Laws - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: lawsCivil Law
Civil Law, that rule of action which every particular nation, commonwealth, or city has established peculiarly for itself, more properly distinguished by the name of municipal law.The term 'civil law' is now chiefly applied to that which the Romans complied from the laws of nature and nations.The 'Roman Law'and the 'Civil Law' are convertible phrases, meaning the same system of jurisprudence; it is now frequently denominated 'the Roman Civil Law.'The collections of Roman Civil Law, before its reformation in the sixth century of the Christian era by the eastern Emperor Justinian, were the following:--(1) Leges Regi'. These laws were for the most part promulgated by Romulus, Numa Pompilius and Servius Tullius. To Romulus are ascribed the formation of a constitutional government, and the imposition of a fine, instead of death, for crimes; Numa Pompilius composed the laws relating to religion and divine worship, and abated the rigour of subsisting laws; and Servius Tullius, the sixth king,...
Law
Law [fr. lage, lagea, or lah, Sax.; loi, Fr.; legge, Ital.; lex, fr. ligo, Lat., to bind], a rule of action to which men are obliged to make their conduct conformable. A command, enforced by some sanction, to acts or forbearances of a class: see Austin's Jurisprudence; 1 Bl. Com. 38. A principle of conduct may be observed habitually by an individual or a class. When sufficiently formulated or defined to be observed uniformly by the whole of a class it may become a custom; or it may be imposed on all individuals who consent or are unable to resist its application and the sanction or penalty which is imposed for non-compliance, and in that case it becomes a law. If, in addition, the law and its sanction are imposed by, or by authority of a sovereign, the law becomes 'positive' (see Austin's Jurisprudence). Short of positive law the principle may be called a moral or social law. Generally speaking, jurisprudence is concerned only with positive law, and law in its ordinary legal sense mean...
Common Law
Common Law [lex communis, Lat.]. 'The phrase 'common law' is used in two very different senses. It is cometimes contrasted with equity; it then denotes the law which, prior to the Judicature Act, was administered in the three ' superior ' Courts of law at Westminster, as distinct from that administered by the Court of Chancery at Lincoln's Inn. At other times it is used in contradistinction to the statute law, and then denotes the unwritten law, whether legal or equitable in its origin, which does not derive its authority from any express declaration of the will of the Legislature. This unwritten law has the same force and effect as the statute law. It depends for its authority upon the recognition given by our Law Courts to principles, customs, and rules of conduct previously existing among the people. This recognition was formerly enshrined in the memory of legal practitioners and suitors in the Courts; it is now recorded in the voluminous series of our law reports which embody the d...
Existing law
Existing law, this expression under Art. 366(10) means, 'any law, Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule or regulation passed or made before or made before the commencement of this Constitution by any Legislature, authority or person having power to make such law, Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule or regulation', N.B. Jeejeebhoy v. Assistant Collector, AIR 1965 SC 1096: (1965) 1 SCR 636. [Constitution of India, Art. 366(10)]This definition would include only passed by a competent authority as well as rules, bye-laws and regulations made by virtue of statutory power. It would therefore not include administrative orders which are traceables not to any law made by the legislature but derive their force form executive authority and made either for the convenience of the administration or for the benefit or individuals, though the power to make laws as well as these orders was vested in the same authority- the absolute ruler, State of Gujarat v. Vore Fiddali, AIR 1964 SC 1043 (1064). [Constitution o...
Lawful, Legal
Lawful, Legal, legal and litigious, Litigious and lawful possession are concepts of varying legal shades deriving their colour from the setting in which they emerge. Epithet used itself indicates the filed in which they operate. The one pertains to disputed in which possession may be coterminous with physical or de facto control, only, whereas the domain of other is control with some legal basis. The former may be uncertain in character and may even be without any basis or interest but the latter is founded on some rule, sanction or excuse. Dictionarily 'litigious' means 'disputed' (Concise Oxford Dictionary) or 'disputable' or 'marked by intention to quarrel' (Webster Third New International Dictionary), 'inviting controversy', 'relating to or marked by litigation', 'that which is the subject of law suit'. (Black's Law Dictionary) Lawful on the other hand is defined as, 'legal, warranted or authorised by law'. Jurisprudentially a person in physical control or de facto possession may h...
