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

Category: P

PASSAGE

A way over water; an easement giving the right to pass over a piece of private water. Travel by sea; a voyage over water; the carriage of passengers by water; money paid

PATER

Lat. A father; the father. In the civil law. this word sometimes included arus, (grandfather.) Dig. 50, 16, 201.

PATRINUS

In old ecclesiastical law. A godfather. Spelman.

PAWNEE

The person receiving a pawn, or to whom a pawn Is made; the person to whom goods are delivered by another in pledge.

PECULATION

n the civil law. The unlawful appropriation, by a depositary of public funds, of the property of the government intrusted to bis care, to his own use, or that of others. Domat.

PEERESS

A woman who belongs to the nobility, which may lie either in her own right or by right of marriage.

PENDENCY

Suspense; tbe state of being pendent or undecided; the state of an action, etc.. after it has been begun, and before the final disposition of it.

PEONAGE

The state or condition of a peou as above defined; a condition of en- forced servitude, by which the servitor is restrained of his liberty and compelled to labor in liquidation of

PER FORMAM DONI

L. Lat. In English law. By the form of tlie gift; by tlie designation of the giver, and not by the operation of law. 2 Bl. Comm. 113, 191.

PER STIRPES

Lat. By roots or stocks; by representation. This term, derived from the civil law, is much used in the law of descents and distribution, and denotes that method of dividing an intestate

PERDUELLIO

Lat. In Roman law. Hostility or enmity towards the Roman republic; traitorous conduct on the part of a citizen, subversive of the authority of the laws or tending to overthrow the government.

PERIOD

Any point, space, or division of time. “The word ‘period’ has its etymo- logical meaning, but it also has a distinctive signification, according to the subject with which it may be used

PERPETUAL

Never ceasing; continuous ; enduring; lasting; unlimited in respect of time; continuing without intermission or interval. See Scanlan v. Crawshaw, 5 Mo. App. 337. Perpetual edict. In Roman law. Originally the term

PERSUASION

The act of persuading; the act of influencing the mind by arguments or reasons offered, or by anything that moves the mind or passions, or inclines the will to a determination. See

PETITIONER

One who presents a petition to a court, officer, or legislative body. In legal proceedings begun by petition, the person against whom action or relief is prayed, or who opposes the prayer

PILLAGE

Plunder; the forcible taking of private property by an invading or con- quering army from the enemy’s subjects. American Ins. Co. v. Bryan, 26 Wend. (N. Y.) 573, 37 Am. Dec. 278.

PISCARY

The right or privilege of fishing. Thus, common of piscary is the right of fishing in waters belonging to another person.

PLAZA

A Spanish word, meaning a public square in a city or town. Sachs Y. Towanda, 79 111. App. 441

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