Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

Sll

CURNOGK

CURTIS

subtle] and captious interpretation is repro bated in law. 1 Bulst. 6. CUBNOCK. In old English law. A measure containing four bushels or half a quarter of corn. Gowell; Blount. CURRENCY. Coined money and such bank-notes or other paper money as are au thorized by law and do in fact circulate from hand to hand as the medium of exchange. CURRENT. Running; now in transit; whatever is at present in course of passage; as "the current month." When applied to money, it means "lawful;" current money is equivalent to lawful money. 1 Dall. 124. CURRENT FUNDS. This phrase means gold or silver, or something equivalent there to, and convertible at pleasure into coined money. 4 Ala. 90. CURRENT MONEY. The currency of the country; whatever is intended to and does actually circulate as currency; every spe cies of coin or currency. 5 Lea, 96. In this phrase the adjective "current" is not synon ymous with "convertible." It is employed to describe money which passes from hand to hand, from person to person, and circu lates through the community, and is gener ally received. Money is current which is re ceived as money in the common business transactions, and is the common medium in barter and trade. 41 Ala. 321. CURRICULUM. The year; of the course of a year; the set of studies for a particular period, appointed by a university. CURRIT QUATUOR PEDIBUS. L. Lat. It runs upon four feet; or, as some times expressed, it runs upon all fours. A phrase used in arguments to signify the en tire and exact application of a case quoted. "It does not follow that they run quatuor pedibus." 1 W. Bl. 145. Currit tempus contra desides et sui juris contemptores. Time runs against the slothful and those who neglect their rights. Bract, fols. 1006, 101. CURSITOR BARON. An officer of the oourt of exchequer, who is appointed by pat ent under the great seal to be one of the bar ons of the exchequer. The office was abol ished by St. 19 & 20 Yict. c. 86. CURSITORS, Clerks in the chancery of fice, whose duties consisted in drawing up those writs which were of course, de cursu, whence their name. They were abolished by

St. 5 & 6 Wm. IV. c. 82. Spence, Eq. Jur. 238; 4 Inst. 82. CURSO. In old records. A ridge. Cur sones terra, ridges of land. Cowell. CURSOR. An inferior officer of the pa pal court. Cursus curies est lex curias. 3 Bulst. 53. The practice of the court is the law of the court. CURTESY. The estate to which by com mon law a man is entitled, on the death of his wife, in the lands or tenements of which she was seised in possession in fee-simple or in tail during their coverture, provided they have bad lawful issue born alive which might have been capable of inheriting the estate. It is a freehold estate for the term of his nat ural life. 1 Washb. Real Prop. 127; 2 Bl. Comm. 126; Co. Litt. 30a. CURTEYN. The name of King Edward the Confessor's sword. It is said that the point of it was broken, as an emblem of mercy. (Mat. Par. in Hen. III.) Wharton. CURTILAGE. The inclosed space of ground and buildings immediately surround ing a dwelling-house. In its most comprehensive and proper legal sig nification, it includes all that space of ground and buildings thereon which is usually inclosed with in the general fence immediately surrounding a principal messuage and outbuildings, and yard closely adjoining to a dwelling-house, but it may be large enough for cattle to be levant and couch ant therein. 1 Chit. Gen. Pr. 175. The curtilage of a dwelling-house is a space, necessary and convenient and habitually used for the family purposes, and the carrying on of domes tic employments. It includes the garden, if there be one, and it need not be separated from other lands by fence. 31 Me. 522; 10 Cush. 480; 29 N. J. Law, 474. The curtilage is the court-yard in the front or rear of a house, or at its side, or any piece of ground lying near, inclosed and used with, the house, and necessary for the convenient occupa tion of the house. 10 Hun, 154. In Michigan the meaning of curtilage has been extended to include more than an inclosure near the house. 2 Mich. 250. CURTILES TERRAS. In old English law. Court lands. Cowell.. See COURT LANDS. CURTILLIUM. A curtilage; the area or space within the inclosure of a dwelling house. Spelman. CURTIS. A garden; a space about a house; a house, or manor; a court, or palace; a court of justice; a nobleman's residence. Spelman.

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