Legal Term Dictionary

The criminal offense of willfully and knowingly contracting a second marriage (or going through the form of a second marriage) while the first marriage, to the knowledge of the offender, is still subsisting and undissolved. Com. v. McNerny, 10 Phila. (Pa.) 207; Glse v. Com., 81 Pa. 430; Scoggins v. More...

The criminal offense of willfully and knowingly contracting a second marriage (or going through the form of a second marriage) while the first marriage, to the knowledge of the offender, is still subsisting and undissolved. Com. v. McNerny, 10 Phila. (Pa.) 207; Glse v. Com., 81 Pa. 430; Scoggins v. State, 32 Ark. 213; Cannon v. U. S-, 116 U. S. 55, 6 Sup. Ct 287, 29 L. Ed. 561. The state of a man who has two wives, or of a woman who has two husbands, living at the same time. The offense of having a plurality of wives at the same time is commonly denominated "polygamy;" but the name "bigamy" has been more frequently given to it in legal proceedings. 1 Russ. Crimes, 185. The use of the word "bigamy" to describe this offense is well established by long usage, although often criticised as a corruption of the true meaning of the word. Polygamy is suggested as the correct term, instead of bigamy, to designate the offense of having a plurality of wives or husbands at the same time, and has been adopted for that purpose in the Massachusetts statutes. But as the substance of the offense is marrying a second time, while having a lawful husband or wife living, without regard to the number of marriages that may have taken place, bigamy seems not an inappropriate term. The objection to its use urged by Black-stone (4 Bl. Comm. 163) seems to be founded not so much upon considerations of the etymology of the word as upon the propriety of distinguishing the ecclesiastical offense termed "bigamy" in the canon law, and which is defined below, from the offense known as "bigamy" in the modern criminal law. The same distinction is carefully made by Lord Coke, (4 Inst. 88.) But, the ecclesiastical offense being now obsolete, this reason for substituting polygamy to denote the crime here defined ceases to have weight. Abbott. In the canon law, the term denoted the offense committed by an ecclesiastic who married two wives successively. It might be committed either by marrying a second wife after the death of a first or by marrying a widow. Less...

An obstinate person, or one that is wedded to an opinion, in matters of religion, etc.

An obstinate person, or one that is wedded to an opinion, in matters of religion, etc. Less...

By-laws of towns; municipal laws.

By-laws of towns; municipal laws. Less...

A term used in Louisiana, derived from the French. A book in which bankers, merchants, and traders write a statement of all they owe and all that is due them; a balance-sheet See Dauphin v. Sonne, 3 Mart (N. S.) 446.

A term used in Louisiana, derived from the French. A book in which bankers, merchants, and traders write a statement of all they owe and all that is due them; a balance-sheet See Dauphin v. Sonne, 3 Mart (N. S.) 446. Less...

In English law. An obsolete writ addressed to a corporation for the carrying of weights to such a haven, there to weigh the wool anciently licensed for transportation. Beg. Orig. 270.

In English law. An obsolete writ addressed to a corporation for the carrying of weights to such a haven, there to weigh the wool anciently licensed for transportation. Beg. Orig. 270. Less...

A term, used originally in the civil law, but now generally adopted, denoting a contract in which both the contracting parties are bound to fulfill obligations reciprocally towards each other; as a contract of sale, where one becomes bound to deliver the thing sold, and the other to pay the More...

A term, used originally in the civil law, but now generally adopted, denoting a contract in which both the contracting parties are bound to fulfill obligations reciprocally towards each other; as a contract of sale, where one becomes bound to deliver the thing sold, and the other to pay the price of it Montpeller Seminary v. Smith, 68 Vt 382, 38 Atl. 66. "Every convention properly so called consists of a promise or mutual promises proffered and accepted. Where one only of the agreeing parties gives a promise, the convention is said to be 'unilateral.' Wherever mutual promises are proffered and accepted, there are, in strictness, two or more conventions. But where the performance of either of the promises is made to depend on the performance of the other, the several conventions are commonly deemed one convention, and the convention is then said to be "bilateral." Aust. Jur. § 308. Less...

In admiralty law and marine insurance. That state or condition of a vessel in which water is freely admitted through holes and breaches made in the planks of the bottom, occasioned by injuries, whether the ship's timbers are broken or not. Peele v. Insurance Co., 3 Mason, 27, 39, 19 More...

In admiralty law and marine insurance. That state or condition of a vessel in which water is freely admitted through holes and breaches made in the planks of the bottom, occasioned by injuries, whether the ship's timbers are broken or not. Peele v. Insurance Co., 3 Mason, 27, 39, 19 Fed. Cas. 103. Less...

A word used by Britton in the sense of "collateral." En line biline, In the collateral line. Britt c. 119.

A word used by Britton in the sense of "collateral." En line biline, In the collateral line. Britt c. 119. Less...

Of a double language or tongue; that can speak two languages. A term applied in the old books to a jury composed partly of Englishmen and partly of foreigners, which, by the English law, an alien party to a suit is, in certain cases, entitled to; more commonly called a More...

Of a double language or tongue; that can speak two languages. A term applied in the old books to a jury composed partly of Englishmen and partly of foreigners, which, by the English law, an alien party to a suit is, in certain cases, entitled to; more commonly called a "jury de medietate lingue." 3 BL Comm. 360 ; 4 Steph. Comm. 422. Less...

A formal declaration, complaint, or statement of particular things in writing. As a legal term, this word has many meanings and applications, the more important of which are enumerated below. 1. A formal written statement of complaint to a court of justice. In the ancient practice of the court of More...

A formal declaration, complaint, or statement of particular things in writing. As a legal term, this word has many meanings and applications, the more important of which are enumerated below. 1. A formal written statement of complaint to a court of justice. In the ancient practice of the court of king's bench, the usual and orderly method of beginning an action was by a bill, or original bill, or plaint This was a written statement of the plaintiff's cause of action, like a declaration or complaint, and always alleged a trespass as the ground of it, in order to give the court Jurisdiction. 3 Bl. Comm. 43. In Scotch law, every summary application in writing, by way of petition to the Court of Session, is called a "bill." Cent. Diet -Bill chamber. In Scotch law. A department of the court of session in which petitions for suspension, interdict, etc., are entertained. It is equivalent to sittings in chambers in the English and American practice. Paters. Comp. -Bill of privilege. In old English law. A method of proceeding against attorneys Less...