Legal Term Dictionary

Lat. The old judicial trial by fire. Blount

Lat. The old judicial trial by fire. Blount Less...

In old English law. The curfew, or evening bell. Cowell. See CURFEW.

In old English law. The curfew, or evening bell. Cowell. See CURFEW. Less...

Public disgrace; infamy; reproach; dishonor. Ignominy is the opposite of esteem. Wolff, f 145. See Brown v. Kingsley, 38 Iowa, 220.

Public disgrace; infamy; reproach; dishonor. Ignominy is the opposite of esteem. Wolff, f 145. See Brown v. Kingsley, 38 Iowa, 220. Less...

Lat "We are ignorant ;" "We ignore it." Formerly the grand Jury used to write this word on bills of indictment when, after having heard the evidence, they thought the accusation against the prisoner was groundless, intimating that, though the facts might possibly be true, the truth did not appear More...

Lat "We are ignorant ;" "We ignore it." Formerly the grand Jury used to write this word on bills of indictment when, after having heard the evidence, they thought the accusation against the prisoner was groundless, intimating that, though the facts might possibly be true, the truth did not appear to them; but now they usually write in English the words "Not a true bill," or "Not found," If that is their verdict; but they are still said to ignore the bill. Brown. Less...

The want or absence of knowledge. Ignorance of law is want of knowledge or acquaintance with the laws of the land in so far as they apply to the act, relation, duty, or matter under consideration. Ignorance of fact is want of knowledge of some fact or facts constituting or More...

The want or absence of knowledge. Ignorance of law is want of knowledge or acquaintance with the laws of the land in so far as they apply to the act, relation, duty, or matter under consideration. Ignorance of fact is want of knowledge of some fact or facts constituting or relating to the subject-matter in hand. Marshall v. Coleman, 187 111. 556, 58 N. E. 628; Haven v. Foster, 9 Pick. (Mass.) 130. 19 Am. Dec. 353. Ignorance is not a state of the mind in the sense in which sanity and insanity are. When the mind is ignorant of a fact Its condition still remains sound; the power of thinking, of judging, of willing, is just as complete before communication of the fact as after; the essence or texture, so to speak, of the mind, is not, as in the case of insanity, affected or impaired. Ignorance of a particular fact consists in this: that the mind, although sound and capable of healthy action, has never acted upon the fact in question, because the subject has never been brought to the notice of the perceptive faculties. Meeker v. Boylan, 28 N. J. Law, 274. Synonyms. "Ignorance" and "error" or "mistake" are not convertible terms. The former is a lack of information or absence of knowledge; the latter, a misapprehension or confusion of information, or a mistaken supposition of the possession of knowledge. Error as to a fact may imply ignorance of the truth; but ignorance does not necessarily imply error. Hutton v. Edgerton, 6 Rich. (S. C.) 489; Culbreath v. Culbreath, 7 Ga. 70, 50 Am. Dec. 375. Essential ignorance is ignorance in relation to some essential circumstance so intimately connected with the matter in question, and which so influences the parties, that it induces them to act in the business. Poth. Vente, nn. 3, 4; 2 Kent, Comm. 367. Non-essential or accidental ignorance is that which has not of itself any necessary connection with the business in question, and which is not the true consideration for entering into the contract. Involuntary ignorance is that which does not proceed from choice, and which cannot be overcome by the use of any means of knowledge known to a person and within his power: as the ignorance of a law which has not yet been promulgated. Voluntary ignorance exists when a party might by taking reasonable pains, have acquired the necessary knowledge. For example, every man might acquire a knowledge of the laws which have been promulgated. Doct & Stud. 1, 46; Plowd. 343. Less...

Lat. Ignorance; want of knowledge. Distinguished, from mistake, (error,) or wrong conception. Mackeld. Rom. Law, ? 178; Dig. 22, 6. Divided by Lord Coke into ignorantia facti (ignorance of fact) and ignorantia juris, (Ignorance of law.) And the former, he adds, is twofold,-lee-tionis et lingum, (ignorance of reading and Ignorance More...

