KFLCC Kingdom Law 2nd Ed.

431

EPISCOPACY

EQUALIZATION

JEPISCOPACY. The office of overlook ing or overseeing; the office of a bishop, who Is to overlook and oversee the concerns of the church. A form of church government by diocesan bishops. Trustees of Diocese of Central New York v. Colgrove, 4 Hun (N. T.) 366. In ecclesiastical law. Synodals, pentecostals, and other customary payments from the clergy to their diocesan bishop, formerly collected by the rural deans. Cowell. EPISCOPALIA.

worth, value, amount, or rights. People v. Hoffman, 116 111. 587, 5 N. E. 600, 56 Am. Rep. 793. —Equal and uniform taxation. Taxes are said to be "equal and uniform" when no person or class of persons in the taxing dis trict, whether it be a state, county, or city, is taxed at a different rate than are other per sons in the same district upon the same value or the same thing, and where the objects of taxation are the same, by whomsoever owned or whatsoever they may be. Norris v. Waco, 57 Tex. 641; People v. Whyler, 41 Cal. 355; The Railroad Tax Oases (C. C.) 13 Fed. 733; Ottawa County v. Nelson, 19 Kan. 239.— Equal degree. Persons are said to be related to a decedent "in equal degree" when they are all removed by an equal number of steps or de grees from the common ancestor. Fidler v. Higgins, 21 N. J. Eq. 162; Helmes v. Elliott, 89 Tenn. 446, 14 S. W. 930, 10 L R. A. 535. —Equal protection of the laws. _ The equal protection of the laws of a state is ex tended to persons within its jurisdiction, with in the meaning of the constitutional require ment, when its courts are open to them on the same conditions as to others, with like rules of evidence and modes of procedure, for the security of their persons and property, the prevention and redress of wrongs, and the en forcement of contracts; when they are subject ed to no restrictions in the acquisition of prop erty, the enjoyment of personal liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which do not generally affect others; when they are liable to no other or greater burdens and charges than such as are laid upon others; and when no different or greater punishment is enforced against them for a violation of the laws. State v. Mont gomery. 94 Me. 192, 47 Atl. 165, 80 Am. St. Rep. 386. And see Duncan v. Missouri, 152 U. S. 377, 14 Sup. Ct. 570, 38 L. Ed. 485; Northern Pac. R. Co. v. Oarland, 5 Mont. 146, 3 Pac. 134; Missouri v. Lewis, 101 U. S. 25, 25 L. Ed. 989; Cotting v. Godard. 183 U. S. 79, 22 Sup. Ct. 30, 46 L. Ed. 92; State Board of Assessors v. Central R. Co.. 48 N. J. Law, 146 4 Atl. 578; Minneapolis & St. L. R. Co. v. Beckwith, 129 U. S. 26, 9 Sup. Ct. 207, 32 L. Ed. 585. EQUALITY. The condition of possessing the same rights, privileges, and immunities, and being liable to the same duties. Fran. Max. 9, max. 3. Thus, where an heir buys in an incum brance for less than is due upon it, (except it be to protect an incumbrance to which he himself is entitled,) he shall be allowed no more than what he really paid for it, as against other incumbrancers upon the estate. 2 Vent. 353; 1 Vern. 49; 1 Salk. 155. The act or process of making equal or bringing about conformity to a common standard. The process of equal izing assessments or taxes, as performed by "boards of equalization" in various states, consists in comparing the assessments made by the local officers of the various counties or other taxing districts within the jurisdic tion of the board and reducing them to a common and uniform basis, increasing or diminishing by such percentage as may be necessary, so as to bring about, within the entire territory affected, a uniform and equal ratio between the assessed value and the Equality is equity. EQUALIZATION.

EPISCOPALIAN.

Of or pertaining to

episcopacy, or to the Episcopal Church.

EPISCOPATE.

A bishopric. The dig

nity or office of a bishop.

EPISCOPUS. An overseer; an inspector. A municipal officer who had the charge and oversight of the bread and other provisions which served the citizens for their daily food. Vicat. In medieval history. A bishop; a bishop It was an old cus tom that upon certain feasts some lay person should plait his hair, and put on the garments of a bishop, and in them pretend to exercise episcopal jurisdiction, and do several ludicrous actions, for which reason he was called "bishop of the boys;" and this custom obtained in Eng land long after several constitutions were made to abolish it. Blount. Episcopus altering mandato quam re gis non tenetnr obtemperare. Co. Litt. 134. A bishop needs not obey any mandate save the king's. Episcopns teneat placitum, in curia christianitatis, de iis quae mere sunt spiritnalia. 12 Coke, 44. A bishop may hold plea in a Court Christian of things merely spiritual. A letter; a charter; an in strument in writing for conveyance of lands or assurance of contracts. Calvin; Spel man. EPISTOL.S. In the civil law. Rescripts; opinions given by the emperors in cases sub mitted to them for decision. Answers of the emperors to petitions. The answers of counsellors, (juris-consul ti,) as Ulpian and others, to questions of law proposed to them, were also called "epistolw." Opinions written out. The term originally signified the same as literoe. Vicat. The time at which a new com putation is begun; the time whence dates are numbered. Enc. Lond. In the civil law. of the Christian church. — Episcopus puerorum. EPISTOLA. EPOCH.

EQUAL.

Alike; uniform; on the same

plane or level with respect to

efficiency,