Legal Term Dictionary

In Saxon law. A recompense or satisfaction for the slaying or murder of a kinsman. Spelman.

In Saxon law. A recompense or satisfaction for the slaying or murder of a kinsman. Spelman. Less...

Famous; great; noted;, as Aelmere, all famous. Gibs. Carad.

Famous; great; noted;, as Aelmere, all famous. Gibs. Carad. Less...

Timber; wood suitable for building purposes.

Timber; wood suitable for building purposes. Less...

In English statutes. Witchcraft and sorcery.

In English statutes. Witchcraft and sorcery. Less...

Lat. More; more fully; more In number; rather. Magis de bono qnam de malo lex intendit. Co. Litt. 786. The law favors a good rather than a bad construction. Where the words used in an agreement are susceptible of two meanings, the one agreeable to, the other against, the law, More...

Lat. More; more fully; more In number; rather. Magis de bono qnam de malo lex intendit. Co. Litt. 786. The law favors a good rather than a bad construction. Where the words used in an agreement are susceptible of two meanings, the one agreeable to, the other against, the law, the former is adopted. Thus, a bond conditioned "to assign all offices" will be construed to apply to such offices only as are assignable. Chit Cont. 78. Magis dignum trablt ad se minus dignum. The more worthy draws to itself the less worthy. Yearb. 20 Hen. VI. 2, arg. Less...

Lat. In English law. A master or ruler; a person who has attained to some eminent degree In science. Cowell. In tbe civil law. A title of several offices under the Roman Empire. -Magister ad facnltates. In English ecclesiastical law. The title of an officer who grants dispensations; as to More...

Lat. In English law. A master or ruler; a person who has attained to some eminent degree In science. Cowell. In tbe civil law. A title of several offices under the Roman Empire. -Magister ad facnltates. In English ecclesiastical law. The title of an officer who grants dispensations; as to marry, to eat flesh on days prohibited, and the like. Bac. Abr. "Ecclesiastical Courts," A, 5.-Magister bo-nornm vendendornm. In Roman law, a person appointed by judicial authority to inventory, collect, and sell the property of an absent or absconding debtor tor the benefit of his creditors; he was generally one of the creditors, and his functions corresponded generally to those of a receiver or an assignee for the benefit of creditors under modern practice. See Mackeld. Rom. Law, I 521.-Magister eanoellariae. In old English law. Master of the chancery; master in chancery. These officers were said to be called "tnegtstri" because they were priests. Latch, 133.-Magister eqnitnm. Master of the horse. A title of office under the Roman Empire.-Magister libellornm. Master of requests. A title of office under the Roman Empire.-Magister litis. Master of the suit; the person who controls the suit or its prosecution, or has the right so to do.-Magister navis. In the civil law. The master of a ship or vessel. He to whom the care of the whole vessel is committed. Dig. 14, 1, 1,1, 5.-Magister palatiL Master of the palace or of the offices. An officer under the Roman Empire bearing some resemblance to the modern lord chamberlain. Tavl. Civil Law, 37.-Magister soeietatis. In tile civil law. The master or manager of a prrt nership; a managing partner or general agent; a manager specially chosen by a firm to administer the affairs of the partnership. Story, Partn. | 95. Magister rerun nsns. Use is the master of things. Co. Litt 229b. Usage is a principal guide in practice. Magister rerun nsns; magistra rerum experientia. Use is the master of things; experience is the mistress of things. Co. Litt. 69, 229; Wing. Max. 752. Less...

Relating or pertaining to the character, office, powers, or duties of a magistrate or of the magistracy. -Magisterial precinct. In some American states, a local subdivision of a county, defining the territorial jurisdiction of pusticea of the peace and constables. Breckinridge Co. v. McCracken, 61 Fed. 194, 9 C. A. More...

Relating or pertaining to the character, office, powers, or duties of a magistrate or of the magistracy. -Magisterial precinct. In some American states, a local subdivision of a county, defining the territorial jurisdiction of pusticea of the peace and constables. Breckinridge Co. v. McCracken, 61 Fed. 194, 9 C. A. 442. Less...

This term may have a more or less extensive signification according to the use and connection in which it occurs. In its widest sense it includes the whole body of public functionaries, whether their offices be legislative, judicial, executive, or administrative. In a more restricted (and more usual) meaning, it More...

This term may have a more or less extensive signification according to the use and connection in which it occurs. In its widest sense it includes the whole body of public functionaries, whether their offices be legislative, judicial, executive, or administrative. In a more restricted (and more usual) meaning, it denotes the class of officers who are charged with the application and execution of the laws. In a still more confined use, it designates the body of Judicial officers of the lowest, rank, and more especially those who have jurisdiction for the trial and punishment of petty misdemeanors or the preliminary steps of a criminal prosecution, such as police judges and justices of the peace. The term also denotes the office of a magistrate. Less...

In old English practice. Magisterial writs; writs adapted to special cases, and so called from being framed by tbe masters or principal clerks of the chancery. Bract, fol. 4136; Crabb, Com. Law, 547, 548.

In old English practice. Magisterial writs; writs adapted to special cases, and so called from being framed by tbe masters or principal clerks of the chancery. Bract, fol. 4136; Crabb, Com. Law, 547, 548. Less...

A public officer belonging to the civil organization of the state, and Invested with powers and functions which may be either judicial, legislative, or executive. But the term Is commonly used in a narrower sense, designating, in England, a person intrusted with the commission of the peace, and, in America, More...

A public officer belonging to the civil organization of the state, and Invested with powers and functions which may be either judicial, legislative, or executive. But the term Is commonly used in a narrower sense, designating, in England, a person intrusted with the commission of the peace, and, in America, one of the class of inferior judicial officers, such as justices of the peace and police justices. Martin v. State, 32 Ark. 124; Scanlan v. Wright, 13 Pick. (Mass.) 528, 25 Am. Dec. 344; Ex parte White, 15 Nev. 146, 37 Am. Rep. 466; Kurtz v. State, 22 Fla. 44, 1 Am. St. Rep. 173. A magistrate is an officer having, power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charged with a public offense. Pen. Code Cal. | 807. The word "magistrate" does not necessarily imply an officer exercising any judicial functions, and might very well be held to embrace notaries and commissioners bf deeds. Schultz v. Merchants' Ins. Co., 57 Mo. 33a -Chief magistrate. The highest or principal executive officer of a state (tbe governor) or of the United States (the president.)-Committing magistrate. An inferior judicial officer who is invested with authority to conduct the preliminary hearing of persons charged with crime, and either to discharge them for lack of sufficient prima facie evidence or to commit them to jail to await trial or (in some jurisdictions) to accept bail and release them thereon.-Police magistrate. An inferior judicial officer having jurisdiction of minor criminal offenses, breaches of police regulations, and the like; so called to distinguish them from magistrates who have jurisdiction in civil cases also, as justices of the peace. People v. Curley, 5 Colo. 416; McDermont v. Dinnie, 6 N. D. 278. 69 N. W. 295.-Stipendiary magistrates. In Great Britain, the magistrates or police judges sitting in the cities and large towns, and appointed by the home secretary, are so called, as distinguished from the justices of the peace in the counties who have the authority of magistrates. Less...