Legal Term Dictionary

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  • OCTAVE
    In old English law. .. The eighth day inclusive after a feast; one of the return days of writs. 3 Bl. Comm. 278.
  • OCTO TALES
    Eight such; eight such men; eight such jurors. The name of a writ, at common law, which issues when upon a trial at bar, eight more jurors are necf essary to fill the panel, commanding the sheriff to summon the requisite number. 3 BL Comm. 364. See DECEM TALES.
  • OCTROI
    Fr. In French law. Originally, a duty, which, by the permission of the seigneur, any city was accustomed to collect on liquors and some other goods, brought within its precincts, for the consumption of the inhabitants. Afterwards appropriated to the use of the king. Steph. Jject. p. 361. Odemnt peeeare More...
  • ODHAL
    Complete property, as opposed to feudal tenure. The transposition of the syllables of "odhal" makes it "allodh," and hence, according to Blackstone, arises the word "allod" or "allodial," (q. v.) "Allodhn is thus put in contradistinction to "fecodh.V Mozley A Whitley.
  • ODIO ET ATIA
    A writ anciently called "breve de bono et malo," addressed to the sheriff to inquire whether a man committed to prison upon suspicion of murder were committed on just cause of suspicion, or only upon malice and ill will; and if, upon the Inquisition, it were found that he was More...
  • OF COUNSEL
    A phrase commonly ap* plied in practice to the counsel employed by a party in a cause, and particularly to one .employed to assist in the preparation' or management of a cause, or its presentation on appeal, but who is not the principal attorney of record for the party.
  • OF COURSE
    Any action or step taken in the course of judicial proceedings which will be allowed by the court upon mere application, without any inquiry or contest, or which may be effectually taken without even applying to the court for leave, is said to* be "of course." Stoddard v. Treadwell, 29 More...
  • OF FORCE
    In force; extant: not obsolete; existing as a binding;, or obligatory power.
  • OF GRACE
    A term applied to'any remission or license granted to a party in {he course of a judicial proceeding which is" not claimable as a matter of Course or of right, hut is allowed by the favor or Indulgence of the court See Walters v. McElroy, 15i Pa, 549, 25 AtL More...
  • OF NEW
    A Scotch expression, closely translated from the Latin "de novo," (q. v.)
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