instrument. 1. A written legal document that defines rights, duties, entitlements, or liabilities, such as a contract, will, promissory note, or share certificate. “An ‘instrument’ seems to embrace contracts, deeds, statutes, wills, Orders in Council, orders, warrants, schemes, letters patent, rules, regulations, bye-laws, whether in writing or in print, or partly in both; in fact, […]
wait-and-see doctrine 情事等待原则 这一原则是为了缓和「禁止永久持有规则」〔Rule Against Perpetuities〕所产生的严厉的法律效果。它允许考虑在授予将来权益(尤指终身地产权〔life estate〕)的文书成立后所发生的事件，一旦限制该权益的将来不确定事件在永久持有规则所规定的期限内发生，则该项权益有效。在美国，为了确定某一不特定权益〔contingent interest〕是否违反「禁止永久持有规则」，许多州通过立法允许法院考察不特定事件实际发生时的条件，而不是像「禁止永久持有规则」所规定的那样考察在该权益创设时的条件。该原则在某些州又被称为「重新考虑原则」〔second look doctrine〕。 (→perpetuity; rule against perpetuities)
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right of privacy. 1. The right to personal autonomy. • The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly provide for a right of privacy or for a general right of personal autonomy, but the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that a right of personal autonomy is implied in the “zones of privacy” created by specific constitutional guarantees.
FGA.abbr. 1. Free from general average. 2. Foreign general average. “F.G.A. means Foreign General Average, and implies that, if goods become liable to general average, the rules to be applied will be those of the port of destination or refuge, i.e., the law of the place where the adjustment is made.” 2 E.W. Chance, Principles
sudden emergency doctrine 紧迫事件原则 当一个人遇到非由自己的疏忽或缺乏注意而引起的紧急事件时，只要他的行为是按照任何其他人处于相似条件下行事的合理谨慎的方式进行的，则该人有权采取当时他认为应为的行为以求避免伤害。这种情形下便不认为该人有过失，即使事后发现可按其他更安全的行为方式行事。 (→emergency doctrine; sudden peril rule)
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timocracy (tI-mok-r[schwa]-see). 1. An aristocracy of property; government by propertied, relatively rich people. 2. A government in which the rulers’ primary motive is the love of honor.
An estate created or limited under a settlement; an estate in which the powers of alienation, devising, and transmission according to the ordinary rules of descent are restrained by the settlement’s terms.
capitaneus (kap-i-tay-nee-[schwa]s). [Law Latin “tenant in chief”] 1. Hist. A tenant in capite; one who holds title directly from the king. — Also termed cataneus. 2. Maritime law. A ship captain or naval commander. 3. A ruler or leader.
perpetuity (p[schwa]r-p[schwa]-t[y]oo-[schwa]-tee). 1. The state of continuing forever. 2. Hist. An unbarrable entail. 3. Hist. An inalienable interest. 4. An interest that does not take effect or vest within the period prescribed by law. • In reference to the rule against perpetuities, only sense 4 is now current. See RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES. [Cases: Perpetuities 4.
surname n. 姓 指姓氏，传自父母。所有家庭成员拥有相同的姓氏。姓是姓名中除「名」〔Christian name〕以外的部分，其产生是为了弥补仅以名来识别各个体时的不足。在英国，爱德华四世第4年，即1464年，出现了规范姓的运用的第一部制定法。只要不是基于不诚实的意图，人们可依其意愿自由选用姓氏，且勿需履行任何正式手续。但通常人们都采用单务契约〔deed-poll〕的方式来宣布自己的姓这一事实，这需要有正式手续，有时要在最高法院中央办公室〔Central Office〕登记并在《伦敦公报》〔London Gazette〕上公告。更改姓名的程序较复杂，应取得王室关于使用新名字的许可并向纹章院〔Heralds’ College〕缴费。依照英国1974年《婚姻诉讼案规则(修正)》〔Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Rules〕的规定，享有子女监护权和管理权的一方父母，要更改子女的姓氏，应当取得另一方母或父的书面同意或家事法庭〔Family Division〕的许可。