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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  • APNCEA
    In medical jurisprudence. Want of breath; difficulty in breathing; partial or temporary suspension of respiration ; specifically, such difficulty of respiration resulting from over-oxygenation of the blood, and in this distinguished from "asphyxia," which is a condition resulting from a deficiency of oxygen in the blood due to suffocation or More...
  • APOCHA
    Lat. In the civil law. A writing acknowledging payments; acquittance. It differs from acceptation in this: that acceptation imports a complete discharge of the former obligation whether payment be made or not; apocha, discharge only upon payment being made. Calvin.
  • APOCHAE ONERATORIAE
    In old commercial law. Bills of lading.
  • APOCRISARIUS
    In ecclesiastical law. One who answers for another. An officer whose duty was to carry to the emperor messages relating to ecclesiastical matters, and to take back his answer to the petitioners. An officer who gave advice on questions of ecclesiastical law. An ambassador or legate of a pope or More...
  • APOGRAPHIA
    A civil law term signifying an inventory or enumeration of things in one's possession. Calvin.
  • APOPLEXY
    In medical jurisprudence. The failure of consciousness and suspension of voluntary motion from suspension of the functions of the cerebrum.
  • APOSTACY
    In English law. The total renunciation of Christianity, by embracing either a false religion or no religion at all. This offense can only take place in such as have once professed the Christian religion. 4 Bl. Comm. 43; 4 Steph. Comm. 231.
  • APOSTATA
    In civil and old English law. An apostate; a deserter from the faith; one who has renounced the Christian faith. Cod. 1, 7; Reg. Orig. 71b. —Apostata capiendo. An obsolete English writ which issued against an apostate, or one who had violated the rules of his religious order. It was More...
  • APOSTILLE
    Appostille. L. Fr. An addition; a marginal note or observation. Kelham.
  • APOSTLES
    In English admiralty practice. A term borrowed from the civil law, denoting brief dismissory letters granted to a party who appeals from an inferior to a superior court, embodying a statement of the case and a declaration that the record will be transmitted. This term is still sometimes applied in More...
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