KFLCC Kingdom Law 2nd Ed.

1069

SEMITA

SEIZURE

SEMAYNE'S CASE. This case decided, In 1604, that "every man's house [meaning his dwelling-house only] is his castle," and that an officer executing civil process may not break open outer doors in general, but only inner doors, but that (after request made) he may break open even outer doors to find goods of another wrongfully in the house. Brown. It is reported in 5 Coke, 91. SEMBLE. L. Fr. It seems; it would appear. This expression is often used in the reports to preface a statement by the court upon a point of law which is not directly decided, when such statement is intended as an intimation of what the decision would be if the point were necessary to be passed up on. It is also used to introduce a sugges tion by the reporter, or his understanding of the point decided when it is not free from obscurity. Semel civis semper civis. Once a citi zen always a citizen. Tray. Lat. Max. 555. Semel mains semper prsesnmitnr esse mains in eodem genere. Whoever Is once bad is presumed to be so always in the same kind of affairs. Cro. Car. 317. SEMESTRIA. Lat. In the civil law. The collected decisions of the emperors in their councils. SEMI-MATRIMONIUM. Lat. In Ro man law. Half-marriage. Concubinage was so called. Tayl. Civil Law, 273. SEMI-PLENA PROBATIO. Lat In the civil law. Half-full proof; half-proof. 3 Bl. Comm. 370. See HALF-PBOOF. SEMINARIUM. Lat. In the civil law. A nursery of trees. Dig. 7, 1, 9, & SEMINARY. A place of education. Any school, academy, college, or university in which young persons are instructed in the several branches of learning which may qual ify them for their future employments. Webster. The word is said to have acquired no fixed and definite legal meaning. See Chegaray v. New York, 13 N. Y. 229; Maddox v. Adair (Tex. Civ. App.) 66 S. W. 811; Miami County v. Wilgus, 42 Kan. 457, 22 Pac. 615; Warde v. Manchester, 56 N. H. 509, 22 Am. Rep. 504. SEMINAUFRAGIUM. Lat In mari time law. Half-shipwreck, as where goods are cast overboard in a storm; also where a ship has been so much damaged that her repair costs more than her worth. Whar ton. SEMITA. In old English law. A path. Fleta, L 2, c. 52, 5 20.

of restitution pronounces upon the act as hav ing been not a valid act of capture, but an act of temporary seizure only. Appleton v. Crown inshield, 3 Mass. 443. In the law of copyholds. Seizure is where the lord of copyhold lands takes pos session of them in default of a tenant. It is either seizure quousque or absolute seiz ure. SELDA. A shop, shed, or stall in a mar ket; a wood of sallows or willows; also a sawpit Co. Litt 4. SELECT COUNCIL. The name given, in some states, to the upper house or branch of the council of a city. SELECTI JTJDICES. Lat In Roman law. Judges who were selected very much like our juries. They were returned by the praetor, drawn by lot, subject to be challeng ed, and sworn. 3 Bl. Oomm. 366. SELECTMEN. The name of certain mu nicipal officers, in the New England states, elected by the towns to transact their gen eral public business, and possessing certain executive powers. See Felch v. Weare, 69 N. H. 617, 45 Atl. 591. SELF-DEFENSE. In criminal law. The protection of one's person or property against some injury attempted by another. The right of such protection. An excuse for the use of force in resisting an attack on the person, and especially for killing an assail ant. See Whart Crim. Law, §§ 1019, 1026. SELF-REGARDING EVIDENCE. Evi dence which either serves or disserves the party is so called. This species of evidence Is either self-serving (which is not in general receivable) or self-disserving, which is in variably receivable, as being an admission against the party offering it, and that either In court or out of court. Brown. SELION OF LAND. In old English law. A ridge of ground rising between two fur rows, containing no certain quantity, but sometimes more and sometimes less. Termes de la Ley. SELLER. One who sells anything; the party who transfers property in the contract of sale. The correlative Is "buyer," or "pur chaser." Though these terms are not inap plicable to the persons concerned in a trans fer of real estate, it is more customary to •use "vendor" and "vendee" in that case. SELL. To dispose of by sale, (q. v.) SELF-MURDER, or SELF-SLAUGH TER. See FELO DE SB; SUICIDE.