Charge

mn. In general. An incumbrance, lien, or burden; an obligation or duty; @ liability; an accusation, In contracts. An obligation, binding upon him who enters into il, which may be removed or taken away by a discharge.

Termes de la Ley

An undertaking to keep the custody of another person’s goods. formanee. Com. Dig. “Rent,” ¢.

6; 2 Ball & B. 223.

In the law of wills. A responsibility or liability imposed by the testator upon a devisee personally, or upon the land devised. In equity pleading. An allegation in the bill of matters whieh disprove or avoid a defense which it is alleged the defendant is supposed to pretend or intend to set up.

Story, Eq. Pl. § 31.

In equity practice

A paper presented toa master in chancery by a party to a canse, being a writlen statement of the items with which ths opposite party should be debited or should account for, or of the claim of the partymakingit. Itismore comprehensive than a claim, which implies only the amount due to the person producing it, while a charge may embrace the whole liabilities of the accointing party.

Hoff. Mast. 36.

In common-law practice. The finaladdress made by a judge to the jury trying a case, before they make up their verdict, in which he suns up the case, and instructs the jury as to the rules of law which apply to its various issues, and which they must observe, in deciding upon their verdict, when they shall lave determined the controverted matters of fact. The term also applies tothe address of the court to & grand jury, in which the latter aré instructed aa ta their duties.

In Scotch law

The command of the king’s letters to perform some act; as a charge Loenter heir. Aisoamessonger’s execution, requiring a person to obey the order of the king’s letters; as a charge on letters of lorning, or a charge against a superior.

Bell.