Law Dictionary Definitions

anticipated,adj.  Patents.  (Of  a  patent  claim)  having  all  the  same  elements  of  a  prior-art reference.  •  If  a  claim  is  anticipated  by  a  previous  invention  or  publication,  that  claim  is  not allowable; if a patent has already been issued, it will be declared invalid. — Also termed fully met. [Blacks Law 8th]

antichurning rule.Tax. A statutory or regulatory provision that denies certain tax advantages, esp. accelerated depreciation and amortization schedules, to taxpayers who acquire property in a transaction  that  does  not  result  in  a  significant  change  in  the  property’s  ownership  or  use.  See CHURNING(2). [Blacks Law 8th]

antichresis (an-ti-kree-sis). [Latin “in place of interest”] Roman & civil law. A  mortgage in which  the  mortgagee  retains  possession of  the  mortgaged  property  and  takes the  fruits (such  as rents) of the property in lieu of interest on the debt. La. Civ. Code art. 3176. [Cases: Mortgages    1. C.J.S. Mortgages §§ 2–6.] “Under the Civil…

antibootleg statute.Copyright. A law, esp. a state law, that prohibits making,  distributing,  or selling an unau-thorized recording of a live performance. [Blacks Law 8th]

antibootleg,adj.  Copyright.  Of  or  pertaining  to  an  effort  to  combat  or  discourage  illegal recording, distribution, and sale of unauthorized reproductions of live and broadcast performances. • The federal antibootleg statute, 18 USCA § 2319A, and the antibootleg statutes of several states criminalize bootlegging activities. — antibootleg-ging,n. See ANTIBOOTLEG STATUTE . [Blacks Law 8th]

anti-assignment-in-gross rule.Trademarks. The doctrine that an assignment of a mark without the  goodwill  symbolized  by  the  mark  is  invalid.  •  Although  trademark  rights  are  not  destroyed when a mark is assigned in gross, the failure of the assignor to continue to use the mark, coupled with  an  ineffective  transfer,  may  result  in  aban-donment.  —  See …

Anti-Assignment  Act.A  federal  statute  prohibiting  the  assignment  or  transfer  of  claims against the United States. 31 USCA § 3727. [Blacks Law 8th]

anthropometry (an-thr<<schwa>>-pom-<<schwa>>-tree). A system of measuring the human body, esp. the size relationships among the  different parts. • Before the advent of fingerprinting, minute measurements of the human body — taken and compared to other persons’ measurements —  were  used  to  identify  criminals  and  deceased  persons.  Cf.  BERTILLON  SYSTEM.  — anthropometric,adj. [Blacks Law 8th]

ante  redditas  rationes  (an-tee  red-<<schwa>>-tas  ray-shee-oh-nis  or  rash-ee).  [Law  Latin] Scots  law.  Before  accounts  are  rendered.  •  A  tutor  could  not  file  an  action  against  a  minor  to recover payments unless the tutor first provided an accounting of the ward’s estate. [Blacks Law 8th]

ante omnia (an-tee ahm-nee-<<schwa>>). [Latin] Hist. 1. Before anything else is done; first of all. • Objections that could bar the litigation were usu. discussed ante omnia. 2. Above all other things. [Blacks Law 8th]