What is POFP?

Why do lawyers refer to long documents as briefs and
18-year olds as infants? Why do they use so much Latin when so few of their
clients are Ancient Romans? Is it a conspiracy?


Party of the First Part has the answers! Check out the Website for the
Legalese Hall of Shame; a glossary of legal words linked to Adam Freedman's
columns; tips on writing legal documents in plain English; and more!



Friday, June 1, 2007

Word of the Week

Bottomry

Maritime law. A contract, in the nature of a mortgage of a ship, on which the owner borrows money to enable him to fit out the ship. (Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 6th Ed.)
The idea, evidently, was that the keel, or bottom, of the ship would serve as security for the loan. Very few lawyers today specialize in bottomry, or if they do, they don't advertise it.

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