Latin for Lawyers

HOSPITIA CURIAE

HOSPITIA CURIAE [L. hospitium / a guest house or inn + curia / the meet ing place of the Roman senate; a court or courthouse] The inns of court. In London, an association of lawyers with common or adjacent quarters designed to further collegiality in the practice of law and to offer instruction to students of the law. HOSTAGE [L. hostis / a stranger, an enemy, a public foe] A person seized by another to secure or enforce compliance with a demand; e.g., the detention of a victim by a kidnapper to secure payment of ransom. In time of war or conflict, the seizure and detention of individuals by one party to the conflict in order to exact conditions and terms from the other. HOSTES HUMANI GENERIS Enemies of the human race. Enemies of the people. HOSTILE [L. hostis / an enemy or foe] Marked by an attitude which is antagonistic and unfriendly. The acts and atti tudes of an enemy. In the law, the word is applied both to the possession of real property and the acquisition and control of corporations. Hostile posses sion is possession of real property adverse to all other interests, including the record owner’s. A hostile takeover is the usurpation of control of a corpora tion or business in opposition to existing management. See ADVERSE POSSESSION HOSTILE WITNESS A witness who shows such antagonism on direct examination to the party by whom he is called as witness as to warrant his treatment as an adverse wit ness. This means that he is regarded as a witness called by the opposing party and may be cross-examined and asked leading questions by the party who originally called him. HUMANITARIAN (DOCTRINE) [L. homo, humanis / relating to human beings] Promoting the welfare and improving the condition of others. Considerate, sympathetic. Motivated by a desire to help others and society in general. The humaniarian doctrine — a doctrine followed only in a few states — holds that a person who has the last chance to avoid an accident or an injury to oth ers has an affirmative duty to do so; if he does not fulfill the duty, he relieves the other party of responsibility for any negligence which may have contrib uted to the accident.

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