Lat. Ignorance; want of knowledge. Distinguished, from mistake, (error,) or wrong conception. Mackeld. Rom. Law, ? 178; Dig. 22, 6. Divided by Lord Coke into ignorantia facti (ignorance of fact) and ignorantia juris, (Ignorance of law.) And the former, he adds, is twofold,-lee-tionis et lingum, (ignorance of reading and Ignorance of language.) 2 Coke, 3b. Ignorantia eorum quse quia scire ten-etur non exousat. Ignorance of those things which one Is bound to know excuses not. Hale, P. C. 42; Broom, Max. 267. Ignorantia facti ezousat. Ignorance of fact excuses or Is a ground of relief. 2 Coke, 3b. Acts done and contracts made under mistake or Ignorance of a material fact are voidable and relievable in law and equity. 2 Kent, Comm. 491, and notes. Ignorantia facti exousat, ignorantia juris non exousat. Ignorance of the fact excuses; ignorance of the law excuses not Every man must be taken to be cognizant of the law; otherwise there is no saying to what extent the excuse of ignorance may not be carried. 1 Coke. 177; Broom, Max. 253. Ignorantia juris qnod quisque tenetur scire, neminem exousat. Ignorance of the [or a] law, which every one is bound to know, excuses no man. A mistake in point of law is, in criminal cases, no sort of defense. 4 Bl. Comm. 27; 4 Steph. Comm. 81; Broom, Max. 253; 7 Car. A P. 456. And. in civil cases, Ignorance of the law, with a full knowledge of the facts, furnishes no ground, either in law or equity, to rescind agreements, or reclaim money paid, or set aside solemn acts of the parties. 2 Kent* Comm. 491, and note Ignorantia juris sui non prsejudicat juri. Ignorance of one's right does not prejudice the right. Lofft, 552. Ignorantia legis neminem exousat. Ignorance of law excuses no one. 4 Bouv. Inst no. 3828; 1 Story, Eq. Jur. | 111; 7 Watts, 374. Less...

Lat A term of logic, sometimes applied to pleadings and to arguments on appeal, which signifles a mistake of the question, that is, the mistake of one who, failing to discern the real question which he is to meet and answer, addresses his allegations or arguments to a collateral matter More...

Lat A term of logic, sometimes applied to pleadings and to arguments on appeal, which signifles a mistake of the question, that is, the mistake of one who, failing to discern the real question which he is to meet and answer, addresses his allegations or arguments to a collateral matter or something beside the point See Case upon the Statute for Distribution, Wythe (Va.) 309. Ignoratis terminis artis, ignoratur et ars. Whore the terms of an art are unknown, the art itself is unknown also. Co. Litt 2a. Less...

1. To be ignorant of, or unacquainted with. "2. To disregard willfully; to refuse to recognize; to decline to take notice of. See Cleburne County v. Morton, 09 Ark. 48, 80 S. W. 307." "3. To reject as groundless, false or unsupported by evidence; as when a grand Jury ignores More...

1. To be ignorant of, or unacquainted with. "2. To disregard willfully; to refuse to recognize; to decline to take notice of. See Cleburne County v. Morton, 09 Ark. 48, 80 S. W. 307." "3. To reject as groundless, false or unsupported by evidence; as when a grand Jury ignores a bill of indictment." Ignoscitur ei qui sanguinem suum qualiter redemptum voluit. The law holds him excused from obligation who chose to redeem his blood (or life) upon any terms. Whatever a man may do under the fear of losing his life or limbs will not be held binding upon him in law. 1 Bl. Comm. 131. Less...

One of the four great Roman roads in Britain; supposed to be so called from tbe Iceni.

One of the four great Roman roads in Britain; supposed to be so called from tbe Iceni. Less...

In old pleading. Bad; defective in law; null; naught; the opposite of good or valid.

In old pleading. Bad; defective in law; null; naught; the opposite of good or valid. Less...