Law Dictionary Definitions

ancillary  (an-s<<schwa>>-ler-ee),  adj.  Supplementary;  subordinate  <ancillary  claims>.  — ancillarity (an-s<<schwa>>-la[i]r-<<schwa>>-tee), n. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancilla (an-sil-<<schwa>>), n.[Latin] Hist. A female auxiliary or assistant. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancient writing.See ancient document under DOCUMENT. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancient-windows doctrine.See ANCIENT-LIGHTS DOCTRINE. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancient watercourse.See WATERCOURSE. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancient wall.See WALL. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancient serjeant.Hist. English law. The eldest of the Crown’s serjeants. • The last serjeant to hold this office died in 1866. [Blacks Law 8th]

ancients.Hist. Certain members of seniority in the Inns of Court and Chancery. • In Gray’s Inn, the  society  con-sisted  of  benchers,  ancients,  barristers,  and  students  under  the  bar,  with  the ancients  being  the  oldest barristers.  In  the  Middle  Temple,  those  who  passed  the  readings  were termed ancients. The Inns of Chancery consisted of both ancients…

ancient-lights  doctrine.The  common-law  principle  by  which  a  landowner  acquired,  after  20 years of uninter-rupted use, an easement preventing a neighbor from building an obstruction that blocks light  from  passing  through  the  landowner’s  window.  • The window  (or  other  opening)  is termed an ancient light. This doctrine has rarely been applied in the United States. —…

ancient rent.Hist. The rent reserved at the time the lease is made, if the  estate was not then under lease. [Blacks Law 8th]