Crown Debts - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition crown-debts

Definition :

Crown debts. It is a prerogative of the Crownto claim priority for its debts before all other creditors, and to recover them by a summary process called an extent. See 33 Hen. 8, c. 39.

Every person having money belonging to the Crown is a Crown-debtor. When upon in quisition a personis found to be a Crown-debtor by simple contract, the debt immediately becomes a specialty; but a person givien to the Crown a bond on condition is not a bond-debtor before the condition is broken.

S. 28(1) of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914, provides that an order of discharge shall not release a bankrupt from his Crown debts.

It is provided by the (English) Land Chargs Act, 1900 (63 & 64 Vict. c. 26), replaced by the Land Charges Act,1925, ss. 6 and 7, and see also the Law of Property Act, 1925, that Crown debts shall not affectlands until writ or ordr for the purpose of enforcing the judgment has been issued and registered. See Chitty's Statutes, tit. 'Land,' and titles EXTENT; PREFERENTIAL PAYMENTS.