Legal Term Dictionary

Search our free database of thousands of legal terms. The easiest-to-read, most user-friendly guide to legal terms.This dictionary is from the early 20th century and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Search
  • BLUE LAWS
    A supposititious code of severe laws for the regulation of religious and personal conduct in the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven; hence any rigid Sunday laws or religious regulations. The assertion by some writers of the existence of the blue laws has no other basis than the adoption, by More...
  • BOARD
    A committee of persons organized under authority of law in order to exercise certain authorities, have oversight or control of certain matters, or discharge certain functions, of a magisterial, representative, or fiduciary character. Thus, "board of aldermen" "board of health," "board of directors," "board of works." Also lodging, food, entertainment, More...
  • BOARDER
    One who, being the inhabitant of a place, makes a special contract with another person for food with or without lodging. Berkshire Woollen Co. v. Proctor, 7 Cush. (Mass.) 424. One who has food and lodging in the house or with the family of another for an agreed price, and More...
  • BOARDING-HOUSE
    A boarding-house is not in common parlance, or in legal meaning, every private house where one or more boarders are kept occasionally only and upon special considerations. But It is a quasi public house, where boarders are generally and habitually kept, and which is held out and known as a More...
  • BOAT
    A small open vessel, or water-craft, usually moved by oars or rowing. It is commonly distinguished in law from a ship or vessel, by being of smaller size and without a deck. U. S. v. Open Boat, 5 Mason, 120, 137, Fed. Cas. No. 15,967.
  • BOATABLE
    A term applied in some states to minor rivers and streams capable of being navigated In small boats, skiffs, or launches, though not by steam or sailing vessels. New England Trout, etc.. Club v. Mather, 68 Vt. &3
  • BOC
    In Saxon law. A book or writing; a deed or charter. Boc land, deed or charter land. Land boc, a writing for conveying land; a deed or charter; a land-book. -Boc horde. A place where books, writings, or evidences were kept. Cowell.-Boc land. In Saxon law. Allodial lands held by More...
  • BOCERAS
    Sax. A scribe, notary, or chancellor among the Saxons.
  • BODILY
    Pertaining to or concerning the body; of or belonging to the body or the physical constitution; not mental but corporeal. Electric R. Co. v. Lauer, 21 Ind. App. 466, 52 N. E. 703. -Bodily harm. Any touching of the person of another against his will with physical force, in an More...
  • BODMERIE, BODEMERIE, BODDEMEREY
    Belg. and Germ. Bottomry, (q. v.)
Showing 310 of 553