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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  • PRESUMPTIVE
    Resting on presumption; created by or arising out of presumption ; inferred; assumed; supposed; as, "presumptive" damages, evidence, heir, notice, or title. See those titles.
  • PRET
    In French law. Loan. A contract by which one of the parties delivers an article to the other, to be used by the latter, on condition of his returning, after having used it, the same article in nature or an equivalent of the same species and quality. Duverger. -Pret a More...
  • PRETEND
    To feign or simulate; to hold that out as real which is false or baseless. Brown v. Perez (Tex. Civ. App.) 25 S. Wl 083; Powell v. Yeazel, 46 Neb. 225, 64 N. W. 695. As to the rule against the buying and selling of "any pretended right or title," More...
  • PRETENSE
    See FALSE PRETENSE.
  • PRETENSED RIGHT, OR TITLE
    Where one is in possession of land, and another, who Is out of possession, claims and sues for it Here the pretensed right er title is said to be in him who so claims and sues for the same. Mod. Cas. 302. -Proteased title statnte. The English statute 32 Hen. More...
  • PRETENSES
    Allegations sometimes made in a bill in chancery for tbe purpose of negativing an anticipated defense. Hunt, Eq. pt I. c. 1. -False pretenses. See FALSE.
  • PRETENSION
    In French law. The claim made to a thing which a party believes himself entitled to demand, but which is not admitted or adjudged to be his.
  • PRETER LEGAL
    Not agreeable to law; exceeding the limits of law; not legal.
  • PRETERITION
    In the civil law. The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is legally entitled to a portion of the inheritance.
  • PRETEXTS
    In international law. Reasons alleged as justificatory, but which are so only in appearance, or which are even absolutely destitute of all foundation. The name of "pretexts" may likewise be applied to reasons which are in themselves true and well-founded, but not being of sufficient importance for undertaking a war, More...
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