Law Dictionary Definitions

Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.An officer of the House of Lords who has various ceremonial duties, in-cluding the summoning of the members of the House of Commons to the House of Lords when a bill is to receive royal approval. • The office dates from the 14th century. [Blacks Law 8th]

gentleman’s agreement.See GENTLEMEN’S AGREEMENT. [Blacks Law 8th]

gentleman.Hist. 1. A man of noble or gentle birth or rank; a man above the rank of yeoman. 2. A man belonging to the landed gentry. • Today the term has no precise legal meaning. [Blacks Law 8th]

gentium privatum.See private international law under INTERNATIONAL LAW. [Blacks Law 8th]

gentile (jen-tIl). [fr. Latin gentilis] Roman law. A member of a gens. See GENS. [Blacks Law 8th]

gentes (jen-teez), n. [Latin] Roman law. The peoples or nations of the world, particularly the civilized peoples. [Blacks Law 8th]

gens (jenz), n.[Latin] Roman law. A clan or group of families who share the same name and (supposedly) a common ancestor; extended family. • Members of a gens are freeborn and possess full civic rights. Pl. gentes. “A wider group still is the gens, of great importance in early law though its importance was gone…

genotype.Patents. The genetic makeup of a living organism. • A patent on living matter must disclose its genotype rather than just describe its physical characteristics (phenotype) or behavior. Cf. PHENOTYPE. — genotypic,adj. [Blacks Law 8th]

Genoese lottery (jen-oh-eezor -ees). See LOTTERY. [Blacks Law 8th]

  genocide (jen-<<schwa>>-sId).Int’l law. An international crime involving acts causing serious physical and mental harm with the intent to destroy, partially or entirely, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. • The widely ratified Genocide Convention of 1948 defines the crime. The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction to try those accused of genocide. Many nations…