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

Category: B

BUDGET

A name given in England to the statement annually presented to parliament by the chancellor of the exchequer, containing the estimates of the national revenue and expenditure.

BUREAU

An office for the transaction of business. A name given to the several departments of the executive or administrative branch of government, or to their larger subdivisions. In re Strawbridge, 39 Ala.

BURGOMASTER

The title given in Germany to the chief executive officer of a borough, town, or city; corresponding to our “mayor.”

BUSINESS HOURS

Those hours of the day during which, in a given community, commercial, banking, professional, public, or other kinds of business are ordinarily carried on. This phrase is declared to mean not the

BY ESTIMATION

In conveyancing. A term used to indicate that the quantity of land as stated is estimated only, not exactly measured; has the same meaning and effect as the phrase “more or less.”

BETTERMENT ACTS

Statutes which provide that a bona fide occupant of real estate making lasting improvements in good faith shall have a lien upon the estate recovered by the real owner to the extent

BACKWATER

Water in a stream which, in consequence of some dam or obstruction below, B is detained or checked in its course, or flows back. Hodges v. ltaymond, 9 Mass. 316 ; Chambers

BAGGAGE

In the law of carriers. This term comprises such articles of personal convenience or necessity as are usually carried by passengers for their personal use, and not merchandise or other valuables, although

BAILEI

In old French law. One to whom judicial authority was assigned or delivered by a superior.

BALLAST

In marine insurance. There is considerable analogy between ballast and dunnage. The former is used for trimming the ship, and bringing it down to a draft of water proper and safe for

BANCUS SUPERIOR

The upper bench. The king’s bench was so called during the Protectorate.

BARE TRUSTEE

A person to whose fiduciary office no duties were originally attached, or who, although such duties were originally attached to his office, would, on the requisition of his ccstuis que trust, be

BARRED

Obstructed by a bar; subject to hindrance or obstruction by a bar or barrier which, if interposed, will prevent legal redress or recovery; as, when it is said that a claim or

BASE RIGHT

In Scotch law. A subordinate right; the right of a subvassal in the lands held by him. Bell.

BATONNIER

The chief of the French bar in its various centres, who presides in the council of discipline. Arg. Fr. Merc, law, 540.

BEARING DATE

Disclosing a date on its face; having a certain date. These words are often used in conveyancing, and in pleading, to introduce the date which has been put upon an instrument.

BEFORE

Prior to; preceding. In the presence of; under the official purview of; as in a magistrate’s jurat, “before me personally appeared,” etc. In the absence of any statutory provision governing the computation

BENEFIT

Advantage; profit; privilege. Fitch v. Bates, 11 Barb. (N. Y.) 473; Synod of Dakota v. State, 2 S. D. 366, 50 N. W. 632, 14 L. R. A. 418; Winthrop Co. v.

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