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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  • WILLS ACT
    In England (1) The staute 32 Hen. VIII. c 1, passed in 1540, by which persons seised in fee-simple of lands holden in socage tenure were enabled to devise the same at their will and pleasure, except to bodies corporate; and those who held estates by the tenure of chivalry More...
  • WINCHESTER MEASURE
    The standard measure of England, originally kept at Winchester. 1 Bl. Comm. 274.
  • WINCHESTER, STATUTE OF
    A statute passed in the thirteenth year of the reign of Edward I., by which the old Saxon law of police was enforced, with many additional provisions. 2 Reeve, Eng. Law, 163} Crabb, Hist Eng. Law, 189.
  • WINDING UP
    The name applied In England to the process of settling the ac-counts and'liquidating the assets of a partnership or company, for the purpose of making distribution and dissolving the concern.
  • WINDING-UP ACTS
    In English law. General acts of parliament, regulating settlement of corporate affairs on dissolution.
  • WINDOW
    An opening made in the wall of a house to admit light and air, and to furnish a view or prospect The use of this word in law Is chiefly In connection with the doctrine of ancient lights and other rights of adjacent owners. Window tax . A tax on More...
  • WINDSOR FOREST
    A royal forest founded by Henry VIII.
  • WINTER CIRCUIT
    An occasional circuit appointed for the trial of prisoners, in England, and in some cases of civil causes between Michaelmas and Hilary terms.
  • WINTER HETNING
    The season between 11th November and 23d April, which is excepted from the liberty of commonlng in certain forests. St. 23 Car. II. c. 3.
  • WISBY, LAWS OF
    The name given to a code /of maritime laws promulgated at Wisby, then the capital of Gothland, in Swe-den, in the latter part of the thirteenth cen-tury. This compilation resembled the laws of Oleron in many respects, and was early adopted, as a system of sea laws, by the commercial More...
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