Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

DESERT, DESERTION [L. deserere / to sever connection with; to leave or abandon; to forsake] To abandon or forsake a relationship or a commitment. To leave a spouse without consent or justification and without the intent to return. To terminate the care or custody of one's child or dependent. To abandon one's military post or duty without authorization and with the intent not to return. DETAIN [L. de + teneo, tenere / to hold back; to restrain or stop] To impede the movement of; to restrain. To hold in custody. To deprive a per son of his freedom. DETAINER [L. de + tenere / to hold] A writ authorizing a penal officer to continue to hold a prisoner. Also, the detention of a person without his consent. Also, the act of keeping an object from the rightful owner. DE TEMPUS EN TEMPUS From time to time. DETENTION [L. de + tenere ] The act of restraining the free movement of another. To hold someone on a charge of crime. To take custody of a defendant or prisoner. DETER, DETERRENCE [L. deterreo, deterrere / to frighten, discourage, restrict] To frighten into inaction. To prevent from acting. To discourage or inhibit criminal activity for fear of punishment or reprisal. To discourage military attack through the buildup of military power. DETERMINABLE [L. de + termino, terminare / to limit; to set the limits of] Capable of being fixed, determined or decided. Also, subject to being termi nated upon the occurrence of a contingency. Some interests in land are con sidered determinable . Example: A, the owner of Greenacre, conveys title to “the Nantucket Library, for only so long as Nantucket uses Greenacre for its library.” The Library has a fee simple determinable . If the library ceases to use Greenacre as its site, title will revert to A. DETERMINATE [L. determinare ] Having fixed limits or boundaries; limited in time or space. In criminal law, a determinate sentence is a custodial sentence with a fixed term. DETINUE [L. de + tenere / to hold back] A common-law action for the recovery of personal property which is detained wrongfully, even though possession may originally have been

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