shield law. 1. A statute that affords journalists the privilege not to reveal confidential sources. See journalist’s privilege under PRIVILEGE(3). [Cases: Witnesses 196. 1. C.J.S. Witnesses § 358.] “More than half of the states have ‘shield laws’ creating ‘reporters’ privileges’ that are sometimes broader than the First Amendment version of that privilege.” David A. Anderson, […]
The complete destruction of insured property so that nothing of value remains and the subject matter no longer exists in its original form. • Generally, a loss is total if, after the damage occurs, no substantial remnant remains standing that a reasonably prudent uninsured owner, desiring to rebuild, would use as a basis to restore
duplex valor maritagii (d[y]oo-pleks val-[schwa]r mar-[schwa]-tay-jee-I), n. [Law Latin “double the value of a marriage”] Hist. A ward’s forfeiture of double the value of a marriage made without the guardian’s consent. • In the quotation that follows, Blackstone uses the accusative form (duplicem valorem maritagii) because the phrase follows the verb forfeited. “For, while the
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antiquus et novus extentus (an-tI-kw[schwa]s et noh-v[schwa]s ek-sten-t[ schwa]s). [Law Latin] Scots law. Old and new extent. • The phrase appeared in reference to the valuation of land for tax purposes, with old valuations assessed in the year 1280, and new valuations assessed several times after that date. Cf. QUANTUM NUNC VALENT; QUANTUM VALUERUNT TEMPORE
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economy. 1. The management or administration of the wealth and resources of a community (such as a city, state, or country). 2. The sociopolitical organization of a community’s wealth and resources. 3. Restrained, thrifty, or sparing use of resources; efficiency. balanced economy. An economy in which the monetary values of imports and exports are equal.
metus (mee-t[schwa]s), n. [Latin] Roman law. 1. Fear of imminent danger; apprehension of serious danger, esp. in the form of duress to force a person to do something; the use of threats to bring about some end. • Metus was more comprehensive than duress is in Anglo-American law. It included fear of any evil that
gross-rent multiplier. The ratio between the market value of rent-producing property and its annual gross rental income. • The gross-rent multiplier is used as a method to estimate a property’s market value. — Abbr. GRM. — Also termed gross-income multiplier.
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festuca (fes-tyoo-k[schwa]). Hist. A rod, staff, or stick used as a pledge (or gage) of good faith by a party to a contract or as a token of conveyance of land. • In Roman law, a festuca was a symbol of ownership. — Also termed fistuca; vindicta. See LIVERY OF SEISIN. “The wed or gage,
escheator (es-cheet-[schwa]r). Hist. A royal officer appointed to assess the value of property escheating to the Crown. • Corrupt officers led many to associate the escheator with fraudulent conduct, giving rise to the word cheat as used in the modern sense. — Also termed cheater.
lot. 1. A tract of land, esp. one having specific boundaries or being used for a given purpose. minimum lot. A lot that has the least amount of square footage allowed by a local zoning law. [Cases: Zoning and Planning 63, 254. C.J.S. Zoning and Land Planning §§ 48–49, 116.] nonconforming lot. A previously lawful