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

Category: D

DONATIO INTER VIVOS

A gift between the living. The ordinary kind of gift byone person to another. 2 Kent, Coram. 438; 2 Steph. Coram. 102. A term derived fromthe civil law. Inst. 2, 7, 2.

DORMANT JUDGMENT

One which has not been satisfied, nor extinguished by lapse of time, but which has remained so long unexecutedthat execution cannot now be issued upon it without first reviving the judgmentor one

DOUBLE ADULTERY

Adultery committed by two persons each of whom is married to anotheras distinguished from “single” adultery, where one of the participants isunmarried. Hunter v. IJ. S

DOUBT

Uncertainty of mind; the absence of a settled opinion or conviction; theattitude of mind towards the acceptance of or belief in a proposition, theory, orstatement, in which the judgment is not at

DOWRESS

A woman entitled to dower ; a tenant in dower. 2 P. Wms. 707.

DRAWER

The person making a bill of exchange and addressing it to the drawee.Stevenson v. Walton, 2 Smedes & M. (Miss.) 265; Winnebago County State Bank v.Hustel, 119 Iowa, 115, 93 N. W.

DROIT

In French law. Right, justice, equity, law, the whole body of law; also a right.This term exhibits the same ambiguity which Is discoverable in the German equivalent.”rccht” and the English word “right.”

DROIT DROIT

A double right; that is. the right of possession and the right ofproperty. These two rights were, by the theory of our ancient law, distinct; and theabove phrase was used to indicate

DRY MORTGAGE

One which creates a lien on land for the payment of money, but does not impose any personal liability upon the mortgagor,collateral to or over and above the value of the promises.

DUCHY COURT OF LANCASTER

A tribunal of special jurisdiction, held before the chancellorof the duchy, or his deputy, concerning all matters of equity relating to lands holden ofthe crown in right of the duchy of Lancaster;

DUM BENE SE GESSERIT

While he shall conduct himself well; during good behavior.Expressive of a tenure of office not dependent upon the pleasure of the appointingpower, nor for a limited period, but terminable only upon the

DUODECIMA MANUS

Twelve hands. The oaths of twelve men, including himself, bywhom the defendant was allowed to make his law. 3 Bl. Comm. 343.

D W I

In genealogical tables, a common abbreviation for “died without Issue.”

DEFEASIBLE

Subject .to be defeated, annulled, revoked, or undone upon the happeningof a future event or the performance of a condition subsequent, or by a conditionallimitation. Usually spoken of estates and interests in

DEFICIENCY BILL

In parliamentary practice, an appropriation bill covering items of expenseomitted from the general appropriation bill or bills, or for which insufficientappropriations were made. If intended to cover a variety of such items,

DEFRAUD

To practice fraud; to cheat or trick; to deprive a person of property orany interest, estate, or right by fraud, deceit, or artifice. People v. Wiman, 148 N. Y. 29,42 N. E.

DELATE

In Scotch law. To accuse. Delated, accused. Dclatit off arte and parte, accused of being accessary to. 3 How. St Tr. 425, 440.

DELICT

In the Roman and civil law. A wrong or Injury: an offense; a violation of public or private duty. It will be observed that this word, taken in its most general sense,

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