Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

707

LEVARI FACIAS, ETC.

LEX

up) a nuisance; to levy (acknowledge) a fine, to levy (inaugurate) war; to levy an execu tion, i. e., to levy or collect a sum of money on an execution. LEVY, n. In practice. A seizure; the raising of the money for which an execution has been issued. LEVY COTJBT. A court formerly ex isting in the District of Columbia. It was a body charged with the administration of the ministerial and financial duties of Washing ton county. It was charged with the duty of laying out and repairing roads, building bridges, providing poor-houses, laying and collecting the taxes necessary to enable it to discharge these and other duties, and to pay the other expenses of the county. It had capacity to make contracts in reference to any of these matters, and to raise money to meet such contracts. It had perpetual suc cession, and its functions were those which, in the several states, are performed by "coun ty commissioners," "overseers of the poor," "county supervisors," and similar bodies with other designations. 2 Wall. 507. LEVYING WAR. In criminal law. The assembling of a body of men for the pur pose of effecting by force a treasonable ob ject; and all who perform any part, however minute, or however remote from the scene of action, and who are leagued in the general conspiracy, are considered as engaged in lev ying war, within the meaning of the consti tution. 4 Cranch, 473, 474; Const, art. 3, §3. LEWDNESS. Licentiousness; an of fense against the public-economy, when of an open and notorious character; as by fre quenting houses of ill fame, which is an in dictable offense, or by some grossly scandal ous and public indecency, for which the pun ishment at common law is fine and imprison ment. Wharton. LEX. Lat. Law; a law; the law. In the Roman jurisprudence this term was often used as the synonym of "jus, " in the sense of a rule of civil conduct authoritatively pre scribed for the government of the actions of the members of an organized jural society. In a more limited and particular sense, it was a resolution adopted by the whole Roman "populus" (patricians and plebians) in the eomitia, on the motion of a magistrate of senatorial rank, as a consul, a praetor, or a dictator. Such a statute frequently took the name of the proposer; as tba lex Falcidia, lex Cornelia etc.

obtained by the mortgagee, or his assignee, against the mortgagor, under a peculiar pro ceeding authorized by statute. 3 Bouv. Inst. no. 3396. LEVARI FACIAS DAMNA DE DIS SEISITORIBUS. A writ formerly directed to the sheriff for the levying of damages, which a disseisor had been condemned to pay to the disseisee. CowelL LEVARI FACIAS QUANDO VICE COMES RETUBNAVIT QUOD NON HABUIT EMPTOBES. An old writ commanding the sheriff to sell the goods of a debtor which he had already taken, and had returned that he could not sell them; and as much more of the debtor's goods as would satisfy the whole debt. Cowell. LEVABI FACIAS BESIDUUM DEB ITI. An old writ directed to the sheriff for levying the remnant of a partly-satisfied debt upon the lands and tenements or chattels of the debtor. Cowell. LEVATO VELO. Lat. An expression used in the Roman law, and applied to the trial of wreck and salvage. Commentators disa gree about the origin of the expression; but all agree that its general meaning is that these causes shall be heard summarily. The most probable solution is that it refers to the place where causes were heard. A sail was spread before the door and officers employed to keep strangers from the tribunal. When these causes were heard, this sail was raised, and suitors came directly to the court, and their causes were heard immediately. As applied to maritime courts, its meaning is that causes should be heard without delay. These causes require dispatch, and a delay amounts practically to a denial of justice. (See Cod. 11,4,5.) Bouvier. LEVIABLE. That which may be levied. LEVIR. In Roman law. A husband's brother; a wife's brother-in-law. Calvin. LEVIS. Lat. Light; slight; trifling. Levis culpa, slight fault or neglect. Levis tima culpa, the slightest neglect. Levis nota t a slight mark or brand. LEVITICAL DEGREES. Degrees of kindred within which persons are prohibited to marry. They are set forth in the eight eenth chapter of Leviticus. LEVY, «. To raise; execute; exact; col lect; gather; take up; seize. Thus, to levy (raise or collect) a tax; to levy (raise or set

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