impute (im-pyoot), vb. To ascribe or attribute; to regard (usu. something undesirable) as being done, caused, or possessed by (the court imputed malice to the defamatory statement). — imputation, n. — imputable, adj. “The word ‘impute’ comes from im (in) and putare (reckon). It means to bring into the reckoning, to attribute or to ascribe. […]
An ademption that occurs because the testator, while alive, has already given property to the beneficiary in lieu of the testamentary gift. [Cases: Wills 766. C.J.S. Wills §§ 1743–1744, 1753.]
ademption by satisfaction Read More »
A preliminary, estimated payment to a customs collector of the duty that will be due on final accounting. • An importer pays this duty to receive permission to land and sell the goods.
unascertained duty Read More »
Property whose possession becomes unlawful when it is used in committing an illegal act. Cf. contraband per se.
derivative contraband Read More »
A meeting of three or more persons who intend either to commit a violent crime or to carry out some act, lawful or unlawful, that will constitute a breach of the peace. Cf. RIOT. [Cases: Unlawful Assembly 1. C.J.S. Unlawful Assembly §§ 2–5, 9–13.]
agunah (ah-goo-nah), n. Jewish law. 1. A woman whose husband has deserted her or otherwise disappeared. • She may not remarry until either proving his death or obtaining a divorce. 2. A woman whose husband will not agree to a divorce.
rational-basis test. Constitutional law. The criterion for judicial analysis of a statute that does not implicate a fundamental right or a suspect or quasi-suspect classification under the Due Process or Equal Protection Clause, whereby the court will uphold a law if it bears a reasonable relationship to the attainment of a legitimate governmental objective. •
rational basis test Read More »
An insurance policy issued to a person who is shown to have no insurable interest in the person or property covered by the policy. • Wager policies are illegal in most states. — Also termed gambling policy; graveyard insurance. See insurable interest under INTEREST(2). Cf. interest policy; viatical settlement under SETTLEMENT(3). [Cases: Insurance 1784.]
foreclose, vb. To terminate a mortgagor’s interest in property; to subject (property) to foreclosure proceedings. [Cases: Mortgages 320. C.J.S. Mortgages §§ 490–491, 495, 559, 568.] “Should the mortgagor default in his obligations under the mortgage, the mortgagee will seek to ‘foreclose’, — i.e., ‘end’ or ‘close’ the mortgagor’s rights in the security. After taking the
Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. Copyright. A federal law extending the copyright term by 20 years for all works published in the U.S. after January 1, 1978, and settling the copyright term for works created before 1978 as 95 years from the original copyright date. • Before the extension, the copyright term was the
sonny bono copyright term extension act Read More »