is bequeathed.


residuary clause

residuary clause (plural residuary clauses)

(law) The part of the testator's will in which the residue of the estate is disposed of.


residuary devise

residuary devise (plural residuary devises)

(law) The person to whom the residue of real estate is devised by a will.


ouster le main

he had to pay half - a - year's profits as a fine for suing out his ouster le main , or livery

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(law) A delivery of lands out of the hands of a guardian, or out of the king's hands, or a judgement given for that purpose.


privileged debt

privileged debt (plural privileged debts)

(law, finance) A debt to which a preference in payment is given out of the estate of a deceased or insolvent person.


free bench

From free + bench, after Anglo-Norman franc banc (“frank bank”).

In most manors, free-bench consists of one half of the husband's copyhold; although, in others, it consists of a third or fourth part, and in some few, of the whole copyhold.

1808, William Cruise, A Digest of the Laws of England Respecting Real Property, page 329:

The widow enjoyed the right of freebench, that is, of succession to a portion of her late husband's holding, ranging from a quarter to the whole, according to local manorial custom.

1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 541:

Some widows in Brigstock also probably sold free bench lands, despite the customary restriction on such sales.

1987, Judith M Bennett, Women in the Medieval English Countryside, page 165:

(law, historical) A married woman's entitlement to the use of her husband's lands or property after he dies; or the land and property itself considered as such an entitlement.


sue out

en-verb

sue out (third-person singular simple present sues out, present participle suing out, simple past and past participle sued out)

sues out (present singular third-person)
suing out (participle present)
sued out (participle past)
sued out (past)

to sue out a writ in chancery; to sue out a pardon for a criminal

(transitive, law) To petition for and take out, or to apply for and obtain.


declinatory plea

en-noun

declinatory plea (plural declinatory pleas)

(UK, law, obsolete) The plea of sanctuary or of benefit of clergy, before trial or conviction.


knight service

Land became fully devisable with the abolition of knight-service in 1660, but magnates continued to inherit property which was tied up in strict settlements, giving the current representative of the family no more than a life-tenancy.

1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 585:

If they were not heiresses, a lord's daughters were sometimes married off to his knights, but the latter […] might well need an incentive such as a cash payment, land or a reduction in their knight service.

2002, Christopher Gravett, English Medieval Knight 1200-1300, page 43:

(historical, law) The military service a knight owed to his chief lord as a condition of holding title to his lands and rank.


valuable consideration

valuable consideration (countable and uncountable, plural valuable considerations)

a purchasor for a valuable consideration, without notice, might hold the land discharged of any trust or confidence .

(law) An equivalent or compensation having value given for a thing purchased, such as money, marriage, services, etc.


criminal code

(law) A document which compiles all, or a significant amount of, a particular jurisdiction's criminal law.

قَانُون جِنَائِيّ

document which compiles a particular jurisdiction's criminal law


pragmatic sanction

pragmatic sanction (plural pragmatic sanctions)

(law, historical) A sovereign's solemn decree on a matter of primary importance, having the force of law.


letters of horning

In untechnical language, we may describe letters of horning as the authority by which a person, directed by the decree of a court of justice to pay or perform anything, is ordered to comply therewith.

1876, A concise law dictionary by Herbert Newman Mozley and George Crispe Whiteley, barrister at law:

(law, historical, Scotland) The process or authority by which a person, directed by the decree of a court of justice to pay or perform anything, is ordered to comply.


wand of peace

DEFORCEMENT being a crime which has a distinct punishment affixed to it, the messenger, it has been argued, when relisted, should break his wand of peace, and protest for remeid of law]]

1806, Gilbert Hutcheson, Pennyslvania Law Journal:

(law, Scotland, historical) A wand, or staff, carried by the messenger of a court, which was broken when deforced (that is, hindered from executing process), as a symbol of the deforcement, and protest for remedy of law.


vadium vivum

Borrowed from Medieval Latin vadium vivum (“living pledge”).

bor+

(law, historical) A living pledge, which exists where an estate is granted until a debt is paid out of its proceeds.


soc and sac

From Old English sōcen and sacan, equivalent to the Anglo-Norman oyer and terminer.

