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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  • PRAYER OF PROCESS
    is a petition with which a bill in equity used to conclude, to the effect that a writ of subpo?na might issue against the defendant to compel him to answer upon oath all the matters charged against him in the bill.
  • PREAMBLE
    A clause at the beginning of a constitution or statute explanatory of the reasons for its enactment and the objects sought to be accomplished. See Town-send v. State, 147 Ind. 624, 47 N. E. 19, 37 L. R. A. 294, 62 Am. St Rep. 477; Fenner v. Luzerne County, 167 More...
  • PREAPPOINTED EVIDENCE
    The kind and degree of evidence prescribed in advance (as, by statute) as requisite for the proof of certain facts or the establishment of certain Instruments. It is opposed to casual evMence, which is left to grow naturally out of the surrounding circumstances.
  • PREAUDIENCE
    The right of being heard before another. A privilege belonging to the English bar, the members of which are entitled to be heard in their order, according to rank, beginning with the king's attorney general, and ending with barristers at large. 3 Steph. Comm. 387, note.
  • PREBEND
    In English ecclesiastical law. A stipend granted in cathedral churches; also, but Improperly, a prebendary. A simple prebend is merely a revenue; a prebend with dignity has some jurisdiction attached to it The term "prebend" Is generally confounded with "canonicate;" but there is a difference between them. The former is More...
  • PREBENDARY
    An ecclesiastical person serving on the staff of a cathedral, and receiving a stated allowance or stipend from the Income or endowment of the cathedral, in compensation for his services.
  • PRECARIAE, OR PRECES
    Day-works which the tenants of certain manors were bound to give their lords in harvest time. Magna precaria was a great or general reaping day. Cowell.
  • PRECARIOUS
    Liable to be returned or rendered up at the mere demand or request of another; hence held or retained only on sufferance or by permission; and by an extension of meaning, doubtful, uncertain, dangerous, very liable to break, fail, or terminate. -Precarious circumstances. The circumstances of an executor are precarious, More...
  • PRECARIUM
    Lat. In the civil law. A convention whereby one allows another the use of a thing or the exercise of a right gratuitously till revocation. The bailee acquires thereby the lawful possession of the thing, except in certain cases. The bailor can re-demand the thing at any time, even should More...
  • PRECATORY
    Having the nature of prayer, request or entreaty; conveying or embodying a recommendation or advice or the expression of a wish, but not a positive command or direction. -Precatory trust. A trust created by certain words, which are more like words of en* treaty and permission than of command or More...
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