Vis, Vis Impressa, Vis Major

VIS - A Latin word which signifies force. In law it means any kind of force, violence, or disturbance, relating to a man's person or his property.

VIS IMPRESSA - Immediate force; original force. This phrase is applied to cases of trespass when a question arises whether an injury has been caused by a direct force, or one which is indirect. When the original force, or vis impressa, had ceased to act before the injury commenced, then there is no force, the effect is mediate, and the proper remedy is trespass on the case.

When the injury is the immediate consequence of the force or vis proxima, trespass vi et armis lies.

VIS MAJOR - A superior force. In law it signifies inevitable accident.

This term is used in the civil law in nearly the same same way that the words act of God, are used in the common law. Generally, no one is responsible for an accident which arises from the vis major; but a man may be so where he has stipulated that he would; and when he has been guilty of a fraud or deceit.
   

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