Glossary Of Technical Terms Phrases And Maxims Of The Common Law

Excerpt from Glossary of Technical Terms: Phrases, and Maxims of the Common Law This book is the result of an attempt to produce a concise Law Dictionary, giving in common English an explanation of the words and phrases, English as well as Saxon, Latin, or French, which are of common technical use in the law. It is not a compilation of law, like the larger dictionaries, but consists purely of definition. Only such civil law, canon law, or Scotch terms have been introduced as are often used in the common-law courts. The writer has sought to give the popular and usual acceptation of each phrase, in much the same rough and general shape in which it would stand in the mind of the trained lawyer; only occasionally adding a hint of its more correct and exact meaning. More definite information must then be sought in the text-books. Unless otherwise mentioned, the definition is given according to the common law of England; and the date or present existence of the thing defined is only roughly indicated by the tense. It has been impossible within the limits assigned to make the book exhaustive; but it is hoped that a judicious selection has been made of the more important catchwords, writs, courts, and maxims; and that, in seeking to compress the greatest amount of matter in the smallest possible space, the author has been concise, without being inaccurate and obscure. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1881.

Burrill, Alexander M. A New Law Dictionary and Glossary: Containing Full Definitions of the Principal Terms of the Common and Civil Law, Together with Translations and Explanations of the Various Technical Phrases in Different Languages, Occurring in the Ancient and Modern Reports, and Standard Treatises; Embracing Also All the Principal Common and Civil Law Maxims. Compiled on the Basis of Spelman's Glossary, and Adapted to the Jurisprudence of the United States; with Copious Illustrations, Critical and Historical. New York: John S. Voorhies, 1850-1851. Two volumes. xviii, 1099 pp. Reprinted 1998 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. LCCN 97-38481. ISBN 1-886363-32-3. Cloth. $195. * Reprint of the first edition. A scarce, important original American dictionary by a student of James Kent. Burrill [1807-1869] was admitted to the New York Bar in 1828. Burrill was highly regarded for his legal scholarship. Dictionary of American Biography describes this as "a work of very high standard, which at once took its place as perhaps the best book of its kind so far produced...All his books were distinguished for their graceful style and a scholarly precision and finish which earned the unstinted commendation of the judiciary. In addition their accuracy of statement and definition was fully recognized at the time by the profession at large" (II:326).