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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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OPPROBRIUM
In the Civil law. Ignominy; infamy; shame.'Optima est legis interpres consuetudo. Custom is the best interpreter of the law. Dig. 1, 3, 37 ; Broom, Max. 931; LofTt, 237. Optima est lex quae minimum relinquit arbitrio judicis; optimus judex qui minimum sibi. That law is the best which leaves least More...

In the Civil law. Ignominy; infamy; shame.'Optima est legis interpres consuetudo. Custom is the best interpreter of the law. Dig. 1, 3, 37 ; Broom, Max. 931; LofTt, 237. Optima est lex quae minimum relinquit arbitrio judicis; optimus judex qui minimum sibi. That law is the best which leaves least to the discretion of the judge; that judge is the best who leaves least to his own. Bac. Aphorisms, 46; 2 Dwar. St 782. That system of law is best which confides as little as possible to the discretion of the judge; that judge the best who relies as little as possible on his own opinion. Broom, Max. 84; 1 Kent, Comm. 478. Optima statuti interpretatrix est (omnibus partioulis ojusdem inspeetis) ip-sum statu turn. The best interpreter of a statute is (all its parts being considered) the statute itself. Wing. Max. p. 239, max. 68; 8 Coke, 117ft. Less...
OPTIMACY
Nobility; men of the highest rank. Opt imam esse legem, quae relinquit arbitrio judicis; id quod oerti-tndo ejus prsestat* That law is the best which leaves the least discretion to the judge; and this is an advantage which results from its certainty. Baa Aphorisms, 8. Optimus interpres rerum usus. Use More...

Nobility; men of the highest rank. Opt imam esse legem, quae relinquit arbitrio judicis; id quod oerti-tndo ejus prsestat* That law is the best which leaves the least discretion to the judge; and this is an advantage which results from its certainty. Baa Aphorisms, 8. Optimus interpres rerum usus. Use or usage is the best Interpreter of things. 2 Inst. 282; Broom, Max. 917, 930, 93L -- Optimus interpretandi modus est sic leges interpretari ut leges legibus concordant. 8 Coke, 169. The best mode of interpretation is so to interpret laws that they may accord with each other, Optimus legum interpres consuetude 4 Inst 75. Custom Is the best interpreter of the laws. Less...
OPTION
In English ecclesiastical law. A customary prerogative of an archi blshdp, when a bishop is consecrated by him, {p name a clerk or chaplain of his own to be provided for by such suffragan bishop; in lieu of which it is now usual for the bishop to make over by More...

In English ecclesiastical law. A customary prerogative of an archi blshdp, when a bishop is consecrated by him, {p name a clerk or chaplain of his own to be provided for by such suffragan bishop; in lieu of which it is now usual for the bishop to make over by deed to the archbishop, his executors and assigns, the next presentation of such dignity or benefice in the bishop's disposal within that see, as the archbishop himself shall choose, which is therefore called his "option." 1 Bl. Comm. 381; 3 Steph, Comm. 63, 64; Cowell. In contracts. An option is a privilege existing in one person, for which he has paid money, which gives him the right to buy certain merchandise or certain specified securities from another person, if he chooses, at any time within an agreed period, at a fixed price, or to sell such property to such other person at an agreed price and time. If the option gives the choice of buying or not buying, it is denominated a "call." If it gives the choice of selling or not, it is called a "put" If it is a combination of both these, and gives the privilege of either buying or selling or not, it is called a "straddle" or a oospread eagle." These terms are used on the stock-exchange. See Tenney v. Foote, 95 111. 90; Plank v. Jackson, 128 Ind. 424, 26 N. E. 568; Osgood v. Bauder, 75 Iowa, 550, 39 N. W. 887, 1 LR. A. 655. Less...
OPTIONAL WRIT
In old England practice. That species of original writ, otherwise called a "prwcipc" which was framed in the alternative, commanding the defendant to do the thing required, or show the reason" wherefore he had not done it 3 Bl. Comm. 274.

In old England practice. That species of original writ, otherwise called a "prwcipc" which was framed in the alternative, commanding the defendant to do the thing required, or show the reason" wherefore he had not done it 3 Bl. Comm. 274. Less...
OPUS
Lat Work; labor; the product of work or labor,---Opus locatum. The product of work let for use to another; or the hiring out of work or labor to be done npon a thing.-Opus man-incum. In old English law. Labor done by the hands; manual labor; such as making a hedge, More...

Lat Work; labor; the product of work or labor,---Opus locatum. The product of work let for use to another; or the hiring out of work or labor to be done npon a thing.-Opus man-incum. In old English law. Labor done by the hands; manual labor; such as making a hedge, digging a ditch. Fleta, lib. 2, c 48, { 8. -Opus novum. In the civil law. A new work. By this term was meant something newly built upon land, or taken from a work already erected. He was said opus novum facere (to make a new work) who, either by building or by taking anything away, changed the former appearance of a work. Dig. 39, 1, 1, 11. Less...
OR
A term used in heraldry, and signifying gold; called "sol" by some heralds when it occurs in the arms of princes, and "topas" or "carbuncle" when borne by peers. Engravers represent it by an indefinite number of small points. Wharton.

A term used in heraldry, and signifying gold; called "sol" by some heralds when it occurs in the arms of princes, and "topas" or "carbuncle" when borne by peers. Engravers represent it by an indefinite number of small points. Wharton. Less...
ORA
A Saxon coin, valued at sixteen pence, and sometimes at twenty pence.

A Saxon coin, valued at sixteen pence, and sometimes at twenty pence. Less...
ORACULUM
In the civil law. The name of a kind of response or sentence given by the Roman emperors.

In the civil law. The name of a kind of response or sentence given by the Roman emperors. Less...
ORAL
Uttered by the mouth or In words; spoken, not written. -Oral contract. One which is partly in writing and partly depends on spoken words, or none of which is in writing; one which, in so far as it has been reduced to writing, is incomplete or expresses only a part More...

Uttered by the mouth or In words; spoken, not written. -Oral contract. One which is partly in writing and partly depends on spoken words, or none of which is in writing; one which, in so far as it has been reduced to writing, is incomplete or expresses only a part of what is intended, but is completed by spoken words; or one which, originally written, has afterwards been changed orally. See Snow v. Nelson (a G.) 113 Fed. 353; Railway Passenger, etc., Ass'n v. Loomis, 142 111. 560, 32 N. E. 424.-Oral pleading* Pleading by word of mouth, in the actual presence of the court. This was the ancient mode of pleading in England, and continued to the reign of Edward III. Steph. PI. 23-26.-Oral testimony. That which is delivered from the lips of the witness. Bates' Ann. St Ohio 1904, S 5262 ; Rev. St. Wyo. 1899, ? 3704. Less...
ORANDO PRO REGE ET REGNO
An ancient writ which issued, while there was no standing collect for a sitting parliament, to pray for the peace and good government of the realm.

An ancient writ which issued, while there was no standing collect for a sitting parliament, to pray for the peace and good government of the realm. Less...

Showing 180 of 304

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