Black Cap
Defined in 4 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Black's (1891)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
It is a vulgar error that the headdress worn by the judge in pronouncing the sentence of death is assumed as an emblem of the sentence., It is part of the judicial full dress, and is worn by the judges on occasions of especial state. Wharton.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
A portion of the full dress of a judge. It is not known when the custom of putting on the black cap when passing sentence of death was introduced into England. Townsend, Man. of Dates.
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
Itis a vulgar error that the head-dress worn by the judge in pronouncing the sentence of death is assumed as an emblem of thesentence. Itis part of the judicial full dress, and is worn by the judges on ocexsions of especial state. Wharton.