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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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ANNUS
Lat. In civil and old English law. A year; the period of three hundred and sixty-five days. Dig. 40, 7, 4, 5; Calvin.; Bract fol. 3596. —Annus deliberandi. In Scotch law. A year of deliberating; a year to deliberate. The year allowed by law to the heir to deliberate whether More...

Lat. In civil and old English law. A year; the period of three hundred and sixty-five days. Dig. 40, 7, 4, 5; Calvin.; Bract fol. 3596. —Annus deliberandi. In Scotch law. A year of deliberating; a year to deliberate. The year allowed by law to the heir to deliberate whether he will enter and represent his ancestor. It commences on the death of the ancestor, unless in the case of a posthumous heir, when the year runs from his birth. Bell.—Annus, dies, et vastum. In old English law. Year, day, and waste. See YEAR, DAY, AND WASTE.—Annus et dies. A year and a day. —Annus luctus. The year of mourning. It was a rule among the Romans, and also the Danes and Saxons, that widows should not marry infra annum luetus, (within the year of mourning.) Code 5, 9, 2; 1 Bl. Comm. 457. —Annus utilis. A year made up of available or serviceable days. Brissonius; Calvin. In the plural, anni utiles signifies the years during which a right can be exercised or a prescription grow. Annus est mora motus quo suum planeta pervolvat circulum. A year is the duration of the motion by which a planet revolves through its orbit. Dig. 40, 7, 4, 5; Calvin.; Bract. 3596. Annus inceptns pro oompleto habetur. A year begun is held as completed. Tray. Lat. Max. 45. Less...
ANNUUS REDITUS
A yearly rent; annuity. 2 BL Comm. 41; Reg. Orig. 1586.

A yearly rent; annuity. 2 BL Comm. 41; Reg. Orig. 1586. Less...
ANOMALOUS
Irregular; exceptional; unusual; not conforming to rule, method, or type. —Anomalous indorser. A stranger to a note, who indorses it after its execution and delivery but before maturity, and before it has been indorsed by the payee. Buck v. Hufchins, 45 Minn. 270, 47 N. W. 808.—Anomalous plea. One which More...

Irregular; exceptional; unusual; not conforming to rule, method, or type. —Anomalous indorser. A stranger to a note, who indorses it after its execution and delivery but before maturity, and before it has been indorsed by the payee. Buck v. Hufchins, 45 Minn. 270, 47 N. W. 808.—Anomalous plea. One which is partly affirmative and partly negative. Baldwin v. Elisabeth, 42 N. J. Eq. 11, 0 Atl. 275; Potts v. Potts (N. J. Ch.) 42 Atl. 1055. Less...
ANON., AN., A.
Abbreviations for anonymous.

Abbreviations for anonymous. Less...
ANONYMOUS
Nameless; wanting a name or names. A publication, withholding the uame of the author, is said to be anonymous. Cases are sometimes reported anonymously, i.e., without giving the names of the parties. Abbreviated to "Anon."

Nameless; wanting a name or names. A publication, withholding the uame of the author, is said to be anonymous. Cases are sometimes reported anonymously, i.e., without giving the names of the parties. Abbreviated to "Anon." Less...
ANOYSANCE
Annoyance; nuisance, Cowell; Kelham.

Annoyance; nuisance, Cowell; Kelham. Less...
ANSEL, ANSUL, OR AUNCEL
In old English law. An ancient mode of weighing by hanging scales or hooks at either end of a beam or staff, which, being lifted with one's finger or hand by the middle, showed the equality or difference between the weight at one end and the thing weighed at the More...

In old English law. An ancient mode of weighing by hanging scales or hooks at either end of a beam or staff, which, being lifted with one's finger or hand by the middle, showed the equality or difference between the weight at one end and the thing weighed at the other. Termee de la Ley, 66. Less...
ANSWER
In pleading. Any pleading setting up matters of fact by way of defense. In chancery pleading, the term denotes a defense in writing, made by a defendant to the allegations contained in a bill or information filed by the plaintiff against him. In pleading, under the Codes of Civil Procedure, More...

In pleading. Any pleading setting up matters of fact by way of defense. In chancery pleading, the term denotes a defense in writing, made by a defendant to the allegations contained in a bill or information filed by the plaintiff against him. In pleading, under the Codes of Civil Procedure, the answer is the formal written statement made by a defendant setting forth the grounds of his defense; corresponding to what, in actions under the common-law practice, is called the "plea." In Massachusetts, the term denotes the statement of the matter intended to be relied upon by the defendant in avoidance of the plaintiff's action, taking the place of special pleas in bar, and the general issue, except in real and mixed actions. Pub. St. Mass. 1882, p. 1287. In matrimonial suits in the (English) probate, divorce, and admiralty division, an answer is the pleading by which the respondent puts forward his defense to the petition. Browne, Div. 223. Under the old admiralty practice in England, the defendant's first pleading was called his "answer." Williams & B. Adm. Jur. 246. In practice. A reply to interrogatories; an affidavit in answer to interrogatories. The declaration of a fact by a witness after a question has been put, asking for it. As a verb, the word denotes an assumption of liability, as to "answer" for the debt or default of another. —Voluntary answer, in the practice of the court of chancery, was an answer put in by a defendant, when the pteintiif had filed no interrogatories which required to be answered. Hunt, Eq. Less...
ANTAPOCHA
In the Roman law. A transcript or counterpart of the instrument called "apocha." signed by the debtor and delivered to the creditor. Calvin.

In the Roman law. A transcript or counterpart of the instrument called "apocha." signed by the debtor and delivered to the creditor. Calvin. Less...
ANTE
Lat. Before. Usually employed in old pleadings as expressive of time, as prae (before) was of place, and coram (before) of person. Townsh. PI. 22. Occurring in a report or a text-book, it is used to refer the reader to a previous part of the book. —Ante exhibitionem billae. Before More...

Lat. Before. Usually employed in old pleadings as expressive of time, as prae (before) was of place, and coram (before) of person. Townsh. PI. 22. Occurring in a report or a text-book, it is used to refer the reader to a previous part of the book. —Ante exhibitionem billae. Before the exhibition of the bill. Before suit begun.—Ante-factum or ante-gestum. Done before. A Roman law term for a previous act, or thing done before.—Ante litem motam. Before suit brought; before controversy instituted.— Ante natus. Born before. A person born before another person or before a particular event The term is particularly applied to one born in a country before a revolution, chance of government or dynasty, or other political event, such that the question of his rights, status, or allegiance will depend upon the date of his birth with reference to such event. In England, the term commonly denotes one born before the act of union with Scotland; in America, one born before the declaration of independence. Its opposite is post natus, one born after the event. Less...

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