Term

Word; expression speech.

Terms or words are characters by which we announce our sentiments, and make known to others things with which we are acquainted. These must be properly construed or interpreted in order to understand the parties using them.

contracts. This word is used in the civil, law to denote the space of time granted to the debtor for discharging his obligation; there are express terms resulting from the positive stipulations of the agreement; as, where one undertakes to pay a certain sum on a certain day and also terms which tacitly result from the nature of the things which are the object of the engagement, or from the place where the act is agreed to be done. For instance, if a builder engage to construct a house for me, I must allow a reasonable time for fulfilling his engagement.

A term is either of right or of grace; when it makes part of the agreement and is expressly or tacitly included in it, it is of right when it is not part of the agreement, it is of grace; as if it is not afterwards granted by the judge at the requisition of the debtor.

estates. The limitation of an estate, as a term for years, for life, and the like. The word term does not merely signify the time specified in the lease, but the estate also and interest that passes by that lease; and therefore the term may expire during the continuance of the time, as by surrender, forfeiture and the like.

practice. The space of time during which a court holds a session; sometimes the term is a monthly, at others it is a quarterly period, according to the Constitution of the court.

The whole term is considered as but one day so that the judges may at any time during the term, revise their judgments. In the computation of the term all adjournments are to be included. 9 Watts, R. 200. Courts are presumed to know judicially when their terms are required to be held by public law.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.