Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

SEAL DATS

1069

SEARCHER

in order to authenticate them. The impression thus made is also called a "seaL" Report, mot *Sceau. " SEAL DAYS. In English practice. Mo tion days in the court of chancery, so called because every motion had to be stamped with the seal, which did not lie in court in the or dinary sittings out of term. Wliarton. SEAL OFFICE. In English practice. An office for the sealing of judicial writs. SEAL-PAPER. In English law. A document issued by the lord chancellor, pre viously to the commencement of the sittings, detailing the business to be done for each day in his court, and in the courts of the lords Justices and vice-chancellors. The master of the rolls in like manner issued a seal-paper in respect of the business to be heard before him. Smith, Ch. Pr. 9. "SEALED AND DELIVERED." These words, followed by the signatures of the witnesses, constitute the usual formula for the attestation of conveyances. SEALED INSTRUMENT. An instru ment of writing to which the party to be bound has affixed, not only his name, but also his seal, or (in those jurisdictions where it is allowed) a scroll, (q. v.) SEALING. By seals, in matters of suc cession, is understood the placing, by the proper officer, of seals on the effects of a suc cession for the purpose of preserving them, and for the interest of third persons. The seals are affixed by order of the j'udge having jurisdiction. Civil Code La. art. 1075. SEALING A VERDICT. When the jury have agreed upon a verdict, if the court is not in session at the time, they are per mitted (usually) to put their written finding in a sealed envelope, and then separate. This verdict they return when the court again convenes. The verdict thus returned has the same effect, and must be treated in the same manner, as if returned in open court before any separation of the jury had taken place. The process is called "sealing a ver dict." 8 Ohio, 408. SEALING UP. Where a party to an ac tion has been ordered to produce a document part of which is either irrelevant to the mat ters in question or is privileged from produc tion, he may, by leave of the court,-seal up that part, if he makes an affidavit stating that it is irrelevant or privileged. Darnell, Ch. Pr. 1681. The sealing up is generally

done by fastening pieces of paper over the part with gum or wafers. Sweet. SEALS. In Louisiana. Seals are placed upon the effects of a deceased person, in cer tain cases, by a public officer, as a method of taking official custody of the succession. See SEALING. SEAMEN. Sailors; mariners; persons whose business is navigating ships. Com monly exclusive of the officers of a ship. SEANCE. In French law. A session; as of some public body. SEARCH. In international law. The right of search is the right on the part of ships of war to visit and search merchant vessels during war, in order to ascertain whether the ship or cargo is liable to seizure. Resistance to visitation and search by a neu tral vessel makes the vessel and cargo liable to confiscation. Numerous treaties regulate the manner in which the riglit of search must be exercised. Man. Int. Law. 433; Sweet. In criminal law. An examination of a man's house or other buildings or premises, or of his person, with a view to the discov ery of contraband or illicit or stolen property, or some evidence of guilt to be used in the prosecution of a criminal action for some crime or offense with which he is charged. In practice. An examination of the official books and dockets, made in the pro cess of investigating a title to land, for the purpose of discoveiing if there are any mort gages, judgments, tax-liens, or other mcum biances upon it. SEARCH-WARRANT. A search-war rant is an order in writing, issued by a jus tice or other magistrate, in the name of the state, directed to a sheriff, constable, or other officer, commanding him to search a specified house, shop, or other premises, for personal property alleged to have been stolen, or for unlawful goods, and to bring the same, when found, before the magistrate, and usually also the body of the person occupying the premises, to be dealt with according to law. Pen. Code Cal. § 1523; Code Ala. 1886, § 4727; Rev. Code Iowa, 1880, § 4629. SEARCHER. In English law. An officer of the customs, whose duty it is to ex amine and search all ships outward bound, to ascertain whether they have any prohibited or uncustomed goods on board. Wharton Jacob.

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