KFLCC Kingdom Law 2nd Ed.

370

DIRECTION

DIOCESAN COURTS

DIPTYCHA. Diptychs; tablets of wood, metal, or other substance, used among the Romans for the purpose of writing, and fold ed like a book of two leaves. The diptychs of antiquity were especially employed for public registers. They were used in tht Greek, and afterwards in the Roman, church, as registers of the names of those for whom supplication was to be made, and are ranked among the earliest monastic records. BurrilL DIRECT. Immediate; by the shortest course; without circuity; operating by an immediate connection or relation, Instead of operating through a medium; the opposite of indirect. In the usual or natural course or line; Im mediately upwards or downwards; as dis tinguished from that which is out of the line, or on the side of it; the opposite of collateral. In the usual or regular course or order, as distinguished from that which diverts, inter rupts, or opposes; the opposite of cross or contrary. —Direct attack. A direct attack on a judg ment or decree is an attempt for sufficient cause, to have it annulled,, reversed, vacated, corrected, declared void, or enjoined, in a pro ceeding instituted for that specific purpose, such as an appeal, writ of error, bill of review, or injunction to restrain its execution; distin guished from a collateral attack, which is an attempt to impeach the validity or binding force of the judgment or decree as a side issue or in a proceeding instituted for some other purpose. Schneider v. Sellers, 25 Tex. Civ. App. 226, 61 S. W. 541; Smith v. Morrill, 12 Colo. App. 233, 55 Pac. 824: Morrill v. Morrill, 20 Or. 96, 25 Pac. 362, 11 L. R, A. 155, 23 Am. St. Rep. 95; Crawford v. McDonald, 88 Tex. 626, 33 S. W. 325; Eichhoff v. Bichhoff, 107 Cal. 42, 40 Pac. 24, 48 Am. St. Rep. 110.—Di rect interest. A direct interest, such as would render the interested party incompetent to testify in regard to the matter, is an inter est which is certain, and not contingent or doubtful. A matter which is dependent alone on the successful prosecution of an execution cannot be considered as uncertain, or otherwise than direct, in this sense. In re Van Alstine's Estate, 26 Utah, 193, 72 Pac. 942.—Direct line. Property is said to descend or be inherit ed in the direct line when it passes in lineal succession; from ancestor to son, grandson, great-grandson, and so on.—Direct payment. One which is absolute and unconditional as to the time, amount, and the persons by whom and to whom it is to be made. People v. Boy Ian (C. C.) 25 Fed. 595. See Ancient Order of Hibernians v. Sparrow, 29 Mont. 132, 74 Pac. 197, 64 L. R. A. 128, 101 Am. St. Rep. 563; Hurd v. McClellan, 14 Colo. 213, 23 Pac. 792. As to direct "Consanguinity," "Contempt," "Damages," "Evidence," "Examination," "In terrogatories," "Loss," "Tax," and "Trust" see those titles. DIRECTION. 1. The act of governing; management; superintendence. Also the body of persons (called "directors") who are charged with the management and adminis tration of a corporation or institution. 2. The charge or Instruction given by the court to a jury upon a point of law arising

DIOCESAN COURTS. In English law. The consistorial courts of each diocese, exer cising general jurisdiction of all matters aris ing locally within their respective limits, with the exception of places subject to pe culiar jurisdiction; deciding all matters of spiritual discipline,—suspending or depriving clergymen,—and administering the other branches of the ecclesiastical law. 2 Steph. Comm. 672. DIOCESE. The territorial extent of a bishop's jurisdiction. The circuit of every bishop's jurisdiction. Co. Litt 94; 1 BL Comm. 111. DIQICHIA. The district over which a bishop exercised his spiritual functions. DIP. In mining law. The line of declina tion of strata; the angle which measures the deviation of a mineralized vein or lode from the vertical plane; the slope or slant of a vein, away from the perpendicular, as it goes downward into the earth; distinguished from the "strike" of the vein, which is its extension in the horizontal plane, or Its lengthwise trend or course with reference to the points of the compass. King v. Mining Co., 9 Mont 543, 24 Pac. 200; Duggan v. Da vey, 4 Dak. 110, 26 N. W. 887. DIPLOMA. In the civil law. A royal charter; letters patent granted by a prince or sovereign. Calvin. An instrument given by colleges and socie ties on the conferring of any degrees. State v. Gregory, 83 Mo. 130, 53 Am. Rep. 565; Halliday v. Butt, 40 Ala. 183. A license granted to a physician, etc., to practice his art or profession. See Brooks v. State, 88 Ala. 122, 6 South. 902. DIPLOMACY. The science which treats of the relations and interests of nations with nations. Negotiation or intercourse between nations through their representatives. The rules, customs, and privileges of representatives at foreign courts. DIPLOMATIC AGENT. In internation al law. A general name for all classes of persons charged with the negotiation, trans action, or superintendence of the diplomatic business of one nation at the court of an other. See Rev. St U. S. § 1674 (U. S. Comp. St 1901, p. 1149). DIPLOMATICS. The science of diplo mas, or of ancient writings and documents; the art of judging of ancient charters, public documents, diplomas, etc., and discriminating the true from the falsa Webster. DIPSOMANIAC. A person subject to dipsomania. One who has an irresistible de sire for alcoholic liquors. See INSANITY.