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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.

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COLLYBUM
In the civil law. Exchange.

In the civil law. Exchange. Less...
COLNE
In Saxon and old English law. An account or calculation.

In Saxon and old English law. An account or calculation. Less...
COLONY
A dependent political community, consisting of a number of citizens of the same country who have emigrated therefrom to people another, and remain subject to the mother-country. U. S. v. .The Nancy, 3 Wash. C. C. 287, Fed. Cas. No. 15,854. A settlement in a foreign country possessed and cultivated, More...

A dependent political community, consisting of a number of citizens of the same country who have emigrated therefrom to people another, and remain subject to the mother-country. U. S. v. .The Nancy, 3 Wash. C. C. 287, Fed. Cas. No. 15,854. A settlement in a foreign country possessed and cultivated, either wholly or partially, by immigrants and their descendants, who have a political connection with and subordination to the mother-country, whence they emigrated. In other words, it is a place peopled from some more ancient city or country. Wharton. —Colonial laws. In America, this term designates the bodv of law in force in the thirteen original colonies before the Declaration of Independence. In England, the term signifies the laws enacted by Canada and the other present British colonies.—Colonial office. In the English government, this is the department of state through which the sovereign appoints colonial governors, etc., and communicates with them. Until the year 1854, the secretary for the colonies was also secretary for war. Less...
COLONUS
In old European, law. A husbandman; an inferior tenant employed in cultivating the lord's land. A term of Roman origin, correspondiug with the Saxon ceorl. 1 Spence, Ch. 51.

In old European, law. A husbandman; an inferior tenant employed in cultivating the lord's land. A term of Roman origin, correspondiug with the Saxon ceorl. 1 Spence, Ch. 51. Less...
COLOR
An appearance, semblance, or simulacrum, as distinguished from that which is real A prima facie or apparent right Hence, a deceptive appearance; a plausible, assumed exterior, concealing a lack of reality; a disguise or pretext Railroad Co. v. Allfree, 64 Iowa, 500, 20 N. W. 779; Berks County v. Railroad More...

An appearance, semblance, or simulacrum, as distinguished from that which is real A prima facie or apparent right Hence, a deceptive appearance; a plausible, assumed exterior, concealing a lack of reality; a disguise or pretext Railroad Co. v. Allfree, 64 Iowa, 500, 20 N. W. 779; Berks County v. Railroad Co., 167 Pa. 102, 31 Atl. 474; Broughton v. Haywood, 61 N. C 383. In pleading. Ground of action admitted to subsist in the opposite party by the pleading of one of the parties to an action, which is so set out as to be apparently valid, but which is in reality legally insufficient. This was a term of the ancient rhetoricians, and early adopted into the language of pleading. It was an apparent or prima facie right; and the meaning of the rule that pleadings in confession and avoidance should give color was that they should confess the matter adversely alleged, to such an extent, at least as to admit some apparent right in the opposite party, which required to be encountered and avoided by the allegation of new matter. Color was either express, i. e.f inserted in the pleading, or implied, which was naturally inherent in the structure of the pleading. Steph. PI. 233; Merten v. Bank, 5 Okl. 585, 49 Pac. 933. The word also means the dark color of the skin showing the presence of negro blood; and hence It is equivalent to African descent or parentage. Less...
COLOR OF AUTHORITY
That semblance or presumption of authority sustaining the acts of a public officer which is derived from his apparent title to the office or from a writ or other process in his hands apparently valid and regular. State v. Oates, 86 Wis. 634, 57 N. W. 296, 39 Am. St More...

That semblance or presumption of authority sustaining the acts of a public officer which is derived from his apparent title to the office or from a writ or other process in his hands apparently valid and regular. State v. Oates, 86 Wis. 634, 57 N. W. 296, 39 Am. St Rep. 912; Wyatt v. Monroe, 27 Tex. 268. Less...
COLOR OF LAW
The appearance or semblance, without the substance, of legal right McCain v. Des Moines, 174 U. S. 168, 19 Sup. Ct. 644, 43 L. Ed. 936.