King John granted to the prior and convent, in all their manors and lands, sac, soc, tol, and theam, infangenthef, and outfangenthef, with the ordeals or judgment by fire, water, and iron, and a common gallows in each manor; with a view of frankenpledge, and assize of bread and ale, of all their tenants […]

1806, Francis Bloomfield, An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, Vol. IV, p. 517

(UK, law, historical) The right of a lord to hear and decide legal cases on his estate without recourse to other courts.


ex delicto

From Latin ex (“from”) + dēlictō, ablative singular of dēlictum (“transgression”).

This act [An Act anent the Aliment of Poor Prisoners 1696 (chapter 32; Parliament of Scotland)] was clearly intended to regulate the case of civil debts; but the question occurred whether by civil debts was meant debts ex contractu, or debts also ex delicto; and the Court were at first of opinion that debtors, whose debts arose ex delicto, were not entitled to the benefit of the statute. […] The opinion was however given up by the Court in 1787; and debts, though arising ex delicto, were held to be civil debts in the sense of the act, and as such, did not exclude the debtor from the benefit of the statute.

1815, Robert Bell, A Dictionary of the Law of Scotland: Intended for the Use of the Public at Large, as Well as of the Profession, 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh: Printed by Alex. Smellie, for John Anderson & Company, Edinburgh; and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown, London, →OCLC, page 13:

Personal actions are in form ex contractu or ex delicto, or, in other words, are for breach of contract, or for wrongs unconnected with contract. […] [T]hose for wrongs are case, trover, replevin, and trespass vi et armis.

1837, Joseph Chitty with Thomas Chitty, A Treatise on the Parties to Actions, and on Pleading: With Second and Third Volumes, Containing Precedents of Pleadings, and Copious Directory Notes, 7th American edition, volume I, Springfield, Mass.: G. and C. Merriam, →OCLC, page 110:

[I]t was held that the Missouri statute did not apply to disqualify the plaintiff as a witness in an action against a railroad company for the alleged wrongful act of one of its conductors in putting her off the train, by reason of the death of the conductor before the trial, “as this is not an action on contract, but ex delicto […]”

1916, Burdett A. Rich, Henry P. Farnham, George H. Parmele, editors, The Lawyers Reports Annotated: 1916D, Rochester, N.Y.: Lawyers' Co-operative Pub., →OCLC, page 812:

The confusion as to the legal effects of breach of the due diligence obligation derives from the general lack of full understanding of its role in the structure of State responsibility. There are many schools of thought as to the character of this obligation in the context of both liability ex delicto and of liability sine delicto.

2002, M[algosia] A. Fitzmaurice, “International Protection of the Environment”, in Recueil des cours = Collected Courses of The Hague Academy of International Law 2001, volume 293, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, →ISBN, page 243:

Obligations ex delicto are those arising from a tort, an illegal act other than a breach of contract, and are enforced by giving to the obligee compensatory money damages equivalent to the amount of his loss. […] Roman law separated the obligations ex delicto tort into two categories: (1) where the party was actively and knowingly involved in the tort, which has developed into intentional tort; and (2) where the party was mistakenly involved, which has developed into negligence.

2014, David Orozco with Kevin McGarry and Lydie Pierre-Louis, “The Human Rights-related Aspects of Indigenous Knowledge in the Context of Common Law Equitable Doctrines and the Kiobel Decision”, in Robert C. Bird, Daniel R. Cahoy, Jamie Darin Prenkert, editors, Law, Business and Human Rights: Bridging the Gap, Cheltenham, Glos.: Edward Elgar Publishing, →ISBN, page 196:

(law, postpositive) Of a legal obligation: arising from a delict or tort, or some other wrongful act.


ex delicto

The diviſion of obligations, into thoſe ariſing from a contract, or quaſi ex contractu; from a delict, or quaſi ex delicto, takes place in the law of England [marginal note]. […] Obligations civil, in a large ſenſe, may be divided into ſuch as ariſe from a contract, or quaſi contract; or from a delinquency and crime, or a quaſi delinquency, as they are termed in the civil law.

