Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

CADUCARY [L. cadere / to fall] Property subject to escheat (escheat is the forfeiture of property to the state when there is no person to inherit, or the transfer to the state of property when the owner cannot be found or identified). In Roman Law, a caducus was a failed legacy. See ESCHEAT CALCULUS [L. a little stone, the stones used to count votes or calculate prices] A method or system of computation or calculation, as distinguished from the calculation itself. CALENDAR [L. calendae (Gr. kalendae ) / the first day of a Roman month (from calo, calare / to call, summon)] An organized list. A record of the days and months of the year. A list pub lished by a court of the cases, proceedings and motions to be heard by it on a given day or over a period of days. A schedule of the bills and legislation to be debated and voted upon by a legislature. CALUMNY [L. calumnia / a trick; a false accusation, a malicious prosecution] Defamation; false charges. Misrepresentation of the words or reputation of another with intent to injure. CAMERA [L. a high ceilinged chamber] A private room adjacent to the courtroom in which a judge hears arguments and conducts conferences; also, the process by which a judge reaches a deci sion when court is not in session. See BICAMERAL; IN CAMERA; CHAMBER CAMERA STELLATA [L. camera / chamber + stella / star] Star Chambers. An English court of the 15th-17th centuries characterized by secret and oppressive trials.

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