Glossary of technical Terms : Phrases and Maxims of the Common Law

Glossary of technical Terms : Phrases and Maxims of the Common Law

  • Author: Frederic Jesup Stimpson
  • Published: Boston; Little, Brown & Company, 1881.
  • Date of Publication: Boston, February 21, 1881.
  • Jurisdiction: England

Introduction

The legal terms compiled in this glossary include those relating to civil and canon law, and provide precise definitions based on the common law of England. Frederic Jesup Stimpson is the author of American Statute Law and several works on private rights and state and federal constitutions.

It was cited by the “Memoirs of the judiciary and the bar of New England for the nineteenth century: with a history of the judicial system of New England”and in the Bouvier Dictionary Maxims

A concise law dictionary of words, phrases, and maxims : with an explanatory list of abbreviations used in law books

This is the First edition published of the “A concise law dictionary of words, phrases, and maxims : with an explanatory list of abbreviations used in law books”. This is why some definitions of this legal compilation of legal terms are similar with those of the “A concise law dictionary of words, phrases, and maxims : with an explanatory list of abbreviations used in law books”. See more about the book a concise law dictionary of words, phrases, and maxims here.

Prefaces of the Legal Dictionary

Note: In the book, the prefaces are called “Notes”.

This book is the resvilt of an attempt to produce a concise Law Dictionaiy, 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.

The frequent use of abbreviations like “v.,””see,”and “q. v.”is avoided. The reader is desired
always to refer to a term so Italicized, under the proper caption, as it will frequently be found to complete or modify the present definition. Literal translations, followed by explanations, are put in parentheses; paraphrases or explanatory additions, in brackets.

The words of the captions are English unless otherwise indicated, and different spellings in
the same language follow without a capital letter. Thus, Gablum, I., Gabel, gavel, Gafol, sax. gabel and gavel are the English forms, gablum the law Latin, and gafol the Saxon.
Sometimes, to gain space, different words from the same root, as the noun and the verb, are put in the same paragraph; so, phrases beginning with the caption word. But when the word
is found in different languages and begins very many phrases, “it is otherwise ; thus, the French, English, and Latin in begin each a separate paragraph.

See Also

Concise Law Dictionary of Words, Phrases and Maxims
Maxims of Law
Stimson’s Law dictionary
List of Legal Dictionaries
Words and Phrases Judicially Considered
Mozley and Whiteley’s Law Dictionary
Osborn’s Concise Law Dictionary
Legal Terms in plain English
Murdoch’s Dictionary of Irish Law
Historical Dictionary of International Tribunals
Dictionary of International and Comparative Law


Posted

in

, ,

by

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *