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

Category: D

DOS

In Roman law. Dowry; a wife’s marriage portion; all that property which onmarriage is transferred by the wife herself or by another to the husband with a view ofdiminishing the burden which

DOUBLE COMPLAINT, OR DOUBLE QUARREL

In ecclesiastical law. A grievance made known by a clerk or other person, tothe archbishop of the province, against the ordinary, for delaying or refusing to dojustice in some cause ecclesiastical, as

DOVE

Doves are animals ferce natures, and not the subject of larceny unless theyare in the owner’s custody; as, for example, in a dove-house, or when in the nestbefore they can fly. Com.

DOZEN PEERS

Twelve peers assembled at the instance of the barons, In the reign of Henry III., to be privy counselors, or rather conservators of the kingdom.

DRAYAGE

A charge for the transportation of property in wheeled vehicles, such asdrays, wagons, and carts. Soule v. San Francisco Gaslight Co., 54 Cal. 242.

DROIT D’EXECUTION

The right of a stockbroker to sell the securities bought by him for account of a client, if the latter doesnot accept delivery thereof. The same expression is also applied to the

DRY TRUST

A passive trust; one which requires no action on the partof the trustee beyond turning over money or property to the cestui que trust. Bradfordv. Robinson, 7 Houst. (Del.) 29, 30 Atl.

DUE

1. Just; proper; regular; lawful; sufficient; as in the phrases “due care,” “due process of law,” “due notice.”2. Owing; payable; justly owed. That which one contracts to pay or perform to another;

DUM FUIT INFRA AETATEM

(While he was within age.) In old English practice. A writ of entry whichformerly lay for an infant after he had attained his full age. to recover lands which hehad aliened in

DUPEA

In the civil law. Double the price of a thing. Dig. 21, 2, 2.

DURESS

v. To subject to duress. A word used by Lord Bacon. “If tlie party duresscd do make any motion,” etc. Bac. Max. 89, reg. 22.

DEFECT

The want or absence of some legal requisite; deficiency; Imperfection ; insufficiency.Hauey-Campbell Co. v. Creamery Ass’n, 119 Iowa, 188, 93 N. W. 297; Bliven v. Sioux City, 85 Iowa, 346, 52 N.

DEFENSA

In old English law. A park or place fenced in for deer, and defended as a property and peculiar for that use and service. Cowell.

DEFINE

To explain or state the exact meaning of words and phrases; to settle,make clear, establish boundaries. U. S. v. Smith, 5 Wheat. 100, 5 L. Ed. 57; Walters v.Richardson, 93 Ky. 374,

DEFUNCTUS

Lat. Dead. “Defunctus sine prole,” dead without (leaving) issue.

DELAY

To retard; obstruct; put off; hinder; interpose obstacles; as, when it is saidthat a conveyance was made to “hinder and delay creditors.” Mercantile Co. v. Arnold,108 Ga. 449. 34 S. E. 176;

DELIMITATION

The act of lixilig, marking off, or describing the limits or boundary line of a territory or country.

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