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de admensuratione dotis (dee ad-men-s[y]uu-ray-shee-oh-nee  doh-tis),  n.[Law Latin “of  the admeasurement of dower”] Hist. A writ available to an heir (or the heir’s guardian if the heir is an infant)  to  reduce  the  dower  of  the  ancestor’s  widow  who,  while  the  heir  was  an  infant,  was assigned more dower than she was entitled to. “If …

dead marriage.See MARRIAGE(1). [Blacks Law 8th]

dead man’s statute.A law prohibiting the admission of a decedent’s statement as evidence in certain circumstances, as when an opposing party or witness seeks to use the statement to support a  claim  against  the  decedent’s  estate.  —  Also  termed  dead  person’s  statute.  [Cases:  Witnesses 125.C.J.S. Witnesses § 215.] [Blacks Law 8th]

dead man’s part.1.Archaic. By custom in certain places, the portion of a dead man’s estate set aside for mass services; later, that portion set aside as payment for the administrator. • That portion ranged from one-third (if the deceased had a wife and children) to the entire estate (if the deceased had no wife or…

deadly weapon per se.See WEAPON. [Blacks Law 8th]

deadly weapon.See WEAPON. [Blacks Law 8th]

deadly force.See FORCE. [Blacks Law 8th]

deadlocked jury.See hung jury under JURY. [Blacks Law 8th]

deadlock,n.  1.  A  state  of  inaction  resulting  from  opposition,  a  lack  of  compromise  or resolution, or a failure of election. See tie vote under VOTE (3).2.Corporations. The blocking of corporate  action  by  one  or  more  factions  of  shareholders  or  directors  who  disagree  about  a significant aspect of corporate policy. [Cases: Corporations    553(5), 592. C.J.S. Corporations…

dead  letter.  1.  A  law  or  practice  that,  although  not  formally  abolished,  is  no  longer  used, observed, or enforced. 2. A piece of mail that can be neither delivered nor returned because it lacks correct addresses for both the intended recipient and the sender. [Cases: Postal Service    24.C.J.S. Postal Service and Offenses Against Postal Laws…