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abuse  excuse.Criminal  law.  The  defense  that  a  defendant  cannot  tell  right  from  wrong  or control impulses be-cause  of  physical  or  mental  abuse  suffered  as  a  child.  • Like  the  traditional excuse of insanity, the abuse excuse is asserted by a defendant in an effort to avoid all culpability for   the   crime   charged.   Cf.   BATTERED-CHILD   SYNDROME;  …

abusee (<<schwa>>-byoo-zee), n. One who is or has been abused. [Blacks Law 8th]

abused child.See CHILD. [Blacks Law 8th]

abuse (<<schwa>>-byoos), n.1. A departure from legal or reasonable use; misuse. 2. Physical or mental mal-treatment, often resulting in mental, emotional, sexual, or physical injury. — Also termed cruel and abusive treatment. Cf. NEGLECT; CRUELTY. abuse of the elderly.Abuse of a senior citizen by a caregiver. • Examples include deprivation of food or medication, beatings,…

ab urbe condita (ab <<schwa>>r-bee kon-di-t<<schwa>>). [Latin] From the founding of the city (esp. Rome in 753 B.C.). • This term is sometimes used in abbreviated form in classical dates. For example, the date “23 A.U.C.” means “23 years after the founding of Rome,” or 730 B.C. — Abbr. A.U.C. [Blacks Law 8th]

A-B trust.See bypass trust under TRUST. [Blacks Law 8th]

absurdity,n.  The  state  or  quality  of  being  grossly  unreasonable;  esp.,  an  interpretation  that would lead to an unconscionable result, esp. one that the parties or (esp. for a statute) the drafters could not have intended and probably never considered. Cf. GOLDEN RULE. [Blacks Law 8th]

abstract question.See HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION. [Blacks Law 8th]

abstractor (ab- or <<schwa>>b-strak-t<<schwa>>r). A person who prepares abstracts of title. — Also spelled abstracter. [Cases: Abstracts of Title    3. C.J.S. Abstracts of Title §§ 6–20.] [Blacks Law 8th]

abstract  of  title.A  concise  statement,  usu.  prepared  for  a  mortgagee  or  purchaser  of  real property,  summarizing  the  history  of  a  piece  of  land,  including  all  conveyances, interests, liens, and  encumbrances  that  affect  title  to  the  property.  —  Also  termed  brief;  brief  of  title.  [Cases: Abstracts of Title    1. C.J.S. Abstracts of Title §§ 2–3, 5.]…