A litigated question; adversary proceeding in a court of law; a civil action or suit, either at law or in equity. Barber v. Kennedy, 18 Minn. 216 (Gil. 196); State v. Guinotte, 156 Mo. 513, 57 S. W. 281, 50 L. R. A. 787. It differs from "case." which includes all suits, criminal as well as civil; whereas "controversy" is a civil and not a criminal proceeding. Law Dictionary - … [Read more...]

To dispute; to deny; to oppose or contest; to take issue on. Buggy Co. v. Patt, 73 Iowa, 485, 35 N. W. 587; Swenson v. Kleinschmidt, 10 Mont. 473, 26 Pac. 198. … [Read more...]

civ. law. As among the Romans, slaves had no civil state, their marriages, although valid according to natural law, when contracted with the consent of their masters, and when there was no legal bar to them, yet were without civil effects; they having none except what arose from natural law; a marriage of this kind was called contubernium. It was so called whether both or only … [Read more...]

In English law. Excommunication in all cases of contempt in the spiritual courts is discontinued by 53 Geo. III. c. 127, … [Read more...]

The refusal or intentional omission of a person who has been duly cited before a court to appear and defend the charge laid against him, or, if he is duly before the court to obey some lawful order or direction made in the cause. In the former case It is called "presumed" contumacy; in the latter, "actual." The term is chiefly used in ecclesiastical law. See 3 Curt. Ecc. 1. … [Read more...]