The appearance or semblance, without the substance, of legal right McCain v. Des Moines, 174 U. S. 168, 19 Sup. Ct. 644, 43 L. Ed. 936. Less...
COLOR OF OFFICE
An act unjustly done by the countenance of an office, being grounded upon corruption, to which the office is as a shadow and color. Plow. 64. A claim or assumption of right to do an act by virtue of an office, made by a person who is legally destitute of More...

An act unjustly done by the countenance of an office, being grounded upon corruption, to which the office is as a shadow and color. Plow. 64. A claim or assumption of right to do an act by virtue of an office, made by a person who is legally destitute of any such right. Feller v. Gates, 40 Or. 543, 67 Pac. 416, 5ft L. It A. 630, 91 Am. St Rep. 492; State v. Fowler, 88 Md. 601, 42 Atl. 201, 42 L. R. A. 849, 71 Am. St Rep. 452; Bishop v. Me-Gillis, 80 Wis. 575, 50 N. W. 779, 27 Am. St Rep. 63; Decker v. Judson, 16 N. Y. 439; Mason v. Crabtree, 71 Ala. 481; Morton v. Campbell, 37 Barb. (N. Y.) 181; Luther v. Banks, 111 Ga. 374, 36 S. E. 826; People v. Schuyler, 4 N. Y. 187. The phrase implies, we think, some official power vested in the actor,—he must be at least officer de facto. We do not understand that an act of a mere pretender to an office, or false personator of an officer, is said to be done by color of office. And it implies an illegal claim of authority, by virtue of the office, to do the act or thing in question. Burrall v. Acker, 23 Wend. (N. Y.) 606, 35 Am. Dec. 582. Less...
COLOR OF TITLE
The appearance, semblance, or simulacrum of title. Any fact, extraneous to the act or mere will of the claimant which has the appearance, on its face, of supporting his claim of a present title to land, but which, for some defect in reality falls short of establishing it. Wright v. More...

The appearance, semblance, or simulacrum of title. Any fact, extraneous to the act or mere will of the claimant which has the appearance, on its face, of supporting his claim of a present title to land, but which, for some defect in reality falls short of establishing it. Wright v. Mattison, 18 How. 56, 15 L. Ed. 280; Cameron v. U. S., 148 U. S. 301, 13 Sup. Ct 095, 37 L. Ed. 459; Saltmarsh v. Crommelin, 24 Ala. 352. "Color of title is anything in writing purporting to convey title to the land, which defines the extent of the claim, it being immaterial how defective or imperfect the writing may be, so that it is a sign, semblance, or color of title." Veal v. Robinson, 70 6a. 809. Color of title is that which the law considers prima fade a good title, but which, by reason of some defect, not appearing on its face, does not in fact amount to title. An absolute nullity, as a void deed, judgment, etc., will not constitute color of title. Bernal v. Gleim, 33 Cal. 668. "Any instrument having a grantor and grantee, and containing a description of the lands intended to be conveyed, and apt words for their conveyance, gives color of title to the lands described. Such an instrument purports to be a conveyance of the title, and because it does not, for some reason, have that effect, it passes only color or the semblance of a title." Brooks v. Bruyn, 35 111. 392. It is not synonymous with "claim of title. To the former, a paper title is requisite; but the latter may exist wholly in parol. Hamilton v. Wright, 30 Iowa, 480. Less...
COLORABLE
That which has or gives color. That which is in appearance only, and not in reality, what it purports to be. —Colorable alteration. .One which makes no real or substantial change, but is introduced only as a subterfuge or means of evading the patent or copyright law.—Colorable imitation. In the More...

That which has or gives color. That which is in appearance only, and not in reality, what it purports to be. —Colorable alteration. .One which makes no real or substantial change, but is introduced only as a subterfuge or means of evading the patent or copyright law.—Colorable imitation. In the law of trade-marks, this phrase denotes such a close or ingenious imitation as to be calculated to deceive ordinary persons.— Colorable pleading. The practice of giving color in pleading. Less...

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