Mort

Death. Mort d'ancestor. Death of ancestor. See Assize op mort. Mort civile. The term of French law corresponding to our " civil death," and denoting the status impressed on the subject of a conviction for felony. It was nominally abolished by a law of the 31st of May, 1854; but something very similar to it, in effect at least, still remains. Thus the property of the condemned, pos.sessed by him at the date of his conviction, goes and belongs to his successors (heritiern), as in case of an intestacy; and his future-acquired property goes to the state, by right of its prerogative {par droit de desherence); but the state may, as a matter of gi'ace, make it over, in whole or in part, to the widow and children.

See Brown.