Cautionry
Defined in 5 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1910), Black's (1891), Burrill (1850)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
In Scotch law. Suretyship. The obligation of suretyship. CAVEAT (Lat. let him beware). In Practice. A notice not to do an act, given to some officer, ministerial or judicial, by a party having an interest in the matter. It is a formal caution or warning not to do the act mentioned, and is addressed frequently to prevent the admission to probate of wills, the granting letters of administration, etc. 1 Bouv. Inst. 71, 534; 3 Bl. Comm. 246; 2 Chit. Prac. 502, note b; 3 Bin (Pa.) 314; 3 Halst. (N. J.) 139. It is also used to prevent the issuance of a patent for lands. See 9 Grat. (Va.) 508. In Patent Law. A legal notice not to issue a patent of a particular description to any other person without allowing caveator an opportunity to establish his priority of invention. It is filed in the patent office under statutory regulations. This principal object of filing it is to obtain for an inventor time to perfect his invention without the risk of having a patent granted to another person for the same thing. Rev. St. U. S. § 4902. CAVEAT EIVIPTOR (Lat. let the buyer beware). A maxim employed in the law to signify that a purchaser, whether of realty or personalty, is not only bound to discover obvious defects for himself, but is confined to the warranties which he has required, and cannot, in the absence of fraud, rely on the statements of the seller. Benj. Sales, 611; As an exception to the rule, there is, however, an implied warranty of title. 88 Ga. 629. CAVEAT EMPTOR; QUI IGNORARE non debuit quod jus alienum emit. Let a purchaser beware; who ought not to be igno-, rant that he is purchasing the rights of another. Hob. 99; Broom, Leg. Max. (3d London Ed.) 690; Co. Litt. 102a; 3 Taunt. 439; 1 Bouv. Inst. 383; Sugd. Vend. (13th Ed.) 272 et seq.; 1 Story, Eq. Jur. (6th Ed.) c. 6.
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
In Scotch law. ship.
A New Law Dictionary and Glossary
Alexander M. Burrill · 1850
In Scotch law. Suretyship. 1 Forhei' Inst, part 2, b. 3, ch. 2, tit. 3. CAVEAT* Lat. [from cavere, to take care, or beware.]. Let him beware. A formal notice, or caution, given by a party interested, to a court, judge, or public officer, against the performance of certain judicial or ministerial acts. P, Cyclopt Bdia, A process used in the spiritual courts in England, and in courts of similar jurisdiction in the United States, to prevent the proving of a will, or the granting of administration; and in the English and United States courts, to prevent the granting of letters patent. 3 BL Cam. 98, 246. Lovelas8 on Wills, 36. 2 StepL Com, 89. Doners Abr, c. 223. In American law. A kind of equitable process, resembling an injunction, issued to prevent the granting of a patent for lands. 3 Cal Vs R, 495. 2 Hilliard's Real Prop, 251, note (1). The expressions " to caveat** " a caveator** are used in some of the states. 4 Call, 196. 3 Id, 28. The object and effect of a caveat are to stay the proceedings, in order to allow the party interested an opportunity of contestmg the validity of the will, or the right to the administration, or letters patent. 2 Chitt. Gen. Pract, 502, 503. 3 Bl.Com. 98. CaTMit emptor. Let the buyer take care; the buyer must take care, or be on his guard. Hob. 99. Co. Lilt 102 a. 2 Inst, 714. The purchaser must examine for himself the article offered to him for sale, and exercise his own judgment respecting it. If he purchase without examination, or after a hasty examination, or in mere reliance upon the seller, and the article turns out to be defective, it is his own fault, and he has no remedy against the seller, unless the latter expressly warranted the article, or made a fraudulent representation concerning it, or, knowing it to be defective, used some art to disguise it. This is a leading maxim of the law relating to the contract of sale; and its application is not affected by the circumstance that the price is such as is usually given for a soimd commodity. 2 Steph. Com. 126, and cases cited ibid. Cro. Jac. 2. 1 Smith* s Leading Cases, 78. Broom* s Maxima, 354. 2 Wooddes. Lect. 251. 2 Ktnt*s Com. 478 — 488, and notes. 1 St<yry*s Eq. Jur. § 212. It seems to have been originally applicable not to the quality, but the title of the goods sold. H<A>. 99. Stat. 13 Edw. I. c. 40. Tear Book, 14 Hm. VIII. 8. 2 Wooddes. Lect. 251, note. In modem law, however, the rale is, that if the seller has possession of the article, and sells it as his own, and not as agent for another, and for a fair price, he is understood to warrant the title. 2 Kent*s Com. 478. Lord Hobart, in the case of Moore v. Hussey, refers to the statute of Westminster 2, c. 14. [40], as giving this maxim at length in the following words, Ca Teat eaiplor fnl igaorare non debnit %mmd jns alie- Bvai enilt, (let the purchaser beware, who should not be ignorant that he is buying the right of another.) Hob. 99. The important word caveat, however, is not used in the passage of the statute referred to, which is in the following words: Expectet emptorqui ignorare non debuit quod jus alienum emit) usque ad cetatem warranti sui, &c.; the purchaser shall wait, (who Ought not to have been ignorant that he bought the right of another,) until the age of his warrantor, &c. The case of a sale of goods does not appear to be contemplated by the statute. 2 Inst. 455.