coterellus (kot-[schwa]-rel-[schwa]s). [Law Latin] Hist. A serf who inhabits a cottage; a servile tenant whose person, issue, and goods are at the disposal of the lord. — Also spelled coterell. Cf. COTARIUS. “Coterellus…. A cottager. Considered by Spelman and others, the same with cotarius. But Cowell makes the distinction that the cotarius had free socage […]
audita querela (aw-dI-t[schwa] kw[schwa]-ree-l[schwa]). [Law Latin “the complaint having been heard”] A writ available to a judgment debtor who seeks a rehearing of a matter on grounds of newly discovered evidence or newly existing legal defenses. [Cases: Audita Querela 1. C.J.S. Audita Querela § 2.] “The writ of audita querela (= quarrel having been heard)
fine sur cognizance de droit, come ceo que il ad de son done (fIn s[schwa]r kon-[schwa]-z[schwa]nts d[schwa] droyt, kom say-oh kweel ad d[schwa]sawni dawin). [Law French “a fine upon acknowledgment of the right, as that which he has of his gift”] Hist. The most common fine of conveyance, by which the defendant (also called the
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nominativus pendens (nahm-[schwa]-n[schwa]-tI-v[schwa]s pen-denz), n. [Latin “nominative hanging”] In a sentence, a nominative phrase that is not grammatically connected with the rest of the sentence. — Also termed nominative absolute. “Nominativus pendens …. The opening words in the form of a deed inter partes (‘This deed,’ etc., down to ‘whereas’), though an intelligible and convenient
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recital(s) n. (1)(合同、契据的)事实陈述部分；说明部分在书面合同或契据中用以引出实施条款〔operative clauses〕的一种陈述，通常以「鉴于…」〔whereas…〕起首，故也称「鉴于条款」。它分为两种：描述性事实陈述部分〔narrative recital〕与引导性事实陈述部分〔introductory recital〕。前者的作用在于表述合同或契据赖以发生的事实，后者用以解释实施条款订立的动机。例如，在一份转让租地保有权〔leasehold property〕的契据中，首先陈述因某人与某人于某日订立租赁合同，从而该项地产在某一时期内由承租人保有，此即为描述性事实陈述部分；其次，在契据中说明受让人为买受该项地产上剩余期间的租地保有权，从而与让与人达成协议，此为引导性事实陈述部分；紧接其后的则是契据的实施条款，具体规定双方当事人的权利和义务。在书面合同或契据中，实施条款的法律效力优先于事实陈述部分，除非前者模稜两可，在此情况下，事实陈述部分用以解释实施条款。 (2)(判决书的)管辖权说明部分 判决书中的一个部分，用以说明法院享有管辖权的有关事实。 (3)(诉答书状中的)引述部分指对某一事项的陈述以引出当事人某一肯定性主张〔positive allegation〕。通常以「为此鉴于…」〔for that whereas〕作为陈述的开始。
chance-medley. [fr. Anglo-Norman chance medlee “chance scuffle”] A spontaneous fight during which one participant kills another in self-defense. — Also termed chaud-medley; casual affray. Cf. MEDLEY. “But the self-defence, which we are now speaking of, is that whereby a man may protect himself from an assault, or the like, in the course of a sudden
clause, n. 1. A distinct section or provision of a legal document or instrument. 2. ITEM(3). — clausal, adj. enacting clause. The part of a statute stating the legislative authority by which it is made and often the date when it will take effect. • A typical enacting clause begins with the words “Be it
Critical Legal Studies. 1. A school of thought advancing the idea that the legal system perpetuates the status quo in terms of economics, race, and gender by using manipulable concepts and by creating an imaginary world of social harmony regulated by law. • The Marxist wing of this school focuses on socioeconomic issues. Femcrits emphasize
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slander, n. 1. A defamatory assertion expressed in a transitory form, esp. speech. • Damages for slander — unlike those for libel — are not presumed and thus must be proved by the plaintiff (unless the defamation is slander per se). [Cases: Libel and Slander 1, 24. C.J.S. Libel and Slander; Injurious Falsehood§§ 2, 5–6,
witnesseth, vb. Shows; records. • This term, usu. set in all capitals, commonly separates the preliminaries in a contract, up through the recitals, from the contractual terms themselves. Modern drafters increasingly avoid it as an antiquarian relic. Traditionally, the subject of this verb was This Agreement: the sentence, boiled down, was This Agreement witnesseth [i.e.,