Chief

One who is put above the rest; • principal; the best of a number of things. Declaration in Chief. A declaration for the principal cause of action. 1 Tidd, Prac. 419. ^Examination in Chief. The first examination of a witness by the party who produces him. 1 Greenl. Ev. § 445. Tenant in Chief. One who held directly of the king. 1 Washb. Real Prop. 19.

One who is put above the rest. Principal. The best of a number of things. Declaration in chief is a declaration for the principal cause of action. 1 Tidd, Pr. 419. Examination in chief is the first examination of a witness by the party who produces him. 1 Greenl. Ev. § 4 15. Tenant in chief was one who held directly of the king. 1 Washb. R. P. *19.

Principal; leading; head; eminent in power or importance; the most important or valuable of several. Declaration in chief is a declaration for the principal cause of action. 1 Tidd, Pr. 419. Examination in chief is the first examination of a witness by the party who produces him. 1 Greenl. Ev. § 445.

— Chief baron. The presiding judge of the English court of exchequer; answering to the chief justice of other courts. 3 Bl. Comm. 44; 3 Steph. Comm. 401.

— Chief Clerk. The principal clerical officer of a bureau or department, who is generally charged, subject to the direction of his superior officer, with the superintendence of the administration of the business of the office.

— Chief judge. The judge of the London bankruptcy court is so calied. In general, the term is equivalent to "presiding justice" or "presiding magistrate." Bean v. Loryea, 81 CaL 151, 22 Pac. 513,

— Chief justice. The presiding, eldest, or principal judge of a court of justice.

— Chief justice of England. The presiding judge in the king's bench division of the high court of justice, and, in the absence of the lord chancellor, presidentyof the high court, and also an ex officio judge of the court of appeals. The full title is "Lord Chief Justice of England."

— Chief justice of the common pleas. In England. The presiding judge in the court of common pleas, and afterwanis in the common pleas division of the high court of justice, and one of the ex officio judges of the high court of appeal.

— Chief justiciar. In old English law. A high judicial officer and special magistrate, who presided over the aula regis of the Norman kings, and who was also the principal minister of state, the second man in the kingdom, and, by virtue of his office, guardian of the realm in the king's absence. 3 Bl. Comm. 38.

— Chief lord. The immediate lord of the fee. to whom the tenants were directly and personally responsible.

— Chief magistrate. The head of the executive department of government of a nation, state, or municipal corporation. Mclntire v. Ward, 3 Yeates (Pat) 424.

— Chief pledge. The borsholder, or chief of the borough. Spelman.

— Chief rents. In English law. Were the annual payments of freeholders of manors ; and were also called "quit-rents," because by paying them the tenant was freed from all other rents or services. 2 Bl. Comm. 42,

— Chief, tenant in. In English feudal law. All the land in the kingdom was supposed to be holden mediately or immediately of the king, who was styled the "Lord Paramount," or "Lord Above All;" and those that held immediately under him, in right of his crown and dignity, were called his tenants "in capita or "in chief," which was the most honorable species of tenure, but at the same time subjected the tenant to greater and more burdensome services than inferior tenures did. Brown.

A head or lord; a principal thing; a beginning, v. In chief. Chief justice: the presiding or principal judge of a court In English law. Chief baron: the presiding judge of the Court of Exchequer, answering to the chief justice of other courts, v. Baron. Chief justice of England: the chief justice of the King's Beilch. Chief lord: the immediate lord of the fee, to whom the obligation of the tenant is direct and personal. Chief rents: quit rents; rents paid by the freeholders of a manor in discharge of all services.

In old English law. Chief pledge: a headborow, or borsholder; th0 head of a decennary. Chief justiciar, justiciar, or justiciary: a high judicial ofl Bcer and special magistrate, who presided over the aula regis of the Norman kings, and who was also the principal minister of state, the second man in the kingdom, and, by virtue of bis of Sce, guardian of the realm in the king's absence.

Principal; leading; head; eminent in power or importance; the most important or valuable of several. Declaration in chief is a ileclaration for the principal cause of action. 1 Tidd, Pr. “19: Examination tn chief is the first examination of a witness by the party who produces him. I Greenl. Ev. § 445.

'^ The head: principal; leading; above, higher, or preceding another or others. Compare Primary. Chief Executive. The President of the IJnited States. See President. Chief justice. The presiding judge of a court of errors and appeals. See further Judge. In chief. A shortened form of the phrase " examination in chief: " the first examination of a witness by the party who calls him; the direct examination of a witness.'' See Examination, 9. Tenant in chief. See Feud.

Head; lord; principal. Chief justice: the oldest, or presiding judge of a court. The chief justice of England is the chief justice of the K. B. Chief lord: the ultimate or highest lord of the fee, of whom the mesne lords held, before Stat. Quia Emptores. A tenant in chief is one holding directly of the chief lord, of the King. Chief rents: quitrents, rents paid by the freeholders of a manor in discharge of all services. the head of a decennary. In chief, tenure in: v. Chief lord. Examination in chief: the first examiaation of a witness, as distinguished from cross-examination.

[Fr. chef; L. Lat. caput.] A head or lord. In feudal law, those tenants who held immediately under the king, in right of his crown and dignity, were called his tenants in capite, or in chief — that is, head tenants, holding from the head {de capite) of the government. 2 Bl. Com. 60. GilL Com. Fleas, Introd. 17.

In practice. A principal thing, as distinguished from that which is incidental or subordinate. To declare in chief, in the old books, signified to declare for the principal cause of action. 1 Tidd's Fr. 419. A -beginning; that which comes first in order of proceedings. Examination in chief is the first examination of a witness on a trial, by the counsel of the party on whose behalf he is called, as distinguished from his cross-examination. 3 Carr. <S: F. 113.