Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

CONTUMACY [L. contumacia / stubbornness, stubborn refusal] The refusal of a person to obey an order or decree issued by a court. Wilful disobedience of a court order. The person who refuses to obey the order is said to be contumacious and is subject to being held in contempt. See CONTEMPT CONVENTION [L. convenio, convenire / to come together, to meet; to assem ble] A pact among nations resolving a dispute among them or dealing with mat ters of concern to all of them. Among the best known is the Geneva Conven tion of 1864 which dealt with the treatment of prisoners of war and of combatants who were wounded in battle. Also, any contract or agreement. Any principle or rule accepted as generally true or persuasive. Also, any assemblage of persons to consider and reach decisions on matters of common interest, e.g., the conventions of political parties to choose candidates for public office or of church groups to adopt statements of social policy. CONVENTIO VINCIT ET DAT LEGEM A (binding) agreement prevails and determines the law (of the case). CONVERT, CONVERSION [L. converto, convertere / to turn around; move in the opposite direction] To change a fundamental belief, as to convert from one religion to another or from one political philosophy to another. To appropriate the property of another without right. To change the physical or chemical properties of. To exchange one kind of property for another, as to convert the common shares of a corporation into preferred stock or bonds of the company. Conversion is the unlawful usurpation of control over the property of another, usually after the property has been entrusted to the converter by the owner for safekeeping. In a bailment, for example, the refusal of the bailee to return the goods to the bailor would constitute conversion . The defendant in an action for conversion is required to pay the full value of the property. CONVERTIBLE [L. convertere / to turn around, spin around] Capable of being exchanged for another specified asset or chattel of equiva lent value. A convertible bond or debenture can be exchanged for common stock of the same company on the occurrence of specified conditions. CONVEY, CONVEYANCE [L. com / with + via / road or way] To transfer an interest in real property from one to another. Also, the docu ment which is used to effect or execute the transfer; e.g., a deed, mortgage or assignment.

67