Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

LEAUTE

LEGACY

LEAUTE. L.Fr. Legality; sufficiency in law. Britt. c. 109. LEAVE. To give or dispose of by will. "The word «leave,' as applied to the subject matter, prima fade means a disposition by will." 10 East, 438, LEAVE AND LICENSE. A defense to an action in trespass setting up the con sent of the plaintiff to the trespass com plained of. LEAVE OP COURT. Permission ob tained from a court to take some action which, without such permission, would not be allowable. LECCATOB, A debauched person. Co well. LECHEBWITE, LAIRWITE, or LEGERWITE. A fine for adultery or for nication, anciently paid to the lorda of certain manors. 4 Inst. 206. LECTOR DE LETRA ANTIQUA. In Spanish law. A person appointed by com petent authority to read and decipher ancient writings, to the end that they may be pre sented on the trial of causes as documents entitled to legal credit. Escriche. LECTRINUM. A pulpit. Mon. Angl. torn. iii. p. 243. LECTURER. An instructor; a reader of lectures; also a clergyman who assists rectors, etc., in preaching, etc. LEDGER. A book of accounts in which a trader enters the names of all persons with whom he has dealings; there being two par allel columns in each account, one for the en tries to the debit of the person charged, the other for his credits. Into this book are posted the items from the day-book or journal. LEDGER-BOOK. In ecclesiastical law. The name of a book kept in the prerogative courts in England. It is considered as a toll of the court, but, it seems, it cannot be read in evidence. Bac. Abr. LEDGREVIUS. In old English law. A lathe-reeve, or chief officer of a lathe. Spelman. LEDO. The rising water or increase of the sea. LEET. In English law. The name of a court of criminal jurisdiction, formerly of much importance, but latterly fallen into dis use. See COURT-LKBT.

LEETS. Meetings which were appointed for the nomination or election of ecclesiastical officers in Scotland. Cowell. LEGA, or LACTA. The alloy of money. Spelman. LEGABILIS. In old English law. That which may be bequeathed. Cowell. LEGACY. A bequest or gift of personal property by last will and testament. The word "legacy" properly imports a gift of personal, as "devise" does a gift of real, proper ty ; but it may, by referenoe and construction, be descriptive of real estate. 1 Burrows, 268, 372; 8 Term, 716. Legacies are distinguished and designated, ac cording 1 to their nature, as follows: (1) A legacy of a particular thing, specified, and distinguished from all others of the same kind belonging to the testator, is specific. If such legacy fails, resort cannot be had to the other property of the testa tor. (2) A legacy is demonstrative when the par ticular fund or personal property is pointed out, from which it is to be taken or paid. If such fund or property fails, in whole or in part, resort may be had to the general assets, as in case of a general legacy. (3) An annuity is a bequest of certain specified sums periodically. If the fund or prop erty out of which they are payable fails, resort may be had to the general assets, as in case of a general legacy. (4) A residuary legacy em braces only that which remains after all the be quests of the will are discharged. (5) All other legacies are general legacies. Civil Code Dak 5 755. An absolute legacy is one given without condition, to vest immediately. 1 Vern. 254, 2 Vern. 181; 5 Ves. 461; 19 Ves. 86. An additional legacy is one given to the same legatee in addition to (not in lieu of) another legacy given before by the same will or in a codicil thereto. An alternate legacy is one by which the testator gives one of two or more things with out designating which. A conditional legacy is a bequest whose existence depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event. 1 Hop. Leg. 500. A cumulative legacy is an additional leg acy, this being its more proper technical name. A demonstrative legacy is a gift of money or other fungible substance in quantity, ex pressed to be made payable out of a specified sum of money or other specified fungible substance. A general legacy is one so given as not to amount to a bequest of a particular thing or money of the testator, distinguished from all others of the same kind. 1 Hop. Leg. 170. An indefinite legacy is one which passes property by a general or collective term, with out enumeration of number or quantity; as

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