Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

MUNICIPAL CLAIMS

MURDER

794

MUNICIPAL CLAIMS. In Pennsyl vania law. Claims filed by a city against property owners therein, for taxes, rates, levies, or assessments for local improvements, such as the cost of grading, paving, or curb ing the streets, or removing nuisances. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION. A public corporation, created by government for political purposes, and having subordi nate and local powers of legislation; e. g., a county, town, city, etc. 2 Kent, Comm. 275. An i ncorporation of persons, inhabitants of a particular place, or connected with a partic ular district, enabling them to conduct its local civil government. Glov. Mun. Corp. 1. In English law. A body of persons in a town having the powers of acting as one per son, of holding and transmitting property, and of regulating the government of the town. Such corporations existed in the chief towns of England (as of other countries) from very early times, deriving their author ity from "incorporating" charters granted by the crown. Wharton. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT. In English law. A general statute, (5 & 6 Wm. IV. c. 76,) passed in 1835, pre scribing general regulations for the incorpo ration and government of boroughs. MUNICIPAL COURTS. In the judi eial organization of several states, courts are established under this name, whose tenitori al authority is confined to the city or com munity in which they are erected. Such courts usually have a criminal jurisdiction corresponding to that of a police court, and, in some cases, possess civil jurisdiction in small causes. MUNICIPAL LAW, in contradistinc tion to international law, is the law of an in dividual state or nation. It is the rule or law by which a particular district, community, or nation is governed. 1 Bl. Comm. 44. That which pertains solely to the citizens and inhabitants of a state, and is thus distin guished from political law, commercial law, and the law of nations. Wharton. MUNICIPAL LIEN. A lien or claim existing in favor of a municipal corporation against a property owner for his proportion ate share of a public improvement, made by the municipality, whereby his property is specially and individually benefited. MUNICIPAL OFFICER, An officer belonging to a municipality; that is, a city, town, or borough.

MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE. A law, rule, or ordinance enacted or adopted by a mu nicipal corporation. MUNICIPAL SECURITIES. The evi dences of indebtedness issued by cities, towns, counties, townships, school-districts, and other such territorial divisions of a state. They are of two general classes: (1) Munic ipal warrants, orders, or certificates; (2) municipal negotiable bonds. 15 Amer. & Eng. Enc. Law, 1206. MUNICIPAL WARRANTS. Amunic ipal warrant or order is an instrument, gen erally in the form of a bill of exchange, drawn by an officer of a municipality upon its treasurer, directing him to pay an amount of money specified therein to the person named or his order, or to bearer. 15 Amer. & Eng. Enc. Law, 1206. MUNICIPALITY. A municipal corpo ration ; a city, town, borough, or incorporated village. Also the body of officers, taken col lectively, belonging to a city. MUNICIPIUM. In Roman law. Afor eign town to which the freedom of the city of Borne was granted, and whose inhabitants had the privilege of enjoying offices and honors there; a free town. Adams, Rom. Ant. 47, 77. MUNIMENTS. The instruments of writing and written evidences which the owner of lands, possessions, or inheritances has, by which he is enabled to defend the title of his estate. Termes de la Ley; 3 Inst. 170. MUNIMENT-HOUSE, or MUNI MENT-ROOM. A house or room of strength, in cathedrals, collegiate churches, castles, colleges, public buildings, etc., pur posely made for keeping deeds, charters, writings, etc. 3 Inst 170. MUNUS. Lat. A gift; an office; a ben efice or feud. A gladiatorial show or spec tacle. Calvin.; Du Cange. MURAGE. A toll formerly levied in England for repairing or building publie walls. MURDER. In criminal law. The will ful killing of any subject whatever, with mal ice aforethought, whether the person slain shall be an Englishman or a foreigner. Hawk. P. C. b. 1, c. 13, § 8. The killing of any person under the king's peace, with malice prepense or aforethought, either express, or

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