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

Category: D

DUM SOLA

While sole, or single. Dum sola fucrit, while she shallremain sole. Dum sola et casta vix- crit. while she lives single and chaste. Words oflimitation in old conveyances. Co. Litt. 235

DULPEX VALOR MARITAGII

In old English law. Double the value of the marriage. While an Infant was in ward, the guardian had the power of tendering him or her a suitable match, without disparagement, which

DURESS PER MINAS

Duress by threats. The use of threats and menaces to compel a person, by the fear of death, or grievousbodily harm, as mayhem or loss of limb, to do some lawful act,

DEED POLL

In conveyancing. A deed of one part or made by one party only; and originally so calledbecause the edge of the paper or parchment was polled or cut in a straight line,wherein

DEFECT OF PARTIES

In pleading and practice. Insufficiency of theparties before a court in any given proceeding to give it jurisdiction and authority todecide the controversy, arising from the omission or fail- us to join

DEFENSIVA

In old English law. A lord or earl of the marches, who was the warden and defender of his country. Cowell.

DEFINITION

A description of a thing by its properties; an explanation of themeaning of a word or term. Webster. The process of stating the exact meaning of aword by means of other words.

DEGRADATION

A deprivation of dignity ; dismission from office. An ecclesiasticalcensure, whereby a clergyman is divested of his holy orders. There are two sorts by thecanon law,

DELINQUENT

n. In the civil law. He who has beeu guilty of some crime, offense, or failure of duty.

DEMEMBRATION

In Scotch law. Maliciously cutting off or otherwise separating one limb from another. 1 Hume, 323; Bell.

DEMISE OF THE CROWN

The natural dissolution of the king is generally so called; an expression which signifiesmerely a transfer of property. By demise of the crown we mean only that, inconsequence of the disunion of

DENUNCIATION

In the civil law. The act by which an individual informs apublic officer, whose duty It Is to prosecute offenders, that a crime has beencommitted. In Scotch practice. The act by which

DEPORTATIO

Lat In the civil law. A kind of banishment, where a condemnedperson was sent or carried away to some foreign country, usually to an Island, (in insulamdeportatur,) and thus taken out of

DEPUTY

A substitute; a person duly authorized by an officer to exercise some or allof the functions pertaining to the office, in tlie place and stead of the latter. Carter v.Horiiback, 139 Mo.

DESCRIPTIO PERSON

Description of the person. By this is meant a word orphrase used merely for the purpose of identifying or pointing out the person intended,and not as an intimation that the language in

DESPOJAR

A possessory action of the Mexican law. It is brought to recover possessionof Immovable property, of which one bas been despoiled (despojado) byanother.

DETAINER

The act (or the juridical fact) of withholding from a person lawfully entitled the possession of land or goods; or the restraint of a man’s personal liberty against his will.The wrongful keeping

Topic Archives:

Disclaimer

This site contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. The Law Dictionary is not a law firm, and this page does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.