Latin for Lawyers

FUGITIVE

FUGITIVE [L. fugio, fugere / to flee] A person who runs away to avoid arrest, prosecution or imprisonment. In immigration law, a foreign citizen who flees to the United States and who qualifies as a fugitive from political persecution is given special status and treatment. FUNCTION [L. functio / a performance; the act of performing (from fungor, fungi / to perform, do] Official position or occupation. The duties performed in a particular job. The acts or operations which define a specific occupation or mechanism. FUNCTIONARY [L. fungor, fungi / to perform, execute] An official or employee of a government or governmental authority; a public official. FUNCTUS OFFICIO [L. functus / deed, performance + officere / to act against, impede, hinder] An act done or completed. An official whose authority has ended or an orga nization which ceases to function or a thing or document which has no fur ther purpose. FUND [L. fundus / ground; the base for everything] A sum of money dedicated for use in a specific way or for a specific purpose. Also, an organization set up to administer a particular group of assets. A mutual fund is a fund contributed by investors which invests in the stocks or bonds of other companies or in the securities of a defined class of companies or institutions. To fund is to invest capital for earnings or interest or to make provision in advance for the discharge of a debt. FUNDAMENTAL [L. fundare / to lay the foundation of; to make firm; to sup port] Of central importance. Forming the support for; basic. Used in the term fun damental law (the constitution or basic legal framework governing a nation or state, whether codified or developed over time by judicial decisions and interpretation). Fundamental rights are those individual rights supported by or based upon the provisions of the Constitution; e.g., freedom of speech and religion, the right to travel, etc. FUNDI PUBLICI [L. fundus / soil, land, a farm + publicus / belonging to the people] Public lands. Lands belonging to the state.

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