Misfortune - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: misfortuneMisfortunate
Producing misfortune...
Misfortune
Misfortune. See CHANGE....
Chance
Chance, misfortune, accident, deficiency of will. Where a man commits an unlawful act by misfortune and chance, and not by design, his will not co-operating with the deed, such act wants one main ingredient of a crime. If an accidental mischief should follow from the performance of a lawful act, the party stands excused from all guilt; but if the act be felonious, and a consequence ensues not foreseen or intended, as the death of a man or the like, his want of foresight shall be no excuse, for, being guilty of one offence, in doing antecedently what is in itself unlawful, he is criminally guilty of whatever consequence may follow.But a very important distinction is made in such cases, viz., whether the unlawful act is als in its original nature wrong and mischivous; for a person is not answerable for the incidental consequences of an unlawful act which is merely malum prohibitum; as, where any unfortunate accident happens from an unqualified person being in pursuit of game, he is amena...
Collision of ships
Collision of ships, the striking or running foul of one ship against another. The remedy is either an action at law or a suit in the Admiralty Division. The possibilities under which a collision may occur, and the rules acted on by the Court of Admiralty, have been thus stated by Lord Stowell in The Woodrop-Sims, (1815) 2 Dodson, 85:-'In the first place, it may happen without blame being imputable to either party: as where the loss is occasioned by a storm or any other vis major, in that case the misfortune must be borne by the party on whom it happens to light, the other not being responsible to him in any degree. Secondly, a misfortune of this kind may arise where both parties are to blame, where there has been a want of due diligence or of skill on both sides: in such a case, the rule of law is, that the loss must be apportioned between them, as having been occasioned by the fault of both of them. Thirdly, it may happen by the misconduct of the suffering party only, and then the rul...
homicide
homicide [Latin homicidium, from homo human being + caedere to cut, kill] 1 : a person who kills another 2 : the killing of one human being by another compare manslaughter, murder criminal homicide : homicide committed by a person with a criminal state of mind (as intentionally, with premeditation, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence) deliberate homicide : homicide caused purposely and knowingly used in Montana excusable homicide : homicide that is committed by accident or misfortune by a person doing a lawful act by lawful means with usual and ordinary caution and without any unlawful intent and that is excused under the law with no criminal punishment imposed ;also : justifiable homicide in this entry felonious homicide : homicide committed without justification homicide by misadventure : homicide that occurs as the result of an accident caused by a person doing a lawful act with no unlawful intent justifiable homicide : homicide that is committed in self-...
Barghest
A goblin in the shape of a large dog portending misfortune...
Calamity
Any great misfortune or cause of misery generally applied to events or disasters which produce extensive evil either to communities or individuals...
Catastrophe
An event producing a subversion of the order or system of things a final event usually of a calamitous or disastrous nature hence sudden calamity great misfortune...
Cautious
Attentive to examine probable effects and consequences of acts with a view to avoid danger or misfortune prudent circumspect wary watchful as a cautious general...
Compassion
Literally suffering with another a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another pity commiseration...
- << Prev.
- Next >>
Sign-up to get more results
Unlock complete result pages and premium legal research features.
Start Free Trial