contracts, practice, evidence. An authentic instrument of something, and which is to serve as a model or example to be copied or imitated. It also means first, or not deriving any authority from any other source as, original jurisdiction, original writ, original bill, and the like . 2. Originals are single or duplicate. Single, when there is but one; duplicate, when there are two. In the case of printed documents, all the impressions are originals, or in the nature of duplicate originals, and any copy will be primary evidence. 3. When an original document is not evidence at common law, and a copy of such original is made evidence by an act of the legislature, the original is not, therefore, made admissible evidence by implication.
Law Dictionary – Alternative Legal Definition
Primitive; first in order; bearing its own authority, and not deriving authority from an outside source; as original jurisdiction, original writ, etc. As applied to documents, the original is the first copy or archetype; that from which another instrument is transcribed, copied, or imitated. Original bill. In equity pleading. A bill which relates to some matter not before litigated in the court by the same persons standing in the same interests. Mitf. Eq. PI. 33; Long worth v. Sturges, 4 Ohio St. 690; Christmas v. Russell, 14 Wall. 69, 20 L. Ed. 762. In old practice. The ancient mode of commencing actions in the English court of king’s bench. See Bill. Original charter. In Scotch law. One by which the first grant of land is made. On the other hand, a charter by progress is one renewing the grant in favor of the heir or singular successor of the first or succeeding vassals. Bell. Original conveyances. Those conveyances at common law, otherwise termed “primary,” by which a benefit or estate is created or first arises; comprising feoffments, gifts, grants, leases, exchanges, and partitions. 2 Bl. Comim. 309. Original entry. The first entry of an item of an account made by a trader or other person in his account books, as distinguished from entries posted into the ledger or copied from other books. Original estates. See Estate. Original evidence. See Evidence. Original inventor. In patent law, a pioneer in the art; one who evolves the original idea and brings it to some successful, useful and tangible result; as distinguished from an improver. Norton v. Jensen, 90 Fed. 415, 33 C. C. A. 141. Original jurisdiction. See Jurisdiction. Original package. A package prepared for interstate or foreign transportation, and remaining in the same condition as when it left the shipper, that is, unbroken and undivided; a package of such form and size as is used by producers or shippers for the purpose of securing both convenience in handling and security in transporation of merchandise between dealers in the ordinary course of actual commerce. Original process. See Process. Original writ. See Writ. Single original. An original instrument which is executed singly, and not in duplicate.