1751, Andrew MacDowall Bankton, An Institute of the Laws of Scotland in Civil Rights: With Observations Upon the Agreement or Diversity Between Them and the Laws of England. In Four Books. After the General Method of the Viscount of Stair's Institutions., volume I, Edinburgh: Printed by R. Fleming, for A. Kincaid and A[lexander] Donaldson, and sold by them and other Booksellers, →OCLC, page 104:

Actio personalis moritur cum persona. – A personal action dies with the person. [i.e. An action merely personal, arising ex delicto, for a tort, but not an action arising ex contractu, from contract.[…]] […] [Ex delicto — From tort.]

1824, Thomas Branch with William Waller Hening, Principia Legis et Æquitatis: Being an Alphabetical Collection of Maxims, Principles or Rules, Definitions, and Memorable Sayings, in Law and Equity; Interspersed with such Law Terms, and Latin Words and Phrases as most Frequently Occur, in the Study and Practice of the Law, 1st American edition, Richmond: T. W. White, →OCLC, pages 12 and 43:

What the Romans said is that, whereas some obligations arose ‘ex delicto’ (that is, from a delict or wrong), others arose ‘quasi ex delicto’ (and likewise for contract).

2009, Eric Descheemaeker, The Division of Wrongs: A Historical Comparative Study, Oxford: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 43:

(law, postpositive) From a delict or tort, or some other wrongful act.


ex contractu

From Latin ex (“from”) + contractū (ablative singular of contractus (“contract”)).

This act [An Act anent the Aliment of Poor Prisoners 1696 (chapter 32; Parliament of Scotland)] was clearly intended to regulate the case of civil debts; but the question occurred whether by civil debts was meant debts ex contractu, or debts also ex delicto; and the Court were at first of opinion that debtors, whose debts arose ex delicto, were not entitled to the benefit of the statute. [...] The opinion was however given up by the Court in 1787; and debts, though arising ex delicto, were held to be civil debts in the sense of the act, and as such, did not exclude the debtor from the benefit of the statute.

1815, Robert Bell, A Dictionary of the Law of Scotland: […], 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh: Printed by Alex. Smellie, for John Anderson & Company; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown, →OCLC, page 13:

Personal actions are in form ex contractu or ex delicto, or, in other words, are for breach of contract, or for wrongs unconnected with contract. Those upon contracts are principally assumpsit, debt, covenant, and detinue [...]

1837, Joseph Chitty, Thomas Chitty, A Treatise on the Parties to Actions, and on Pleading: […], 7th American edition, volume I, Springfield, Mass.: G. and C. Merriam, →OCLC, page 110:

In drawing the pleadings, and framing the declaration of the cause of action against a husband, or an executor, in respect of the funeral expenses of the wife or the testator, it must be stated, in order to show a good legal ground of action ex contractu upon the record, that the things furnished were supplied at the request of the husband, or the executors, and a promise to pay for them must be alleged.

1847, C[harles] G[reenstreet] Addison, A Treatise on the Law of Contracts and Rights and Liabilities Ex Contractu, London: W. Benning & Co., →OCLC, page 213:

The leading distinction between obligations ex contractu and obligations quasi ex contractu is, that in the former one chooses to bind himself to another, in the latter he is placed in such circumstances that he is thereby bound to another.

1874, Thomas Collett Sandars, The Institutes of Justinian: With English Introduction, Translation and Notes, 5th edition, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 379:

Obligations quasi ex contractu are those, for the most part, for which a liability is implicit in a relation and is imposed by law, though not created or undertaken by any direct act of the obligor.

1936, C[harles] Reinold Noyes, The Institution of Property: A Study of the Development, Substance and Arrangement of the System of Property in Modern Anglo-American Law, New York, N.Y., Toronto, Ont.: Longmans, Green and Co.; London: Humphrey Milford, →OCLC, page 212:

(law, postpositive) Of a legal obligation: arising from a contractual relationship.

ugovorno

of a legal obligation: arising from a contractual relationship


ex contractu

The diviſion of obligations, into thoſe ariſing from a contract, or quaſi ex contractu; from a delict, or quaſi ex delicto, takes place in the law of England [marginal note]. [...] Obligations civil, in a large ſenſe, may be divided into ſuch as ariſe from a contract, or quaſi contract; or from a delinquency and crime, or a quaſi delinquency, as they are termed in the civil law.

