Abbreviation

A shortened form of a word obtained by the omission of one or more letters or syllables from the middle or end of the word. The abbreviations in common use in modern times consist of the initial letter or letters, syllable or syllables, of the word. Anciently, also, contracted forms of words, obtained by the omission of letters intermediate between the initial and final letters, were much in use. These latter forms are now more commonly designated by the term "contraction." Abbreviations are of frequent use in referring to text books, reports, etc., and in indicating dates, but should be very sparingly employed, if at all, in formal and important legal documents. See 4 Car. & P. 51; 9 Coke, 48. No part of an indictment should contain any abbreviations except in cases where a facsimile of a written instrument is necessary to be set out. 1 East, 180, note. The variety and number of abbreviations is as nearly illimitable as the ingenuity of man can make them, and the advantages arising from their use are, to a great extent, counterbalanced by the ambiguity and uncertainty resulting from the usually inconsiderate selection which is made. Abbreviations in judicial records do not conform to requirements that proceedings shall be conducted in the English language unless they are so well known or so commonly used that they may be said to constitute part of the language. Stein v. Meyers, 253 Ill. 199.

A shortened form of a word, obtained by the omission of one or more letters or syllables from the middle or end of the word. The abbreviations in common use in modern times consist of the initial letter or letters, syllable or syllables, of the word. Anciently, also, contracted forms of words, obtained by the omission of letters intermediate between the initial and final letters were much in use. These latter forms are now more commonly designated by the term contraction. Abbreviations are of frequent use in referring to text-books, reports, etc., and in indicating dates, but should be very sparingly employed, if at all, in formal and important legal documents. See 4 C. & P. 51; 9 Co. 48. No part of an indictment should contain any abbreviations except in cases where a facsimile of a written instrument is necessary to be set out. 1 East 180, n. The variety and number of abbreviations are as nearly illimitable as the ingenuity of man can make them; and the advantages arising from their use are, to a great extent, counterbalanced by the ambiguity and uncertainty resulting from the usually inconsiderate selection which is made. As to how far a judicial record may contain abbreviations of English words without invalidating it, see Stein v. Meyers, 253 Ill. 199, 97 N. E. 297.

A short or contracted mode of writing, veiy common in old records, law treatises and reports, especially those in Latin and French, and still used to a limited extent in the practice of the courts, and in printed books. There are yarious kinds of abbreviation: as. By using the initial lettera of words in-' tead of the words at length; as B. B. for Banco Begis; jV. P. for Nisi Prius; S. C. for Same Case, and the like. By usin? the first syllables instead of the entire words; as re. fa. lo. for recordari facias loquelam; sus. per col. for suspen* sus per collum; and the more modem and familiar cur. adv. vult, for curia advisari vult; fi. fa. for fwri facias; sci. fa. for scire facias, and the like. So in references to authorities; lib. for liber, cap. for caput, and the like. By doubling the initial letter to denote the plural; as LL. for leges, laws; cc. for capita, chapters. All the foregoing kinds of abbreviation are still in common use. By omitting one or more of the letters of a word, as dns, for dominus; het, for habet; kmdi, for hujusmodi; oibs, for omnibus; qd, for quod; and the French boe, for bone; dde, for demande, pols, for parols, and the like. These contractions formed one of the peculiarities of the court hand in which the records of the courts were anciently written, and are followed in some of the old printed books, as Bracton, and the Register. They were accompanied by various arbitrary marks upon, or over the letters retained, to denote the omissions. Tovms. PI. per tot. See Court Iiand, Contraction. They were prohibited by the English statute of 4 Geo. II. c. 26, the provisions of which have generally been adopted in the United States. 3 Bl. Com. 323. 2 N. T. Bev. St. [275,] 205, § 9. A very few of these contractions, however, continue to be retained, though without any of the ancient marks; as vs. for versus; adsm. for ad sectam, and the like. By substituting a different letter for those omitted, as acco, for actio; casscKO, for cassatio; administracon for administration, and the like. Toums. PL 26. But these are entirely disused.

practice.— The omission of some words or letters in writing; as when fi. fa. is written for fieri facias. In writing contracts it is the better practice to make no abbreviations; but in recognizances and many other contracts they are used; as John Doe tent to prosecute, &c. Richard Roe tent to appear, &c. When the recognizances are used, they are drawn out in eztenso. See 4 Ca. & P. 51; S.C.19 E.C. L. R. many books. This being thought the most convenient place to introduce such matter. A, a, the first letter of the alphabet, is sometimes used in the ancient law books to denote that the paging is the first of that number in the book. As an abbreviation, A is used for anonymous. A. B. Anonymous Reports, printed at the end of Bendloe’s Reports. A. D. Anno Domini; in the year of our Lord. Ab. or Abr. Abridgment. Abr. Ca. Eq. Abridgment of Cases in Equity. Ab. Sh. Abbott on Shipping. Acc. Accord or agrees. Act. Acton’s Reports. Reports of Cases argued and adjudged before the Most Noble and right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Appeale in Prize Causes; also on Appeals before the King’s most excellent Majesty in council, from May 1809, to July, 1810; with an Appendix containing Orders in Council, lnstructions, &c. to 1810. 2 Vols. 8vo. Ad. Eject. Adams on Ejectment. A Treatise on the Law of Ejectment, &e. l vol. This is a very able work. 10 Serg. & Rawle, 221. Addams’s R. Addams’s Ecclesiastical Reports. In E. Eccl. Rep. Addis. R. Addison’s Reports. Admr. Administrator. Aiken's R.° Aiken's Reports. Al. Aleyn’s Cases.; Al. Alinéa. Al. et. Et alii, and others. Ala. R. Alabama Reports. Alln. Part. Alinat on Partition. Amb. Ambler’s Reports. Reports of cases argued and determined in the High Court of Chancery, with some few in other courts. By Charles Ambler. 1 vol. fol. Am. & Fer.on Fizt. Amos and Ferard on Fixtures. Amer. Dig. American Digest. Amer. Jur. American Jurist. And. Anderson’s Reports. Reports in the Commun Pleas, chiefly in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 2 parts. By Sir Edm. Anderson. Andr. Andrews’s Reports. Reports of cases argued and adjudged in the Court of King’s Bench in the 11th and 12th years of the rcign of King George II. By George Andrews. 1 vol. 8vo, Ang. on Adv. Enj. Angell’s Inquiry into the rule of law which creates a right to an Ang. on Ass. Angell'’s Practical Summary of the Law of Assignments in trust for creditors. Ang. en Corp. Angell on the Law of Private.Corporations. Ang. on Linut. Angell’s Treatise on the Limitation of Actions at Law, and Suits in Fauity. Ang. on Tide Wat. Angell on the right of property in ‘Tide Waters. Ang. on Water Courses. Angcll on the cominon law in relation to Water Courses. Anna, Annaly's Reports. Cases during the time of Lord Hardwicke in the King’s Bench, 7, 8, 9 and 10 K. George II. to which are added soine determinations of the late Lord C. J. Lee; and also two equity cases by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, 1 vol. This book is usually cited, Cas. Temp. Hardw. Anstr. Anstruther’s Reports. Reports of cases argued and determined in the Court of Exchequer, from Easter Term, 32 Geo. IIT. 1792, to Trinity Term, 37 Geo.