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fornix (for-niks). [Latin] Hist. 1. A brothel. 2. Fornication.[Blacks Law 8th]

fornication,n.1. Voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons. • Fornication is still a crime in some states, such as Virginia. 2.Hist. Voluntary sexual intercourse with an unmarried woman. • At common law, the status of the woman determined whether the offense was adultery or fornication — adultery was sexual intercourse between a man, single or…

formulary procedure.Hist. The common-law method of pleading and practice, which required formulaic compliance with the accepted forms of action even if through elaborate fictions. • In the 19th century, this type of procedure was replaced both in the United States and in England. See code pleading under PLEADING(2).[Blacks Law 8th]

formula instruction.See JURY INSTRUCTION.[Blacks Law 8th]

formula deal.An agreement between a movie distributor and an independent or affiliated circuit to exhibit a feature movie in all theaters at a specified percentage of the national gross receipts realized by the theaters.[Blacks Law 8th]

formulary. 1.Hist. A collection of the forms of proceedings (formulae) used in litigation, such as the writ forms kept by the Chancery. See WRIT SYSTEM. 2. A list of drugs that Medicare or a health-maintenance organization will pay for.[Blacks Law 8th]

Form S-1.See S-1.[Blacks Law 8th]

form of action.The common-law legal and procedural device associated with a particular writ, each of which had specific forms of process, pleading, trial, and judgment. • The 11 common-law forms of action were trespass, trespass on the case, trover, ejectment, detinue, replevin, debt, covenant, account, special assumpsit, and general assumpsit. [Cases: Action 29; Federal Civil…

former punishment.Military law. The rule that nonjudicial punishment for a minor offense may bar trial by court-martial for the same offense.[Blacks Law 8th]

former jeopardy.The fact of having previously been prosecuted for the same offense. • A defendant enters a plea of former jeopardy to inform the court that a second prosecution is improper. Cf. DOUBLE JEOPARDY. [Cases: Double Jeopardy 132.1.][Blacks Law 8th]