press, n. 1. The news media; print and broadcast news organizations collectively. [Cases: Constitutional Law 90(2). C.J.S. Constitutional Law § 539.] “The Constitution specifically selected the press, which includes not only newspapers, books, and magazines, but also humble leaflets and circulars, to play an important role in the discussion of public affairs.” Mills v. Alabama, […]
parole (p[schwa]-rohl), n. The release of a prisoner from imprisonment before the full sentence has been served. • Although not available under some sentences, parole is usu. granted for good behavior on the condition that the parolee regularly report to a supervising officer for a specified period. Cf. PARDON; PROBATION(1). [Cases: Pardon and Parole 41.
cost and freight. A mercantile-contract term allocating the rights and duties of the buyer and the seller of goods with respect to delivery, payment, and risk of loss, whereby the seller must (1) clear the goods for export, (2) arrange for transportation by water, and (3) pay the costs of shipping to the port of
dicast (dI-kast ordik-ast), n. [Greek dikastes] Hist. An ancient Greek officer sitting as both judge and juror. • Each dicast was generally a free citizen over the age of 30. The dicasts sat together in groups of 100 to 500, according to each case’s importance, and decided cases by a majority.
assize utrum (yoo-tr[schwa]m). [Latin] Hist. A writ to determine whether land claimed by a church was held by lay or spiritual tenure. • This writ is named after its emphatic word, which required the fact-finder to determine whether (utrum) the land belonged to the church. — Also termed (erroneously) assize of utrum; assize de utrum.
A city ordinance that regulates the use to which land within various parts of the city may be put. • It allocates uses to the various districts of a municipality, as by allocating residences to certain parts and busi-nesses to other parts. A comprehensive zoning ordinance usu. regulates the height of buildings and the proportion
judicial activism, n. A philosophy of judicial decision-making whereby judges allow their personal views about public policy, among other factors, to guide their decisions, usu. with the suggestion that adherents of this philosophy tend to find constitutional violations and are willing to ignore precedent. Cf. JUDICIAL RESTRAINT(3). — judicial activist, n. “[I]f to resolve the
emancipation. 1. The act by which one who was under another’s power and control is freed. 2. A surrender and renunciation of the correlative rights and duties concerning the care, custody, and earnings of a child; the act by which a parent (historically a father) frees a child and gives the child the right to
bill of health. Maritime law. A statement certifying the healthy condition of a ship’s cargo and crew. • The bill is issued by the port authority from which a vessel sails and is shown to the port authority at the ship’s destination as proof that the ship’s cargo and crew are disease-free. A “clean” bill
genuine, adj. 1. (Of a thing) authentic or real; something that has the quality of what it is purported to be or to have (the plaintiff failed to question whether the exhibits were genuine). 2. (Of an instrument) free of forgery or counterfeiting (the bank teller could not determine whether the signature on the check