An infant or person who is under the age of legal competence. A term derived from the civil law, which described a person under a certain age as less than so many years. Minor viginti quinque annis, one less than twenty-five years of age. Inst 1, 14, 2.
Also, less; of less consideration; lower; a person of inferior condition. Fleta, 2, 47. 13, 15; Calvin. Minor sstas. Latin: Minority or infancy. Cro. Car. 516. Literally, lesser age. Minor fact. In the law of evidence. A relative, collateral, or subordinate fact; a circumstance. Wills, Circ Ev. 27; Burrill, Circ. Ev. p. 121, note, 582. Minor ante tempus agere non potest in casu proprietatis, nee etiam eonvenire. A minor before majority cannot act in a case of property, nor even agree; it should be deferred until majority; but the writ does not fail. Minor jurare non potest. A minor cannot make oath. Co. Litt 172b. An Infant cannot be sworn on a Jury. Litt 289. Minor minorem eustodire non debet; alios enim praesumitur male regere qui seipsum regere nescit. A minor ought not to be guardian to a minor, for he who knows not how to govern himself is presumed to be unfit to govern others. Fleta, lib. 1, c. 10; Co. Litt 885. Minor non tenetur respondere durante minori aetat, nisi in causa dotis, propter favorem. A minor is not bound to reply during his minority, except as a matter of favor in a cause of dower. Minor qui infra aetatem 12 annorum fuerit utlagari non potest nee extra legem poni, quia ante talem aetatem, non est sub lege aliqua nee in decenna. Co.
Litt. 128. A minor who is under twelve years of age cannot be outlawed, nor placed without the law, because before such age he is not under any law, nor in decennary.
Minor septemdecim annis non admittitur fore executorem. A person under seventeen years is not admitted to be an executor. 6 Coke, 67. A rule of ecclesiastical law.