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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  • PRECIPUT
    In French law. A portion of an estate or inheritance which falls to one of the co-heirs over and above his equal share with the rest and which is to be taken out before partition is made.
  • PRECLUDI NON.
    Lat. In pleading. The commencement of a replication to a plea in bar, by which the plaintiff "says that, by reason of anything in the said plea alleged, he ought not to he barred from having and maintaining his aforesaid action against him, the said defendant, because he says" etc. More...
  • PRECOGNITION
    In Scotch practice. Preliminary examination. The investigation of a criminal case, preliminary to committing the accused for trial. 2 Alls. Crim. Pr. 134.
  • PRECOGNOSCE
    In Scotch practice. To examine beforehand. Arkley, 232.
  • PRECONIZATION
    Proclamation.
  • PRECONTRACT
    A contract or engagement made by a person, which is of such a nature as to preclude him from lawfully entering into another contract of the same nature. See 1 Bish. Mar. A Div. 112, 272.
  • PREDECESSOR
    One who goes or has gone before; the correlative of "successor." Applied to a body politic or corporate, in the same sense as "ancestor" is applied to a natural person. Lorillard Co. v. Peper (C. C.) 65 Fed. 598. In Scotch law. An ancestor. 1 Karnes, Eq. 371.
  • PREDIAL SERVITUDE
    A real or predial servitude is a charge laid on an estate for the use and utility of another estate belonging to another owner. Civil Code La. art 647. See PRAEDIAL SERVITUDE.
  • PREDICATE
    In logic. That which is said concerning the subject In a logical proposition; as, "The law is the perfection of common sense." "Perfection of common sense," being affirmed concerning the law, (the subject) is the predicate or thing predicated. Wharton; Bourland v. Hildreth, 26 Cal. 232.
  • PREDOMINANT
    This term, in its natural and ordinary signification, is understood to be something greater or superior in power and influence to others, with which it is connected or compared. So understood, a "predominant motive," when several motives may have operated, is one of greater force and effect, in producing the More...
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