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

Category: C

COMMON COUNCIL

In American law. The lower or more numerous branch of the legislative assembly of a city, in English law. The councillors of the city of London. The parliament, also, was anciently called

COUNTER-DEED

A secret writing, either before a notary or under a private seal, which destroys, invalidates, or alters a public one.

COUNTEZ L FR

Count, or reckon. In old practice. A direction formerly given by the clerk of a court to the crier, after a jury was sworn, to number them; and which Blackstone says was

COUR DE CASSATION

The supreme judicial tribunal of France, having appellate jurisdiction otdy. For an account of its composition and powers, see Jones, French Bar, 22; Guyot, Itepert. Univ.

COURT OF CHIVALRY, OR COURT MILITARY

was a court not of record, held before the lord high constable and earl marshal of England. It had jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, in deeds of arms and war, armorial bearings,

COUTHUTLAUGH

A person who willingly and knowingly received an outlaw, and cherished or concealed him; for which offense he underwent the same punishment as the outlaw himself. Bract 1286,- Spelman.

COVERT BARON, OR COVERT DE BARON

Un- n der the protection of a husband; married. 1 fl Bl. Comm. 442. La feme que est covert de baron, the woman which is covert of a husband. Litt.

CREANCER

One who trusts or gives credit; a creditor. Britt cc. 28, 78.

CREMENTUM COMITATUS

The increase of a county. The sheriffs of counties anciently answered In their accounts for the Improvement of the king’s rents, above the visconticl rents, under this title.

CRIMINATE

To charge one with crime; to furnish ground for a criminal prosecution; to expose a person to a criminal charge. A witness cannot be compelled to answer any question which has a

CROWN CASES

In English law. Criminal prosecutions on behalf of the crown, as representing the public; causes in the criminal courts.

CRY

To call out aloud; to proclaim; to publish; to sell at auction. “To cry a tract of land.” Carr v. Gooch, 1 Wash. (Va.) 335, (260.) A clamor raised in the pursuit

CUJUS EST DIVISIO, ALTERIUS EST ELECTIO

Whichever [of two parties] has the division, [of an estate,] the choice [of the shares] is the other’s. Co. Litt. 1006. In partition between coparceners, where the division is made by the

CULPRIT

A person who is indicted for a criminal offense, but not yet convicted. It is not, however, a technical term of the law; and in its vernacular usage it seems to imply

C C

Various terms or phrases may be denoted by this abbreviation ; such as circuit court, (or city or county court;) criminal cases, (or crown or civil or chancery cases;) civil code; chief

CACICAZGOS

In Spanish-American law. Property entailed on the caciques, or heads of Indian villages, and their descendants. Sehm. Civil Law, 309.

CAIRNS’ ACT

An English statute for enabling the court of chancery to award damages. 21 & 22 Vict. c. 27.

CALPES

In Scotch law. A gift to the head of a clan, as an acknowledgment for protection and maintenance.

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