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In English law. A law for the heir to punish waste in the life of the ancestor. "Though it be on record in the parliament book of Edward I., yet it never was a statute, nor ever so received; but only some constitution of the king's council, or lords in parliament, which never obtained the strength or force of an act of parliament" Hale, Hist Eng. Law, p. 18. … [Read more...] about BUTLER'S ORDINANCE

In conveyancing. A term used to indicate that the quantity of land as stated is estimated only, not exactly measured; has the same meaning and effect as the phrase "more or less." Law Dictionary - Alternative Legal Definition contracts. In sales of land it not infrequently occurs that the property is said to contain a certain number of acres, by estimation, or so many acres, … [Read more...] about BY ESTIMATION

(A) This refers to a party's level of proof needed to convince a judge or jury that the party's facts alleged are true and their position meritorious. Civil trials require that a plaintiff prove a case by a preponderance of the evidence that it is more likely than not that the plaintiff's version of the truth is the correct one. Criminal cases require a much higher level of … [Read more...] about BURDEN OF PROOF

A borough; a castle or town. … [Read more...] about BURGH

Murder committed with the object of selling the cadaver for purposes of dissection, particularly and originally, by suffocating or strangling the victim. So named from William Burke, a notorious practitioner of this crime, who was hanged at Edinburgh in 1829. It is said that the first instance of his name being thus used as a synonym for the form of death he had inflicted on … [Read more...] about BURKING-BURKISM