1751, Andrew MacDowall Bankton, An Institute of the Laws of Scotland in Civil Rights: With Observations Upon the Agreement or Diversity Between Them and the Laws of England. In Four Books. […], volume I, Edinburgh: Printed by R. Fleming, for A. Kincaid and A[lexander] Donaldson, […], →OCLC, page 104:

Actio personalis moritur cum persona. – A personal action dies with the person. [i.e. An action merely personal, arising ex delicto, for a tort, but not an action arising ex contractu, from contract. [...]]

1824, Thomas Branch, William Waller Hening, Principia Legis et Æquitatis: Being an Alphabetical Collection of Maxims, Principles or Rules, Definitions, and Memorable Sayings, in Law and Equity; […], 1st American edition, Richmond: T. W. White, →OCLC, page 12:

(law, postpositive) From a contractual relationship.


DWR

en-noun

DWR (countable and uncountable, plural DWRs)

(countable, law) Initialism of driving while revoked.


jactitation of marriage

jactitation of marriage (usually uncountable, plural jactitations of marriage)

Jactitation of marriage, or the boasting of the existence of a marriage , which never actually took place

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(UK, law, historical) A false assertion of being married to another person.


bound bailiff

The sheriff being answerable for the bailiff's misdemeanours, the bailiff is usually under bond for the faithful discharge of his trust.

(UK, law) A sheriff's officer who serves writs, makes arrests, etc.


ockerer

[…] under the pain of confiscation of all their moveable goods, and to be otherwise punished in their persons as common ockerers, according to law.

1769, Statute Law of Scotland Abridged. With Historical Notes, Scotland, page 392:

The first Species thereof is, Whoever receives more Annualrent^([sic]), than Ten for each Hundred, shall be punished as Ockerers, or Usurers, conform to the Laws of the Realm, already made, […]

1699, George Mackenzie, The Laws and Customs of Scotland, in Matters Criminal: Wherein is to be Seen how the Civil Law, and the Laws and Customs of Other Nations Doth Agree With, and Supply Ours, page 119:

(obsolete, Scotland, especially law) A usurer.


make whole

en-verb

make whole (third-person singular simple present makes whole, present participle making whole, simple past and past participle made whole)

makes whole (present singular third-person)
making whole (participle present)
made whole (participle past)
made whole (past)

Perelman receives a government subsidy called "yield maintenance"—totaling about $406 million to date—to make him whole for carrying money-losing assets in the thrift.

1991 February 10, Larry Light et al., “Were These Deals Too Sweet To Last?”, in BusinessWeek, retrieved 2014-01-28:

The only investor to be made whole, the lawsuit says, was First American Bank of New York, whose $5.5 million loan to the resort was repaid.

1994 September 25, Jan Hoffman, Matthew Purdy, “Harriman Suit: Misconduct, Or Just Bad Luck Investing?”, in New York Times, retrieved 2014-01-28:

Companies “are increasingly covering more complicated forms of compensation that executives forfeited from prior jobs,” says Hodgson. For instance, Home Depot promised Robert Nardelli half his salary and bonus, subject to certain undisclosed offsets, to make him whole for retirement benefits he earned at GE.

2007 June 15, Elizabeth MacDonald, “Gilded Greetings”, in forbes.com, retrieved 2014-01-28:

Alameda’s own crypto assets had plunged in value during the market downturn, meaning the firm had little way to make its lenders whole.

2023 October 11, David Yaffe-Bellany, Matthew Goldstein, J. Edward Moreno, “Caroline Ellison Says She and Sam Bankman-Fried Lied for Years”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(transitive, finance, law) To provide (someone), especially under the terms of a legal judgment or an agreement, with financial compensation for lost money or other lost assets.

compensate

provide (someone) with compensation for a financial loss


particeps criminis

en-noun

particeps criminis (plural particeps criminis or particepes criminis)

particeps criminis (plural)
particepes criminis (plural)

From Latin particeps + crīminis, literally “participant in the crime”.

com

“I have heard too that he was particeps criminis in some road-agent work before he came here and attached himself to the courthouse.”

(law) An accomplice in crime; an accessory.


mero motu

From post-classical Latin motu mero (with transposition of elements), ablative of motus merus (“free impulse, volition”), from classical Latin mōtus (“motion, movement”).

I charge thee, write not a word to me in her favour, if thou meanest her well; for if I spare her, it must be all ex mero motu.

