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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  • VAGRANT
    A wandering, idle person; a strolling or sturdy beggar. A general term, including, in English law, the seyeral classes of idle and disorderly persons, rogues, and vagabonds, and incorrigible rogues. 4 Steph. Comm. 308, 309. In American law, the term is variously de-lined by statute but the general meaning is More...
  • VALE
    In Spanish law. A promissory note. White, New Recop. b. 3, tit. 7, c. 5, | 3. See Govin v. De Miranda, 140 N. Y. 662, 35 N. E. 628. Valeat quantum valere potest. -It shall have as far as it can have effect. Cowp. 600; 4 Kent, Comm. 493; More...
  • VALEC, VALEOT, OR VADELET
    In old English law. A young gentleman; also a servitor or gentleman of the chamber. Cowell.
  • VALENTIA
    Lat. The value or price of anything.
  • VALESHERIA
    In old English law. The proving by the kindred of the slain, one on the father's side, and another on that of the mother, that a man was a Welshman. Wharton. VALET was anciently a name denoting young gentlemen of rank and family, but afterwards applied to those of lower More...
  • VALID
    Of binding force. A deed, will, or other instrument, which has received all the formalities required by law, is said to be valid
  • VALIDITY
    This term is used to signify legal sufficiency, in contradistinction to mere regularity. "An official sale, an order, judgment, or decree may be regular,—the whole practice in reference to its entry may be cor-rect,—but still Invalid, for reasons going be-hind the regularity of its forms." Sharpleigh v. Surdam, 1 Flip. More...
  • VALOR BENEFICIORUM
    L. Lat The value of every ecclesiastical benefice and preferment, according to which the first fruits and tenths are collected and paid It is commonly called the "king's hooks," by which the clergy are at present rated; 2 Steph. Comm. 533; Wharton.
  • VALOR MARITAGII
    Lat Value of the marriage. In feudal law, the guardian in chivalry had the right of tendering to his infant ward a suitable match, without "dis-paragement," (inequality,) which, if the in-fants refused, they forfeited the value of the marriage (valor maritagii) to their guardian; that is, so much as a More...
  • VALUABLE CONSIDERATION
    The distinction between a good and a valuable consideration is that the former consists of blood, or of natural love and affection; as when a man grants an estate to a near rela-tion from motives of generosity, prudence, and natural duty; and the latter consists of such a consideration as More...
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