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...]

(Latin: onus pro tandi.) In the law of evidence. The necessity or duty of affirmatively proving a fact or facts in dispute on an issue raised between the parties in a cause. Willett v. Rich, 142 Mass. 356, 7 N. B. 776, 56 Am. Rep. 684; Wilder v. Cowles, 100 Mass. 490; People v. McCann, 16 N. Y. 58, 69 Am. Dec. 642. The term "burden of proof" is not to be confused with "prima … [Read more...]

See Boeough ENGLISH. … [Read more...]

In Scotch law. Laws made by neighbors elected by common consent in the burlaw courts. Skene. Burlaw courts. Courts consisting of neighbors selected by common consent to act as judges in determining disputes between neighbor and neighbor. … [Read more...]

A French word, which literally means a large writing table. It is used figuratively for the place where business is transacted: it has been borrowed by us, and used in nearly the same sense; as, the bureau of the secretary of state. Law Dictionary - Alternative Legal Definition An office for the transaction of business. A name given to the several departments of the executive … [Read more...]