Martial law
Martial law, in India, Parliament by law can impose law in any part of the country in case of grave insurrection and provide for indemnity of acts of persons in the maintenance or restoration of order in any area where martial law was in force, validate any sentence passed, punishment inflicted, forfeiture ordered or any other act done under martial law, Commentary on the Constitution of India, Durga Das Basu, Vol. 2, 4th Edn., p. 297, Constitution of India, Art. 34.Martial Law, in the proper sense of the term, means the suspension of ordinary law and the government of a country or parts of it by military tribunals. It must be clearly distinguished (1) from 'military law' (see that title), and (2) from that 'martial law' which forms part of the laws and usages of war. The term 'martial law' is also sometimes used as meaning the common law right of the Crown to repel force by force in the case of insurrection, invasion or riot, and to take such exceptional measures as may be necessary f...
By-laws, or bye-laws
By-laws, or bye-laws [fr. bilagines, from by, Sax., pagus, civitas, and lagen, lex, Spelm.], the laws, regulations, and constitutions of corporations, for the government of their members. See per Lord Russell, C.J., in Kruse v. Johnson, (1898) 2 QB 91. They are binding, unless contrary to law, or unreasonable, and against the common benefit, and then they are void.No trading company is allowed to make by-laws which may affect the crown, or the common profit of the people under penalty of 40l., unless they be approved by the chancellor, treasurer, and chief justices, or the judges of assize, 19 Hen. 7, c. 7.County Councils and Borough Councils under Local Government Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 51) (English) s. 249; may make by-laws for the good rule and government of the whole or any part of the county or borough, as the case may be, and for the prevention and suppression of nuisances; Provided that by-laws made under this section by a County Council shall not have effect in any borou...
Incorporated Law Society
Incorporated Law Society, now termed the Law Society, was founded by Mr. Bryan Holme in 1825, and incorporated in 1831 by Royal Charter; this was surrendered for a new Charter in 1845, by which, as amended by Supplemental Charters in 1872, 1903, and 1909, the Society now remains constituted. The Society was incorporated 'to facilitate the acquisition of legal knowledge, and for better and more conveniently discharging the professional duties of the members of the Society,' under the full title of 'The Society of Attorneys, Solicitors, Proctors, and others not being Barristers practicing in the Courts of Law and Equity of the United Kingdom'; since the charter of 1903 it has been officially (as before them commonly) called 'The Law Society.'The Society first instituted lectures for students in 1833, and was made registrar of attorneys and solicitors in 1843 by the (English) Solicitors Act, 1843 (6 & 7 Vict. c. 73), s. 21.On the decay of the Inns of Chancery, which in their later aspect ...
International Law
International Law. I. Public Law: The law of nations, strictly so called, was in a great measure unknown to antiquity, and is the slow growth of modern times, under the combined influence of Christianity, intercourse, commerce and war.II. Private Law (Conflict of Laws): It is plain that the laws of one country can have no intrinsic force, proprio vigore, except within the territorial limits and jurisdiction of that country. They can bind only its own subjects and others who are within its jurisdictional limits; and the latter only while they remain therein. No other nation, or its subjects, is bound to yield the slightest obedience to those laws. Whatever extra-territorial force they are to have is the result not of any original power to extend them abroad, but of that respect which, from motives of public policy, other nations are disposed to yield to them, giving them effect, as the phrase is, sub mutu' vicissitudinis obtentu, with a wise and liberal regard to common convenience and ...
law
law [Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin] 1 : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority: as a : a command or provision enacted by a legislature see also statute b : something (as a judicial decision) authoritatively accorded binding or controlling effect in the administration of justice [that case is no longer the of this circuit] 2 a : a body of laws [the of a state] ;broadly : laws and justice considered as a general and established entity [the looks with disfavor on restraints on alienation] b : common law compare equity 3 a : the control or authority of the law [maintain and order] b : one or more agents or agencies involved in enforcing laws c : the application of a law or laws as distinct from considerations of fact [an error of ] see also issue of law at issue matter of law at matter question of law at question 4 : the whole body of laws and doctrines relating to one subject [contract ] [the...
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