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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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USO
In Spanish law. Usage; that which arises from certain things which men say and do and practice uninterruptedly for a great length of time, without any hindrance whatever. Las Partidas, pt. 1, tit 2, 1. 1.

In Spanish law. Usage; that which arises from certain things which men say and do and practice uninterruptedly for a great length of time, without any hindrance whatever. Las Partidas, pt. 1, tit 2, 1. 1. Less...
USQUE
Lat Up to; until. This is a word of exclusion, and a release of all demands usque ad a certain day does not cover a bond made on that day. 2 Mod. 28.

Lat Up to; until. This is a word of exclusion, and a release of all demands usque ad a certain day does not cover a bond made on that day. 2 Mod. 28. Less...
USQUE AD FILUM AQUAE, OR VIAE
Up to the middle of the stream or road.

Up to the middle of the stream or road. Less...
USUAL
Habitual; ordinary; customary; according to usage or custom; commonly es-tablished, observed, or practised. See Chi-cago & A. R. Co. v. Hause, 71 111. App. 147; Kellogg v. Curtis, 69 Me. 214, 81 Am. Rep. 273 ; Teacher v Merea, 118 Ind. 686, 21 N. E. 316; Trust Co. v. Norrls, More...

Habitual; ordinary; customary; according to usage or custom; commonly es-tablished, observed, or practised. See Chi-cago & A. R. Co. v. Hause, 71 111. App. 147; Kellogg v. Curtis, 69 Me. 214, 81 Am. Rep. 273 ; Teacher v Merea, 118 Ind. 686, 21 N. E. 316; Trust Co. v. Norrls, 61 Minn. 256, 63 N. W. 634. —Usual covenants. See COVENANT.—Usual terms. A phrase in the common-law practice, which meant pleading issuably, rejoining gratis, and taking snort notice of trial. When a defendant obtained further time to plead, these were the terms usually imposed. Wharton. Less...
USUARIUS
Lat. In the civil law. One who had the mere use of a thing belonging to another for the purpose of supplying his daily wants; a usuary. Dig. 7, 8, 10, pr.; Calvin.

Lat. In the civil law. One who had the mere use of a thing belonging to another for the purpose of supplying his daily wants; a usuary. Dig. 7, 8, 10, pr.; Calvin. Less...
USUCAPIO, OR USUCAPTIO
A term of Roman law used to denote a mode of acquisition of property. It corresponds very nearly to the term "prescription." But the prescription of Roman law differed from that of the English law, in this: that no mala fide possessor (i. e., person in possession knowingly of the More...

A term of Roman law used to denote a mode of acquisition of property. It corresponds very nearly to the term "prescription." But the prescription of Roman law differed from that of the English law, in this: that no mala fide possessor (i. e., person in possession knowingly of the property of another) could, by however long a period, acquire title by possession merely. The two essential requisites to usucapio were justa causa (i. e., title) and bona fides, (ignorance.) The term "usucapio" is sometimes, but erroneous¬ly, written "usucaptio." Brown. See Pavey v. Vance, 56 Ohio St. 162, 46 N. E. 898. Usucapio constitute est ut aliquis Utium finis esset. Prescription was instituted that there might be some end to litiga-tion. Dig. 41, 10, 5; Broom, Max. 894, note. Less...
USUFRUCT
In the civil law. The right of enjoying a thing, the property of which is vested in another, and to draw from the same all the profit, utility, and advan¬tage which it may produce, provided it be without altering the substance of the thing. Civ. Code La. art 533. And More...

In the civil law. The right of enjoying a thing, the property of which is vested in another, and to draw from the same all the profit, utility, and advan¬tage which it may produce, provided it be without altering the substance of the thing. Civ. Code La. art 533. And see Mulford v. Le Franc, 26 Cal. 102; Cartwright v. Cart¬wright, 18 Tex. 628; Strausse v. Sheriff, 43 La. Ann. 501, 9 South. 102. —Imperfect usufruct. An imperfect or quasi usufrnct is that which is of things which would be useless to the usufructuary if he did not consume or expend them or change the substance of them; as, money, grain, liquors. Civ. Code La. 1900, art. 534.—Perfect usufruct. An usufruct in those things which the usufructuary can enjoy without changing their substance, though their substance may be diminished or deteriorate naturally by time or by the use to which they are applied, as, a house, a piece of land, furniture, and other movable effects. Civ. Code La. 1900, art. 534.—Quasi usufruct. In the civil law. Originally the usufruct gave no right to the substance of the thing, and conse¬quently none to its consumption; hence only an inconsumable thing could be the object of it, whether movable or immovable. But in later times the right of usufruct was, by analogy, extended to consumable things, and therewith arose the distinction between true and quasi usu¬fructs. See Mackeld. Rom. Law, ft 307; Civ: Code La. 1900, art 534. Less...
USUFRUCTUARY
In the civil law. One who has the usufruct or right of enjoying anything in which he has no property, Cartwright v. Cartwright, 18 Tex. 62a

In the civil law. One who has the usufruct or right of enjoying anything in which he has no property, Cartwright v. Cartwright, 18 Tex. 62a Less...
USUFRUIT
In French law. The same as the usufruct of the English and Roman law.

In French law. The same as the usufruct of the English and Roman law. Less...
USURA
Lat In the civil law. Money given for the use of money; interest Commonly used in the plural, "usurw." Dig. 22, 1. —Usura manifesta. Manifest or open usury; as distinguished from usura velata, veiled or concealed usury, which consists in giving a bond for the loan, in the amount of More...

Lat In the civil law. Money given for the use of money; interest Commonly used in the plural, "usurw." Dig. 22, 1. —Usura manifesta. Manifest or open usury; as distinguished from usura velata, veiled or concealed usury, which consists in giving a bond for the loan, in the amount of which is included the stipulated interest— Usura maritima. Interest taken on bottom¬ry or respondentia bonds, which is proportion¬ed to the risk, and is not affected by the usury laws. ----Usura est oommodum oertum qnod propter usum rei mutuatsB reeipitur. Sed secundario spirare de aUqua rctrf-butione, ad voluntatem ejus qui mntna-tus est, hoe non est vitiosum. Usury Is a certain benefit which is received for the use of a thing lent But to have an understanding [literally, to breathe or whisper,] in an incidental way, about some compensation to be made at the pleasure of the borrower, is not lawful. Branch, Princ; 5 Coke, 70b; Clan. lib. 7, c. 16. Less...

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