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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  • AB INITIO
    Lat. From the beginning; from the first act. A party is said to be a trespasser ab initio, an estate to be good ab initio, an agreement or deed to be void ab initio, a marriage to be unlawful ab initio, and the like. Plow. 6a, 16a; 1 Bl. Comm. More...
  • AB INITIO MUNDI
    Lat. From the beginning of the world. Ab initio mundi usque ad hodiernum diem, from the beginning of the world to this day. X. B. M. 1 Edw. III. 24.
  • AB INTESTATO
    Lat. In the civil law. From an intestate; from the intestate; in case of intestacy. Hareditas ab intestato, an inheritance derived from an intestate. Inst 2, 9, 6. Successio ab intestato, succession to an intestate, or in case of intestacy. Id. 3, 2, 3; Dig. 38, 6, 1. This answers More...
  • AB INVITO
    Lat. By or from an unwilling party. A transfer ab invito is a compulsory transfer.
  • AB IRATO
    By one who is angry. A devise or gift made by a man adversely to the interest of his heirs, on account of anger or hatred against them, is said to be made ab irato. A suit to set aside such a will is called an action ab irato. Merl. More...
  • ABACTOR
    In Roman law. A cattle thief. Also called abigeus, q. v.
  • ABADENGO
    In Spanish law. Land owned by an ecclesiastical corporation, and therefore exempt from taxation. In particular, lands or towns under the dominion and jurisdiction of an abbot.
  • ABALIENATIO
    In Roman law. The perfect conveyance or transfer of property from one Roman citizen to another. This term gave place to the simple alienatio, which is used in the Digest and Institutes, as well as in the feudal law, and from which the English "alienation" has been formed. Inst 2, More...
  • ABAMITA
    Lat. In the civil law. A great-great-grandfather's sister, (abavi soror.) Inst 3, 6, 6; Dig. 38, 10, 3. Called amita maxima. Id. 38, 10, 10, 17. Called, in Bracton, abamita magna. Bract fol. 68b.
  • ABANDON
    To desert, surrender, relinquish, give up, or cede. See ABANDONMENT.
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