Your Free Online Legal Dictionary • Featuring Black’s Law Dictionary, 2nd Ed.

Category: A

AD MELIUS INQUIRENDUM

A writ directed to a coroner commanding him to hold a second inquest. See 45 Law J. Q. B. 711.

AD VITAM AUT CULPAM

For life or until fault. This phrase describes the tenure of an office which is otherwise said to be held “for life or during good behavior.” It is equivalent to quamdiu bene

ADEO

Lat So, as. Adeo plene et in- tegre, as fully and entirely. 10 Coke, 65.

ADJECTIVE LAW

The aggregate of rules of procedure or practice. As opposed to that body of law which the courts are established to administer, (called “substantive law,”) it means the rules according to which

ADMANUENSIS

A person who swore by laying his hands on the book.

ADMISSION

In evidence. A voluntary acknowledgment, confession, or concession of the existence of a fact or the truth of an allegation made by a party to the suit. Roosevelt v. Smith, 17 Misc.

ADPROMISSOR

In the civil and Scotch law. A guarantor, surety, or cautioner ; a peculiar species of fidejussor; one who adds his own promise to the promise given by the principal debtor, whence

ADULTERINE GUILDS

Traders acting as a corporation without a charter, and paying a fine annually for permission to exercise their usurped privileges. Smith, Wealth Nat. b. 1, c. 10.

ADVERSARY PROCEEDING

One having opposing parties; contested, as distinguished from an ex parte application; one of which the party seeking relief has given legal warning to the other party, and afforded the latter an

ADVOCATUS DIABOLI

In ecclesiastical law. The devil’s advocate; the advocate who argues against the canonization of a saint.

AFFINITY

At common law. Relationship by marriage between the husband and the blood relations of the wife, and be- tween the wife and the blood relations of the D husband. 1 Bl. Comm.

AFFREIGHTMENT

A contract of affreightment is a contract with a ship-owner to hire his ship, or part of it, for the carriage of goods. Such a contract generally takes the form either of

AGENCY

A relation, created either by express or implied contract or by law, whereby one party (called the principal or constituent) delegates the transaction of some lawful business or the authority to do

AGIO

In commercial law. A term used to express the difference in point of value between metallic and paper money, or between one sort of metallic money and another. McCul. Diet.

AGRARIUM

A tax upon or tribute payable out of land.

AID OF THE KING

The king’s tenant prays this, when rent is demanded of him by others.

AKIN

In old English law. Of kin. “Next-a-kin.” 7 Mod. 140.

ALE-HOUSE

A place where ale is sold to be drunk on the premises where sold.

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