1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter CCVII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC:

(Of) one's own accord
of one's own accord


supplemental jurisdiction

subject-matter jurisdiction
subject-matter jurisdiction

(US, law) The authority of United States federal courts to hear additional claims substantially related to an original claim, even though the court would lack the subject-matter jurisdiction to hear the additional claims independently.


ancient lights

It was reſolved by the Opinion of the aforeſaid Judges, That the Cuſtom of London will not enable a Man to erect a new Houſe upon a void Space of Ground, whereby the ancient Lights of an old Houſe are ſtopp'd up.

1723, William Bohun, Privilegia Londini: Or, The Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Laws, and Customs, of the City of London, 3rd edition, page 103:

If a house or wall is erected so near to mine that it stops my ancient lights, which is a private nuisance, I may enter my neighbour's land, and peaceably pull it down.

1823, Sir William Blackstone (author), Vincent Wanostroch (editor), The British Constitution, or an Epitome of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, for the Use of Schools, p. 403 (Google preview)

At home he might hang himself out of window, and nobody would mind much, provided he did not obstruct anybody's ancient lights or break away and injure any passer underneath.

1900, Jerome K. Jerome, chapter 9, in Three Men on the Bummel:

Writing the majority decision, Judge Shirley S. Abrahamson noted that the English common law "doctrine of ancient lights" entitled a landowner to an unobstructed access to sunlight across an adjoining property if the landowner had already enjoyed the privilege for some time.

1982 July 10, “Landmark Decision on Sun Access”, in New York Times, retrieved 2014-02-05:

Those who have successfully claimed the right to “ancient lights” down the years, understood this in a way today’s development-hungry councils do not.

2013 February 26, Mary Dejevksy, “Don’t let the developers take your last civil right–the right to light”, in The Independent, UK, retrieved 2014-02-06:

(law) The right, based in English common law, of a property owner to retain an accustomed, unobstructed view and satisfactory illumination from his or her window(s), restricting nearby construction that would obstruct such a view or such illumination; the window(s) providing such an accustomed view or satisfactory illumination.


res inter alios acta

(law) A thing done between others (such as a contract), which cannot adversely affect the rights of those who are not parties to it.


interpretivism

en-noun

interpretivism (countable and uncountable, plural interpretivisms)

(law) A school of thought holding that law is not a set of given data, conventions, or physical facts, but what lawyers aim to construct or obtain in their practice.


anaconda mortgage

anaconda mortgage (plural anaconda mortgages)

An allusion to being trapped in crushing coils of a large constrictor snake, such as anaconda, suggesting the crushing burden of such debt.

[I]t was not given to the prophet Isaiah even, to look down the vista of time for 2,500 years and read the Statutes of Arkansas. Under them every man who executes an anaconda mortgage is considered to plant and eat not; for them the heavens might as well be brass and the earth iron.

1889, W. Scott Morgan, History of the Wheel and Alliance and the Impending Revolution, page 59:

Furthermore, the merchants soon discovered the Anaconda mortgage, which forced the owner to back up his crop lien with everything he owned — land, money, and personal property.

1988, Michael Schwartz, Radical Protest and Social Structure: The Southern Farmers' Alliance and Cotton Tenancy, 1880-1890, →ISBN, page 59:

In 1883 Alabama established the "Anaconda" mortgage, which "gave the landlord the right to take not only his tenant's crop . . . but also his furniture, household goods, and personal effects," again with primacy over merchant claims.

1997, Edward Countryman, Americans: A Collision of Histories, →ISBN, page 226:

(chiefly southern US, idiomatic, dated, law, finance) A loan arrangement in which all of the money borrowed from a lender, for whatever purpose, is secured by one's home, land, and other property.


PSL

PSL (countable and uncountable, plural PSLs)

professional support lawyer
professional support lawyer#English

(law) Initialism of professional support lawyer.


no win, no fee

I work on a no win, no fee basis.

(law, chiefly attributive) A form of lawsuit for which the hired legal representative charges no fees to the plaintiff if the plaintiff does not win.


partibus

(law, Scotland) A note in the margin of a summons, giving the name and designation of the pursuer.


