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

Category: B

B

The second letter of the English alphabet : is used to denote the second of a series of pages, notes, etc.; the subsequent letters, the third and following numbers.

BACKING

Indorsement; indorsement by a magistrate.

BAIL COMMON

A fictitious proceeding, intended only to express the appearance of a defendant, in cases where special bail is not required. It is put in in the same form as special bail, but

BAIR-MAN

In old Scotch law. A poor Insolvent debtor, left bare and naked, who was obliged to swear in court that he was not worth more than five shillings and fivepence.

BANISHMENT

In criminal law. A punishment inflicted upon criminals, by compelling them to quit a city, place, or country for a specified period of time, or for life. See Cooper v. Telfair, 4

BARK

Is sometimes figuratively used to denote the mere words or letter of an instrument, or outer covering of the ideas sought to be expressed, as distinguished from its inner substance or essential

BARRETOR

In criminal law. A common mover, exciter, or maintainer of suits and quarrels either in courts or elsewhere in the country; a disturber of the peace who spreads false rumors and calumnies,

BASILICA

The name given to a compilation of Roman and Greek law, prepared about A. D. 8S0 by the Emperor Basilius, and published by his successor, Leo the Philosopher. It was written in

BAWD

One who procures opportunities for persons of opposite sexes to cohabit in an illicit manner; who may be, while exercising the trade of a bawd, perfectly innocent of committing in his or

BEASTS OF THE PLOW

An old term for animals employed in the operations of husbandry, including horses. Somers v. Emerson, 58 N. II. 49.

BEHALF

A witness testifies on “behalf’ of the party who calls him, notwithstanding his evidence proves to be adverse to that party’s case. Richerson v. Stern- burg, 65 111. 274. See, further, 12

BENEFICIAL

Tending to the benefit of a person; yielding a profit, advantage, or benefit; enjoying or entitled to a benefit or profit. In re Importers’ Exchange (Com. PI.) 2 N. Y. Supp. 257;

BENEFIT OF DISCUSSION

In the civil law. The right which a surety has to cause the property of the principal debtor to be applied in satisfaction of the obligation in the first instance. Civ. Code

BETWEEN

As a measure or Indication of distance, this word has the effect of excluding the two termini. Revere v. Leonard, 1 Mass. 93; State v. Godfrey, 12 Me. 300. See Morris &

BIGAMY

The criminal offense of willfully and knowingly contracting a second Q marriage (or going through the form of a second marriage) while the first marriage, to the knowledge of the offender, is

BILL OF INTERPLEADER

The name of a bill in equity to obtain a settlement of a question of right to money or other property adversely claimed, in which the party filing the bill has no

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