Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

ership, mortgages, tax liens, etc. Also used in the sense of an abridgment, as an abstract of a judgment or record on appeal. ABUSE [L. abuti / to use up, to consume] To put to an improper use; to reduce the value of, diminish; to waste. To criti cize excessively or intemperately in speech or comment. To damage or injure mentally or physically; harm, mistreat. A judge may be guilty of abuse of dis cretion (misapplication of the law through whim or caprice). Abuse of pro cess is the malicious misuse of civil or criminal procedure to achieve an To cause to go faster; speed up. To move to an earlier time. An acceleration clause in a contract or mortgage causes the entire obligation to become due or payable immediately, upon the default of a party to pay interest or to perform any other obligation in accordance with the terms of the document. ACCESS [L. accedere / to approach, draw near] To have freedom, permission or license to approach or communicate with another or to enter upon and/or pass through a place. The right of a land owner to proceed without obstruction to a public street or highway. ACCESSION [L. accedere / to approach, draw near] In law, the right to anything of value produced on or from one’s property, both real and personal. In real property, for example, accession may result from natural development; e.g., the lumber from trees or a change in the course of a stream. In personal property, accession may result from the owner’s labor; e.g., the production of a sculpture from a piece of stone or metal. See ACCRETION ACCESSORY [L. accedere / to approach, draw near] In criminal law, a person who participates in a crime without being present when it is committed. Participation may result from such acts as planning or advising, or from obtaining or concealing a weapon, etc. An accessory may be before the fact , after the fact , or during the fact (in these contexts, the word fact is equivalent to the word crime ). In most states, an accessory before the fact is now treated in the same way as the person who commits the crime. ACCOMMODATE [L. ad / towards + commodo, commodare / to make fit, to serve, to suit] To please by providing with something desired or requested. To cause to agree or accept. To serve the interest of a debtor or obligor by acknowledging or accepting responsibility for a debt or obligation in the event it is not paid improper or unlawful advantage over an adversary. ACCELERATE [L. accelerare / hasten, quicken]

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