RIPA

w:Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

(UK, law) Initialism of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.


ab intestato

(law) From an intestate (someone who dies with no legal will).


petition of right

petition of right (plural petitions of right)

(UK, law, historical) A remedy available to subjects to recover property from the Crown.


nightcapped

Sgt. White asks the judge to authorize a nightcapped warrant because there is a considerable risk to the officers executing the search warrant.

(law) (of a warrant) that can be executed any time, as opposed to non-nightcapped, that can only be executed during the daytime on business days


prepatent

(law) Prior to the existence of a legal patent.


next friend

Then leave-taking was not long about; and Miss Twinkleton, in saluting each young lady’s cheek, confided to her an exceedingly neat letter, addressed to her next friend at law, “with Miss Twinkleton’s best compliments” in the corner.

1870 April–September, Charles Dickens, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1870, →OCLC:

(law) A person who represents another person who is under disability or otherwise unable to maintain a suit on their own behalf, and who does not have a legal guardian.


McKenzie friend

McKenzie friend (plural McKenzie friends)

Named after the 1970 case McKenzie v. McKenzie.

(law) One who assists a litigant in person in a common law court, whether legally qualified or not.


feigned issue

(law) An issue produced in a pretended action between two parties for the purpose of trying before a jury a question of fact which it becomes necessary to settle in the progress of a cause.


dead pledge

(law) The conveyance of an estate to another for money borrowed, to be held by him until the debt is paid out of the rents and profits.


equity of redemption

This reasonable advantage, allowed to mortgagors, is called the equity of redemption : and this enables a mortgagor to call on the mortgagee , who has possession of his estate , to deliver it back and account for the rents and profits received

1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

(law) The advantage, allowed to a mortgager, of a certain or reasonable time to redeem lands mortgaged, after they have been forfeited at law by the non-payment of the sum of money due on the mortgage at the appointed time.


constructive fraud

constructive fraud (countable and uncountable, plural constructive frauds)

(law) A legal fiction describing a situation where an individual or entity gained an unfair advantage over another by deceitful or unfair methods; however, intent does not need to be shown.


droit of admiralty

droit of admiralty (plural droits of admiralty)

(UK, law) Any of certain customary rights or perquisites relating to enemy ships and property found at sea, including flotsam, jetsam, lagan, deodand, etc.


CLA

(software, law) Initialism of Contributor License Agreement.


stand trial

en-verb

stand trial (third-person singular simple present stands trial, present participle standing trial, simple past and past participle stood trial)

stands trial (present singular third-person)
standing trial (participle present)
stood trial (participle past)
stood trial (past)

From stand (“to undergo, withstand”) + trial.

Also observe that if there be six weeks between the bayl and issue joyning, the Defendant shall not remove his playnt by writ, but shall stand tryall below.

1658 (indicated as 1657), The Practise of the Sheriffs Court London. […], [London]: [s.n.], →OCLC; reprinted London: Arthur Taylor, […], c. 1830, →OCLC, page 16:

Alſo obſerve, That if there be ſix Weeks between the Bail and Iſſue Joyning, the Defendant ſhall not remove his Plaint by Writ, but ſhall ſtand Tryal below.

1723, W[illiam] Bohun, “Fees Incident to the Sheriffs Court, &c. of London”, in Privilegia Londini: Or, The Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Laws, and Customs of the City of London. […], 3rd edition, London: […] D. Browne, W. Mears, R. Gosling, T. Woodward, J. Hooke, F. Clay, and J. Stephens, →OCLC, page 462:

The Witneſſes having been re-examined, a Copy of the Proofs brought againſt the Criminals is uſually given to them, that they may the ſooner determine, whether they will give up the Cauſe, or ſtand Trial, [...]

1731, Philip a Limborch [i.e., Philipp van Limborch], “How the Prisoner Hath a Copy of the Evidence, without the Names of the Witnesses”, in Samuel Chandler, transl., The History of the Inquisition. … Translated into English … In Two Volumes. […], volume I, London: […] J. Gray, […], →OCLC, page 176:

You are to judge between the Commonwealth and the prisoner, who stands trial for the murder, by poison, of Elizabeth Gordon.

1873 August 30, Charles Morris, “A Life in the Balance”, in Dio[cletian] Lewis, editor, To-Day, volume II, number 9 (number 44 overall), Philadelphia, Pa.: To-Day Printing and Publishing Co., →OCLC, chapter XXII (Tried for His Life), page 138, column 1:

This anger escalated and later exploded when innocent verdicts were given to four police officers standing trial for the beating of Rodney King.

1999, John Lie, Nancy Abelmann, “The 1992 Los Angeles Riots and the ‘Black–Korean Conflict’”, in Kwang Chung Kim, editor, Koreans in the Hood: Conflict with African Americans, Baltimore, Md., London: Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 75:

Four years later, in December 1965, an NSRP [National States' Rights Party] member named Hubert Strange, twenty-five, stood trial for killing Willie Brewster, a blue-collar African American.

2015, Pate McMichael, “The Parable of Two Goats: Hayneville, October–December 1965”, in Klandestine: How a Klan Lawyer and a Checkbook Journalist Helped James Earl Ray Cover Up His Crime, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press, →ISBN, part IV (Krossings in Klan Kountry, 1965–1966), page 130:

(law) To be put on trial in a court of law; go on trial.


writ of inquiry

en-noun

writ of inquiry (plural writs of inquiry)

(law) A writ issued in certain actions at law, where the defendant has suffered judgment to pass against him by default, in order to ascertain and assess the plaintiff's damages, where they cannot readily be ascertained by mere calculation.


compel testimony

en-verb

compel testimony (third-person singular simple present compels testimony, present participle compelling testimony, simple past and past participle compelled testimony)

compels testimony (present singular third-person)
compelling testimony (participle present)
compelled testimony (participle past)
compelled testimony (past)

President Roosevelt approved an amendment to the Air Commerce Act of 1926, giving the Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce power to hold public hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel testimony under oath.

1934 July 2, “Aeronautics: Causes of Crashes”, in Time, retrieved 2014-04-16:

With the power to subpoena witnesses, to compel testimony under threat of imprisonment, and to recommend criminal charges for any illegal drug activities he uncovers, Justice Dubin has been hailed here as the man who may be able to shake Canada's sporting community out of the widespread drug-taking that has been alleged.

1989 January 13, John F. Burns, “Drugs: Assessing the Johnson Debacle”, in New York Times, retrieved 2014-04-16:

Investigators are using "John Doe" proceedings to compel testimony from witnesses and keep them from discussing the case in public.

2011 September 19, Daniel Riemer, “Governor Walker's adversaries emboldened by Wisconsin FBI probe”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 2014-04-16:

(law) To officially require that a witness appear and testify before a court of law or other public authority, under threat of legally enforceable penalties for failure to do so.


per centum

On all dividends which do not exceed six per centum per annum, eight per centum; on dividends exceeding six per centum and not exceeding seven per centum, a tax of nine per centum...

1861, Laws of Pennsylvania of the Session of 1861, page 511:

1887, Henry Beatty, A New Method of Computing Interest from Four Per Centum to Twelve Per Centum:

Firearms, twenty-five per centum

1891–1892, Special Consular Reports, Volume VII, page 787


locatio et conductio

Borrowed from Latin locātiō et conductiō.

(law, finance) A contract of hire. A bailment: goods delivered or property or land made available to the bailee in exchange for money or reward paid to the bailor. May be one of three main types: locatio rei, 'the hire of a thing'; locatio operarum, 'a worker for a wage'; locatio operis faciendi, a contract for 'services providing a result'


Loving

en-proper noun

Loving (countable and uncountable, plural Lovings)

(US, law, sexuality, US politics, informal, uncountable) Ellipsis of Loving v. Virginia. A 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized interacial marriage under the Equal Protection and Due Process; and reaffirmed the existence of a right to privacy under due process following the 14th Amendment.


negative pregnant

en-noun

negative pregnant (plural negatives pregnant)

(law) A denial which implies its affirmative opposite by seeming to deny only a qualification of the allegation and not the allegation itself. For example, "I have never consumed cocaine while on duty" might imply that the person making the statement had consumed cocaine on other occasions.


civil code

(law) A systematic collection of laws addressing dealings between private parties, such as business contracts and negligence lawsuits.

قَانُون مَدَنِيّ

a systematic collection of laws between private parties


quantum valebat

(law) A count in an action to recover from the defendant, for goods sold, as much as they were worth.